Creating the Conditions for Ambitious Excellent Schools

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Creating the ConditionsFor Ambitious, Excellent Schools

A Submission to the Scottish ExecutiveBy Teacher Support Scotland March 2005

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Executive Summary

1. Central to this submission is the evidence provided by research into the wellbeing of teachers inScotland1. The interventions described draw upon sound theoretical perspectives and practicalexperience.

2. If all of Scotlands schools are to be ambitious and excellent then the conditions which allow this tohappen have to be present. Evidence suggests that these may not be in place.

3. The prevailing view among teachers in Scotland is that the pressures they experience areconsiderable and that these are not recognised and understood. The prevailing view amongemployers is that existing levels of support are adequate. While these positions remain un-reconciledthe effectiveness of Scottish education is impaired.

4. There is a clear business case for ensuring employees wellbeing.

5. Half of teachers in Scotland find their jobs very or extremely stressful and nine out of ten believethat the situation has become worse. Reported levels of stress are lower in the independent sectorand higher in areas of deprivation.

6. More than three-quarters of teachers believe that psychological stress at work has a knock-on effecton their physical wellbeing. The incidence of mental health problems and depression among teachers(especially male teachers) is higher than in health workers.

7. Two-thirds of teachers report personal problems which affect their work and find it difficult to

separate stresses at work from stress at home.

8. Stress and work-related illness have a detrimental impact upon teacher retention. Teachers whosuffer ill health are likely to feel stressed and are more likely to consider leaving.

9. Teachers perceptions of their health are influenced by length of service. There is a relationshipbetween length of service and burn-out. The age-profile of teachers in Scotland, means that thissituation will get worse.

10. Stress among teachers is a complex phenomenon caused by factors that are intrinsic to teaching,systemic factors and teachers cognitive responses to these. Teachers perceive pupil behaviour,workload and relationships with managers to be the main causes. Stress caused by indiscipline islocalised in individual schools and in individual teachers, depending on local conditions andindividual responses.

11. Teachers who feel appreciated and involved are more likely to remain in the profession.

12. There is little dedicated support for teachers in Scotland. Support is generic and provided at the

individual level, rather than being discipline-specific or targeted at the interface between individualand organisation.

13. Accessing support is difficult. Three-quarters of teachers are unaware of services provided by theiremployer and are concerned about confidentiality. Teachers working in local authorities where aTeacher Welfare Officer is present are twice as likely to be aware of services provided. Only fiveemployers provide this service.

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1 The Teachers Health and Wellbeing Study Scotland commissioned by Teacher Support Scotland and NHS Scotland, conducted by the Healthy Working

Lives Group at the University of Glasgow (HWLG)



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AcknowledgementsExecutive Summary

14. The usage and perception of support services is in sharp contrast to the experience in England andWales where the Teacher Support Line is available. More that three-quarters of the calls to thisservice are work-related. More than half of teachers in Scotland would be interested in using ahelpline and more than three-quarters wanted a support service dedicated to teachers.

15. There are few examples of individual-organisational interface level interventions. Only one evaluatedexample was found, the Wellbeing programme operating in England. Evaluations found benefits inretention, staff performance and culture.

16. The policy framework in Scotland is conducive to support teachers wellbeing but local delivery doesnot match national policy. The relationship between employee wellbeing and effectiveness is giveninsufficient consideration.

17. Systemic level interventions fail to recognise the specific needs of teachers and to deliver whereneed is most acute. Services are not standardised, are fragmented and not tailored specifically forteachers. There is little evidence of internal evaluation or monitoring of support and managementsystems. There are few examples of sharing best practice.

18. Research identifies teachers as an at risk group. One of the most compelling views is by the Healthand Safety Executive who recognise schools as high-stress environments.

19. Pressure occurs mainly at the individual/organisational interface, especially in relationships betweenteachers and managers, colleagues, pupils and parents. Research showed a dearth of interventions in

Scotland in this area, and raises questions about the nature of schools culture, management andleadership and their effects on employee wellbeing and on individual and organisationaleffectiveness. Personal development designed to improve self-efficacy, coping skills and resiliencewould reduce stress and improve personal effectiveness.

