58 communications Client Blogs

Mental health has been described by Theresa May, Prime Minister, as “one of the greatest challenges of our time”. Mental health issues are an aspect of modern life and those in education are not immune – indeed, over the last 12 months the number of teachers seeking mental health support increased by 35%. Many factors can influence an individual’s mental and emotional wellbeing – including work, family, money or health. Clearly working in a pressurised environment such as education might have an impact. Whether in the classroom, as a member of support staff, or in leadership; anyone might find themselves affected. It is therefore incumbent upon senior school management to take the lead in promoting positive mental health and wellbeing. There are many ways to prevent mental illness in staff and develop a supportive working environment:            While having high expectations of teachers is important, without a strong emphasis on self-care ...

A recent article in the Guardian stated that “ Schools are in crisis. With plummeting teacher training applications and difficulties in recruiting enough staff to fill vacancies, tuition fees, unacceptable workloads and budget cuts have all been blamed for the current shortage”. However, there is light on the horizon! It is actually a great time to join the profession, with the Government and a range of innovative organisations finding ways to make teacher training much more appealing. As its most basic level, all teacher training courses include time spent training in at least two schools and lead to qualified teacher status (QTS). But there are also a variety of training routes available, to meet the needs and desires of prospective teachers, whatever their personal circumstances. For example, the Government is particularly keen to attract the best and the brightest graduates into the profession. Currently, the Department for Education (DFE) is offering tax-free burs...