Natasha Hilton is the vice-principal, head of primary, at Park House English School in Qatar, a role she has held since 2020. She is also a member of the Tes Global Advisory Board and the Council of British International Schools (Cobis).
Prior to her current job she worked at the British School Muscat in Oman. She began her career as a teacher in London before moving overseas in 2014.
She spoke to Tes about how Park House English School focuses on ensuring that staff workload remains manageable, from balancing extracurricular requirements with teaching workload to running surveys to gather insights on working patterns and using flexible working.
1. What is workload like for teachers in your school?
Teachers have an 80 per cent teaching timetable. Alongside their teaching commitments, staff are expected to participate in one extracurricular activity per week.
There is flexibility in how this is fulfilled, though, as staff can choose to support the PE team with their clubs rather than leading an activity themselves, for example. Many teachers choose to get more involved, often taking on additional activities they are passionate about, such as music competitions or drama productions.
This approach ensures that staff engagement is both meaningful and enjoyable while enriching students’ school experiences.
While cover is sometimes needed in cases of absence, staff generally support one another by arranging their own cover and paying it back later, or senior leadership team (SLT) members step in to cover when necessary.
2. How do you work with teachers to understand workload concerns and implement changes?
We actively engage with staff to understand and manage their workload. This is achieved through regular staff surveys that provide valuable insights into staff wellbeing and workload challenges.
In addition, our dedicated staff wellbeing team meets regularly with the SLT to discuss any concerns and find supportive solutions.
The SLT is highly visible and consistently in touch with staff, ensuring that they stay connected and maintain an accurate sense of the school’s atmosphere at all times. This open communication helps us to create a supportive and balanced working environment.
3. Have you implemented any initiatives to reduce workload?
We have implemented several initiatives to support staff workload and promote wellbeing.
One key approach is setting clear boundaries for communication, with staff expected to respond to parents only within working hours and not on weekends, allowing a 48-hour window for replies. This practice helps to maintain a healthy work-life balance and ensures that staff are not overwhelmed by out-of-hours expectations.
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The most significant impact of these initiatives is the embedded culture of the school, where staff wellbeing is prioritised. If children’s needs are met, there is no expectation for staff to work late evenings or very early mornings.
We want our teachers to be fresh and energised to deliver high-quality lessons. Additionally, reducing paperwork and eliminating unnecessary tasks have further alleviated workload pressures, enabling staff to focus on teaching and learning.
4. Do you look at teachers’ extracurricular workload, too?
We take a holistic approach to managing staff workload by considering all work-related activities. This includes parent meetings, busy periods like report writing and times of heavy marking, such as during mock exams.
We carefully plan our master calendar to ensure that additional activities do not coincide with these demanding periods, helping to reduce pressure on staff.
By proactively addressing workload challenges, we create a supportive environment that allows teachers to maintain their focus on delivering high-quality lessons while also managing their responsibilities effectively.
5. Have you done anything to improve your own workload?
As vice-principal, I have been mindful of managing my own workload by setting clear boundaries and modelling a balanced approach to work.
I prioritise delegation, ensuring that tasks are appropriately shared among the team, and openly communicate when I am establishing limits to maintain a healthy balance.
By demonstrating this approach, I aim to set a positive example for staff, showing that maintaining wellbeing while meeting professional responsibilities is both important and achievable.
6. If you could introduce one major change to improve workload what would it be?
Allowing staff to work from home during non-contact hours would significantly improve work-life balance by providing uninterrupted, focused time to complete tasks such as planning, marking and administrative duties.
Being away from the busy school environment reduces the likelihood of distractions and interruptions, enabling staff to work more efficiently and productively.
This approach not only supports staff wellbeing by giving them greater flexibility but also leads to higher-quality outputs, as teachers can concentrate fully on their tasks.
As a result, more work is completed in less time, reducing stress and allowing staff to recharge, ultimately benefiting both personal wellbeing and professional performance.
Natasha Hilton was talking to Dan Worth
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