20. The Healthy Working Lives Group study makes recommendations in relation to the provision ofoccupational health services. It proposes that data should be routinely captured and used to informpolicy and practice, and argues for proper evaluation of interventions. It also recommends thatprogrammes targeted at teachers should be developed and that issue-specific interventions should bedeveloped and tested.

21. The submission concludes that:

There is a compelling argument for the introduction of a support service similar to that providedto teachers in England and Wales.

There is a need to take a strategic approach to improving the wellbeing of the Scottish teachingforce that embraces and shares effective practice, and tries out new and innovative interventions,

especially at the individual/organisational interface.

There is a professional argument for management within schools to become more person-centred,and to provide managers and in particular, head teachers withappropriate CPD and support tofacilitate this.

These conclusions will form the basis of specific proposals to the Executive.

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Central to this submission is the evidence provided by the Healthy Working Lives Group (HWLG) of the

University of Glasgow in their research into the wellbeing of teachers in Scotland. This research,

commissioned by Teacher Support Scotland and NHS Health Scotland, is the most comprehensive study

into the wellbeing of teachers ever carried out. The study sheds valuable light on a hitherto under-

researched and misunderstood phenomenon. We would like to thank the Esme Fairbairn Foundation and

NHS Health Scotland for their financial contribution to this research.

A number of references used in this submission were taken from the HWLG study. It was not practical to

attribute every reference to the researchers as to do so would make it unwieldy. We therefore

acknowledge their work as the main content of sections two and four, and as the basis of the proposals

made in the submission. We are grateful to Dr Ewan Macdonald and his team at the Healthy Working Lives

Group, particularly Dr Claire Dunlop, for their diligent work, and we acknowledge the significant

contribution they have made to inform this submission. We are also grateful to Dr Donna McKinnon and

colleagues at NHS Health Scotland who project-managed the research process.

Scottish local authorities contributed to the HWLG research, as did more than five-hundred teachers and

headteachers working in all types of school across Scotland. The General Teaching Council for Scotland,

the Educational Institute for Scotland and the Scottish Secondary Teachers Association provided the

researchers with logistical support. The research process was overseen by Dr Erica Wimbush, Director of

Research at NHS Health Scotland and Dr Sally Brown, Professor Emeritus of Stirling University. A

comparative study of teachers and health workers which looked at early retirement due to ill health

(Brown and Macdonald, forthcoming), validated a number of the HWLG findings.

Further research and information provides a clearer understanding of the influences on teachers

wellbeing and their impact on costs, health, individual and organisational effectiveness: in particular,

Teacher Support Line Four Years On2, an analysis of the helpline provided by Teacher Support Network

in England and Wales. Telephone interviews with two hundred teachers and head teachers in Scotland

established their attitudes to their own wellbeing and that of their colleagues, and of the support

provided by their employers. A similar number of teachers have contacted Teacher Support Scotland with

requests for help, typically with workplace health or conflict issues. The level, frequency and content of

these calls back up the HWLG findings. Psychologist Dr Matt Jarvis provided important evidence and

perspectives on the unique pressures faced by teachers.

The proposals made in this submission complement the recommendations made by the HWLG in their

research. These recommendations were made in the full understanding of the policy context and national

priorities for health and education.

Interventions described in this submission draw upon sound theoretical perspectives and practical

experience of working in education, the public and private sectors. These were provided by specialists inthe fields of management development, workplace health and organisational culture, including

psychologist Robin Shohet, Dr Peter Hawkins, Chairman of the Bath Consultancy Group, Tommy

Macdonald-Milner, Head of Occupational Health for Marks and Spencer PLC, Patrick Nash, Group Chief

Executive Teacher Support Network, and Tony Buon psychologist and expert in employee support and

development.

