The pressure on secondary school leaders in Scotland has hit an “unsustainable level”, a new workload report warns.
Many headteachers, deputes and faculty leaders feel exhausted, helpless and frustrated because of the “overwhelming expectation to ‘do more with less’”, it says.
Deteriorating pupil behaviour and unrealistic parent expectations are also “adding to the strain” on leaders.
The research - carried out by secondary leaders’ body School Leaders Scotland - involved 323 heads, deputes, faculty heads and business managers, working in all 32 local authorities and the independent schools sector.
Most school leaders have thought of quitting
Some 61 per cent of school leaders reported that they had considered leaving the profession earlier than planned in the past two years.
The report - published as schools in Scotland are starting to reopen following the summer break - describes this figure as “depressing” but “unsurprising”. It says it demonstrates “how unhappy school leaders are in their posts” because of “unsustainable workload, reduced resources and mounting stress”.
School leaders are having to work “excessive hours” as they grapple with budget cuts, staffing shortages, “excessive admin and growing responsibilities, many well beyond the traditional concept of education”, the report says.
Schools are expected to “fill gaps left by social services, with little guidance or support”.
Meanwhile, the report highlights the “unrealistic expectations” of national and local government - as well as the inspectorate - which the report says “ignore current school challenges (especially post-Covid) and negatively impact staff wellbeing”.
Unrealistic parent expectations are also highlighted as becoming increasingly problematic.
There has, the report says, been a “rise in aggressive and abusive behaviour - both from pupils and parents”.
It says that a “negative change in some parental expectations and a lack of collaboration has concerned school leaders since the pandemic”.
The research talks about school leaders being subjected to “harassment from parents” and “often unrealistic” parental “concerns, complaints and requests”, taking up “considerable time, reducing the ability of school leaders to focus on their main responsibilities”.
This breakdown in the relationship between some parents and schools was reflected in school leaders’ responses to the question: “If you could change one thing about your job, what would it be?”
The three most popular choices were: more realistic workload; more support for students with additional support needs and distressed students; and more realistic parental expectations and employer support to deal with demanding families.
80-hour working week
On average, school leaders reported working around 53 hours a week - with some reporting working in excess of 70 to 80 hours.
The unrelenting nature of the job is also highlighted. For example, more than 85 per cent of respondents reported being unable to take an uninterrupted break of at least 20 minutes in the previous week.
Some 57 per cent said they did not have a good work-life balance, with only 35 per cent saying they were keen to become a headteacher or would recommend headship to others. Nearly 45 per cent said they would not recommend the top job or were not interested in taking on the role.
The report warns: “This does not bode well when we are experiencing low numbers of applicants for headship posts and with also a concern about the quality of some applicants.”
Demand for ‘systemic reform’
When asked what would make the job more manageable, headteachers cited proper support for inclusion, more teaching staff and less paperwork.
The report warns that “without significant systemic reform” there is a risk of “declining morale” and “widespread burnout”.
Graham Hutton, general secretary of School Leaders Scotland and author of the report, said: “School leaders overwhelmingly feel their wellbeing is overlooked, with unrealistic expectations and inadequate support systems in place.
“While individual resilience strategies and strong peer networks offer some relief, the profession remains fundamentally unsustainable without structural reform. Leaders urgently call for realistic workloads, better wellbeing resources and improved recognition of the challenges they face.”
A spokesman for the Scottish government said the government “recognises and appreciates the hard work of our teachers”. The spokesperson said the government was working to reduce class contact time and had provided an additional £186.5 million to restore teacher numbers, as well as £29 million to support the recruitment and retention of the ASN workforce.
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