The Covid pandemic has “destroyed morale” among school leaders in England, who feel they have been scapegoated for government failures during the crisis instead of being hailed as heroes for their role on the frontline, MPs will be told.
School leaders will tell a parliamentary briefing on Wednesday that a pay freeze, soaring workload and a mental health and wellbeing crisis are acting as deterrents to the next generation of headteachers.
Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), who will lead the briefing, said the school leadership supply is already teetering on the brink of collapse and warned of an exodus from the senior ranks of the profession once the crisis is over.
“It has been a stressful and difficult time for school leaders,” he said. “We are hearing that morale is very low and some are considering leaving the profession. Even before the pandemic there were significant existing challenges like heavy workload, the high-stakes nature of the job and a decade of salaries falling in real terms.
“But this has been exacerbated hugely by the lack of trust and support for leaders shown by the government during the pandemic. Experienced teachers and leaders with decades of classroom and management experience do not view headship as an attractive, viable and sustainable career choice.”
Diana Ohene-Darko, assistant headteacher and acting deputy headteacher at two London primary schools, is one of those who would be expected at this stage in her career to be considering a step up to a headship role.
“Until recently, I would have confidently called myself an ‘aspiring head’, one who wanted to make a difference more widely for the benefit of pupils, staff and the wider community, to take on that role of responsibility and accountability in leadership. However, in this regard, I now have to reflect,” she said.
“A decade-long, real-terms pay freeze, along with headteachers becoming scapegoats for government failures during the pandemic, has meant that school leaders are thinking twice about progressing all the way to headship – never mind staying in the profession at all – not least because when all is said and done, it is their head on the line.”
Ohene-Darko continued: “Throughout the pandemic, vocational commitment has been tested to breaking point. Workload has soared to the point that our leaders are suffering with their own physical and mental wellbeing; many have had to seek wider support and there is no shame in that.
“It is time that our profession was given back the credibility it deserves, in line with other countries who have education on a pedestal. It is time that we were paid in line with inflation, year on year, to reflect the continued and sustained hard work of our profession.”
A recent NAHT survey found that more than half (53%) of school leaders who are not yet headteachers do not aspire to headship, up from 40% in 2016. Almost nine in 10 assistant and deputy heads (87%) said concerns about personal wellbeing were a deterrent to become a head and 93% accused the government of failing to support their wellbeing during the pandemic.
A Department for Education spokesperson said: “We have taken a wide range of action to support leaders and ensure teacher development remains attractive and fulfilling. This includes a mental health support scheme for school leaders, investing £250m in training opportunities, and committing to help reduce workload in the Education Staff Wellbeing Charter.”