2 Teacher Support Network (2004) London



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Acknowledgements Contentsiv v

John Christie, Director of the Virtual Staff College in Scotland led a strategy development process withofficers from Edinburgh, Fife and Renfrewshire Councils to produce a comprehensive pilot programme toimprove employee wellbeing in schools. Many individuals and agencies contributed to the developmentofthe pilot or were consulted during its development, including The Health and Safety Executive, HMIE,Catherine Campbell, Teacher Welfare Officer for North Lanarkshire Council, David Cameron, Head ofSchools, East Lothian Council, Harvey Stalker, Director, The Health Promoting Schools Unit, Dr JimOBrien, The Centre for Education Leadership, Carol Lynch Managing Director of Worklife Support Ltd,John Blackburn of the Health and Safety Executive, Robin Shohet, Dr Peter Hawkins of the BathConsultancy Group and Fiona Burgess of PPC International. The Teacher Support Scotland Advisory Forumwere consulted throughout the process and provided useful advice. This work has helped to inform thissubmission and will be the basis upon which proposals will be made.

PrefaceDuring the last three years Teacher Support Scotland has come to understand the dynamics of thewellbeing of teachers very well. This has been achieved through partnership with individuals andorganisations that have a legitimate interest, not only in the wellbeing of teachers, but in the health ofScottish education in every sense. Teacher Support Scotland is unique among organisations because itspans health and education.

With our colleagues in parallel organisations in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the United States ofAmerica, we have built a store of knowledge and understanding that can make a real and significantcontribution to the quality of education therefore the educational experience of young people. This isour ultimate aim.

While our work has teachers at its core, the interventions we advocate are of value to everyone ineducation, and indeed, to everyone working in the public sector. We simply advocate effective practice,and ask that the challenges faced by those working in the education service should be reassessed.Existing ways of doing things in this field are not working. New interventions which are centred in schools

are needed. Scotland has the opportunity to lead the way in an area of activity that will only becomemore critical securing maximum effectiveness in the workforce.

Executive Summary................................................i

Acknowledgements.............................................. iii

Preface.............................................................iv

Introduction........................................................1

Section One........................................................2

The Relationship Between Wellbeing andEffectiveness...................................................... 3

Section Two........................................................4

Teachers Wellbeing in Scotland............................... 5

Section Three......................................................8

The Uniqueness of Teaching.................................... 9

Section Four......................................................12

Support for Teachers............................................13

Section Five...................................................... 17

Conclusions.......................................................18


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Introduction

If all of Scotlands schools are to be ambitious and excellent, then everyone working in them has to beambitious and excellent too, and the conditions which allow this to happen have to be present: this is akey element of support for learning. One of these conditions is the physical and emotional wellbeing ofeveryone working in schools, especially teachers. The evidence presented in this submission will showthat the wellbeing of the Scottish teaching force is a cause for concern, and the provision of supportinadequate. This situation hampers progress and represents a real and significant barrier to achievingambitious, excellent schools.

Prevailing Views

The prevailing view among teachers in Scotland is that the pressures they experience on a daily basis areunique and excessive and that available support is inadequate. They believe that these pressures are notrecognised and understood, or that they are ignored. Teachers consider occupational health policies andmanagement practices to be unsupportive, particularly in respect of absence policies which are generallyregarded as punitive. These perceptions are widely held and detrimental to individual and organisationaleffectiveness. The generally held view among employers is that the pressures teachers face are notunique or excessive, and that adequate support is available.

Long-Standing Assumptions

Long-standing assumptions exist on both sides which remain unchallenged. While these positions remainunreconciled, the conditions necessary for the attainment of ambitious, excellent schools cannot be fully

in place and the effectiveness of Scottish education is impaired. The situation is exacerbated by thetendency to misunderstand and over-simplify what is a complex issue, and to consider employeewellbeing to be a purely a health, personnel or welfare matter.

Research conducted by the Healthy Working Lives Group (HWLG) at the University of Glasgow has helpedto establish the actual position in Scotland by mapping the context and support which is currently offeredto teachers in Scotland, surveying teachers themselves about their health needs and the support theywould like to see provided to them. The study also looked at interventions from around the world whichmight be effective in addressing teachers health and well-being needs. When the HWLG study issupplemented by other research and practical examples of interventions, a more objective assessmentcan be made of the position of teachers in Scotland and the nature and the efficacy of support availableto them.

This submission will provide a clear picture of the state of the wellbeing of teachers in Scotland: it willexplain the relationship between the wellbeing of teachers and their effectiveness, and the importanceof managing for wellbeing schools. Some specific proposals designed to improve wellbeing in Scottishschools in the short and long term will be presented to the Executive as a result of this submission. Webelieve that these proposals support the Executives agenda for action.

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The Relationship betweenWellbeing and Effectiveness

Section One

At a national conference organised by Teacher Support Scotland to examine employee effectiveness,Tommy MacDonald-Milner, Head of Occupational Health at Marks and Spencer PLC (M&S) set out thebusiness case for ensuring employees wellbeing. For M&S, the value of best practice policies foremployee wellbeing came in reduced costs for sickness and absence, less risk of litigation, betterrecruitment and retention of employees in a more difficult employment marketplace and crucially, inindividual effectiveness and organisational excellence. Practices were neither soft nor punitive: outcomeswere tangible and measurable. Results-orientated managers understood the relationship betweenproductivity and employee wellbeing.

Supporting Evidence

Numerous studies support the view that individual and organisational effectiveness are influenced byemployee wellbeing. Marks and Spencers approach is to recognise that employee wellbeing is part of theoverall mix in striving for excellence. Managing for wellbeing is therefore a conscious, commercialdecision. There are many challenges in managing for wellbeing. Managers need to understand the impactof culture, leadership and management on employee wellbeing and effectiveness.

The Health and Safety Executive set out what it described as the business case for tackling stress in theworkplace. Referring to research they suggest that work-related stress affects an organisation adverselyin terms of: Commitment to work Performance and productivity Staff turnover and intention to leave

Attendance levels Recruitment and retention Customer satisfaction Organisational image and reputation Potential litigation

Leadership and Management Styles

M&S recognise that management style and leadership have a profound effect on employee wellbeing, andthat managers themselves need particular support and appropriate professional development. Valuabledata is captured and used to inform policy and identify problem hot spots. Marks and Spencer, is notalone in its approach, enlightened employers understand that maintaining and developing employeewellbeing is simply good management practice and sound commercial logic.

Research3 shows that leadership style is a significant organisational factor which affects teacherswellbeing. Jarvis quotes Harris (1999) who assessed teacher stress and leadership style in three Americanprimary schools using the Wilson Stress Profile for Teachers. The Principal in each school was classified

differently, and teachers had significantly lower stress in the school where the Principal was classified ashigh in both task and relationship focus - this leadership style being associated with both strategic visionand a close personal relationship with staff. Leadership style appears in part to be a response to 'trickle-down' stressors. Hoel et al (1999) surveyed teachers in England and found that 35% reported having beenbullied by a manager in the last five years, as opposed to an average of 24% across all occupationalsectors. This was interpreted as managers failing to cope with workloads and resorting to bullying as amaladaptive coping strategy. Lack of appropriate management training and development for headteachers and managers may also have been a contributory factor.

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3 Matt Jarvis. Stress News 2002; Vol. 14: No. 1 International Stress Management Association* Conclusion by The Southeast Centre for Teaching Quality (SEQT) from a recent report to Mike Easley, the Governor of Carolina in the USA and Mike

Easlys own conclusion. The same report showed the relationship between leadership, teachers wellbeing and attainment.




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The HWLG study and other evidence suggest that the conditions necessary to facilitate ambition andexcellence in schools across Scotland may not be in place, especially in areas of deprivation.

A Real Phenomenon

Research concluded that the phenomenon of teacher stress in Scotland is real, costly and damaging tohealth and effectiveness. In line with other studies, including the Northern Ireland Teachers Health andWellbeing Study, almost half of teachers questioned reported that they found their jobs very orextremely stressful; with nine out of ten teachers believing that the job has become more stressful in thelast five years.

More than three-quarters of teachers in Scotland believed that psychological stress at work had a knock-on effect on their physical wellbeing and almost half suffered from a particular health problem; 12% ofthese were mental health or behavioural problems, which in a comparative study was shown to besignificantly higher than in health workers (Brown & Macdonald forthcoming). The incidence of mentalhealth problems and depression among teachers gives cause for concern.

Personal Problems

Two-thirds of respondents reported personal problems which affected their work, which is consistent withdata from Teacher Support Line in England and with that generated from Employee AssistanceProgrammes (EAPs). Teachers found it difficult to separate stresses at work from stress at home.

The study showed that teachers who suffer ill health are likely to feel stressed and more likely toconsider leaving the profession as a result.

The researchers concluded that stress and work-related illness have a detrimental impact upon teacherretention.

Length of Service

Teachers perceptions of their health were influenced by length of service. Those teachers scoring theirhealth as excellent and very good were more likely to be recently qualified. The HWLG studycommented that given that the teaching population in Scotland is an ageing one, the relationshipbetween this longevity and general health present a particular challenge to teachers employers andeducation policy makers. Over two-thirds of teachers in their probationary year felt that stress rarelyaffected their physical well being. This contrasts sharply with those teachers with more than fifteenyears service, 83.3% of whom felt that a positive relationship often or sometimes existed between the

stress that they experienced and physical ill-health.

There is a clear relationship between length of service and burn out.

Given the age-profile of teachers in Scotland, this position is therefore likely to get progressively worsein the foreseeable future.

Section Two4 5

Teachers Wellbeing in Scotland

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Complex Causes

The causes of stress among teachers are complex but teachers believe that pupil behaviour, workload andrelationships with managers/head teachers were the main causes. These findings are again consistentwith other studies and in particular the findings of Matt Jarvis (Section Three).

Teachers want to feel appreciated and involved. Evidence shows that this has the effect of reducingstress. Those who do not feel involved are more likely to say they want to leave the profession. This hasclear implications for leadership, management style and school culture.

Evidence argues for a more person-centred school culture and regime.

Working in Areas of Deprivation

In the HWLG study, important differences were found between the reporting of stress levels according towhether or not teachers considered themselves to be working with a deprived population. Most notably,respondents working in deprived areas tended to view their job as more stressful. This may not besurprising but the implications for achieving ambitious, excellent schools in the very areas that needthem most are profound. The inevitable consequence of this situation is that effectiveness may beimpaired, and recruitment and retention in these areas may be more difficult.

Mental Health

In a study into ill health retirement, when compared with findings on medical conditions reported byhealth care workers (Brown and Macdonald, forthcoming), a greater proportion of teachers wre found tosuffer from circulatory, mental, respiratory and nervous system disorders. A greater incidence of mentaldisorders was found amongst men (46.7%) than women (31.4%).

Evidence gathered by the researchers and other studies, notably the comparative study of teachers andhealth workers, Hoel et al (1999), point to high levels of burn-out and early retirement due topsychological problems, including depression.

Given the job they do, the incidence of mental health problems and depression among teachers inScotland is cause for concern.

Ill Health Retirement

The Brown and Macdonald Study (forthcoming) showed 36%4 of teachers taking early retirement due to ill

health were able to return to work at a later date, the figure for health workers was 10%. Over 90% ofhealth workers retiring due to ill health had used occupational health services: the corresponding figurefor teachers was 10%.

Around 350 teachers retire each year due to ill health. The inference is clear - better access tooccupational health services is likely to reduce this number.

The Overall Picture

The overall picture of teachers wellbeing in Scotland is one of high levels of stress, which is endemic,though not evenly distributed. Factors intrinsic to teaching were identified as stressors (such asworkload). Others, such as stress caused by indiscipline could be reasonably considered to be localised in

individual schools, and in individual teachers, depending on local conditions and individual responses. Theage profile of teachers was found by researchers to be a predictor of stress. New recruits into theprofession were found to be remarkably stress-free. How long they remain so in what is recognised as ahigh-stress environment is a moot point.

The root causes of stress within individual teachers and in the profession generally are examined in thenext section.

Teachers Wellbeing in Scotland Teachers Wellbeing in Scotland6 7

4 Nearly half of men taking early retirement due to ill health (46.7%) did so because of mental disorders and depression: this is cause for concern.



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The HWLG research shows that teachers perceive themselves to be in a high stress work-environment.This perception is confirmed by evidence from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and numerous otherstudies. Research by Psychologist Matt Jarvis explains why stress is so prevalent in teaching and why itaffects teachers so much 7.

Causal FactorsBased on a review of international research, Jarvis concluded that teacher stress is a real phenomenonand that high levels are reliably associated with a range of causal factors. Jarvis divided these factorsinto three broad inter-related areas; factors intrinsic to teaching, cognitive factors affecting theindividual vulnerability of teachers and systemic factors, operating at the institutional and political level.

Jarviss research showed that there was strong evidence to indicate that work overload and excessiveworking hours were associated with emotional exhaustion in teachers. Related to this was roleoverload, where teachers had to cope with a number of competing roles within their job. This view isconfirmed by the HWLG study and in data from Teacher Support Line in England and Wales.

Cognitive Vulnerability

Bringing together a substantial body of contemporary research, Jarvis examined cognitive factorsaffecting individual susceptibility to stress and concluded that self-defeating beliefs were prevalentamong teachers. He showed that endorsement of these beliefs was widespread and significantly

associated with high levels of stress in the profession. Another study showed the association betweeninternal attributions and symptoms of burnout, suggesting that teachers who blame themselves fordifficulties are more vulnerable. Jarvis concluded that low self-efficacy had an effect on emotionalexhaustion. In other words, teachers self-esteem not only influenced their effectiveness but also createdadditional stress. Research showed that low self-esteem among teachers is prevalent.

The Effects of Indiscipline

In the HWLG study, indiscipline was perceived by teachers to be their greatest stressor. Jarvis providedevidence which showed that the impact of indiscipline is dependent upon the individual, mediated bytheir own make-up, and amongst other things the self-efficacy which they feel in their job. Jarvis citedfurther work on teachers coping strategies as they relate to indiscipline, which he considered to beanother factor intrinsic to teaching. Jarvis showed that an individuals coping style is critical.

Social Support

Quoting various studies, Jarvis considered the associations between stress, coping responses and socialsupport. High levels of stress were associated with low social support and the use of disengagement andsuppression of competing activities as coping strategies. Understanding how individual teachers react topressures, providing them with a range of support, and building resilience is an important part ofreducing stress in the profession.

7 Matt Jarvis. Stress News 2002; Vol. 14: No 1. International Stress Management Association

The Uniqueness of Teaching8 9

Section 3



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Systemic Factors

Jarvis also considered systemic stressors; this is a term used to denote a broad cluster of organisationalfactors that are not intrinsic to the nature of teaching, but rather dependent on the climate of theeducational institution or the wider context of education including the political domain. Jarvis cited work

by Travers & Cooper (1997) who found that teachers named lack of support, lack of information aboutchanges and constant change as among their greatest sources of stress. The HWLG study showed thatteachers in Scotland share this view.

At the level of the institution factors such as social support amongst colleagues and leadership style werefound to be important in affecting levels of stress. It was found that social support had both a directpositive effect on health and a buffering effect in respect of work stress. This was also confirmed by theHWLG study.

Some research has identified a cyclical pattern in the effects of overwork, contingent on the academicyear. It was found that recovery from stress occurred each weekend during the spring term, but that bythe end of the longer autumn term weekend recovery no longer took place.

Coping Styles

The foregoing suggests the value of helping teachers to develop appropriate coping styles, building theirresilience and providing support. Helping teachers to feel good about themselves and the job they do was

therefore likely to have a positive effect on their wellbeing and effectiveness.

Jarviss work both confirms and validates the HWLG research into teachers stress in Scotland. It explainsthe nature and extent of stress in the profession and why teachers are more affected than other workergroups. His work also suggests how teachers may be helped to deal with the pressures of the job and tobecome more resilient. It also helps employers and others to understand the causes of the problem,provide necessary support and develop strategies to address the causes.

The Uniqueness of Teaching The Uniqueness of Teaching 1110



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Many agencies can claim to have an interest in employee wellbeing by virtue of:

Statutory responsibility (e.g. the Health and Safety Executive) Mandate (e.g. the trades unions) Expertise (e.g. NHS Health Scotland) Remit (e.g. Scotlands Health at Work (SHAW) and the Health Promoting Schools Initiative)

The ultimate legal responsibility for employee wellbeing however clearly lies with employers throughtheir duty of care. Employee wellbeing is however not just a matter of health or of terms and conditionsof employment, it is a matter of individual and organisational effectiveness. Employee wellbeing is theresponsibility of operational managers in schools, supported by employers and agencies that have boththe resources and expertise: not just a question of health expertise.

Interventions

It is helpful to consider a framework for interventions in support of employee wellbeing.

The HWLG study provided such a framework6

1. Individual level interventions measures which are focussed upon the teacher as an individual withhis or her own health needs.

2. Individual-Organisational Interface level interventions interventions whose focus is the workplace.

These will seek to modify either the day-to-day work environment or to address staff relationshipswithin schools.

3. Systemic level interventions initiatives which usually take the form of policy-related changes thatinfluence health and wellbeing.

There is little dedicated support for teachers in Scotland except where a teacher welfare officer isemployed (See below). Support is typically generic and provided at the individual level, rather than beingdiscipline-specific or targeted at the interface between individual and organisation.

Employee Assistance Programmes

The most common form of support provided are Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs), whichemployees can call for information, advice and in some cases, counselling7. Great store is put on theseprogrammes by employers as a means of discharging their duty of care but the HWLG study found littleevidence of the effectiveness of EAPs, or of the systematic collection of data relating to problemspresented by users. Their purpose appears more defensive than pro-active.

It is easy to understand why employers consider that support for teachers is adequate as there appear tobe numerous interventions. On closer inspection however it becomes clear that the existing interventionsfail to recognise the specific needs of discrete groups of workers, including and especially teachers, andthat the value of some of these services is limited. Critically, research shows that it is at theindividualorganisational interface where most effect can be expected. Such interventions are few andfar between in Scotland.

Support for TeachersSection Four12 13

* The Teachers Health and Wellbeing Study Scotland 6 The three levels are based on the categorisation first delineated by DeFrank and Cooper (1987) in relation to occupational healthcare interventionsin general.7 Provided by 18 local authorities in Scotland



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Support for TeachersSupport for Teachers

Access to Support Services

The HWLG study showed that access to available support services was difficult. When asked, theoverwhelming majority of teachers (three-quarters) were unaware that their employer ran or contractedin an occupational health service (this figure was 59% where a Teacher Welfare Officer (TWO) was in post

and 87% where there was not). Commenting on the provision of support services, the study suggestedthat if staff are unconvinced that a clear separation exists between counselling and other functions,notably the management of sickness absence, the service will not be trusted and so will not succeed.Teachers in Scotland expressed this mistrust and were disinclined to seek help because of it.

Occupational Health Services

Only one local authority in Scotland offered self referral to occupational health (OH) services.Research showed that teachers perceived OH services as an integral part of absence policy and thereforepunitive, rather than supportive. Researchers found that occupational health services were fragmented.97.8% of teachers surveyed in the research had never used a local authority support service. Theperception of teachers in Scotland was that support services, including occupational health, were part ofabsence management policies, which they considered to be punitive in nature.

Usage of support services by teachers was increased where a TWO was in post. The HWLG study identifiedthat nine of the councils in Scotland had a staff welfare officer (generic to all local authority staff includingteachers) and seven authorities reported that they employed a welfare officer dedicated to teachers8.

Teacher Welfare Officers

TWOs were a point of contact specifically for teachers who required advice on their health andwellbeing, particularly those to be referred to counselling services. The survey data showed that as wellas appearing effective in increasing the awareness of the services on offer, teacher welfare officers alsoacted as an intervention in themselves and a first point of contact who could listen to and adviseteachers on the best course of action. In the survey teachers identified two particular roles performed bythem; as a counsellor to whom they can go to first, and the first point of contact after a period ofprolonged absence; e.g. where a phased return to work needs to be arranged.

In those authorities which have a dedicated teacher welfare officer a considerably higher awareness of theservices provided was found. Almost a third of teachers working in teacher welfare officer-assisted localauthorities were aware of services provided compared with half this number in authorities without this post.

The HWLG study did not attempt to evaluate the effectiveness of TWOs, but it seems a reasonableassumption that their presence and work had a positive effect on teacher wellbeing.

Teacher Support Line

The usage and perception of support services in Scotland is in sharp contrast to teachers experience ofindividual level support in England and Wales 9. This is due mainly to the introduction of Teacher SupportLine, an individual-level intervention established for teachers in 2000 by Teacher Support Network (TSN).

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8 Since the HWLG study was completed this figure has reduced to five9 Teacher Support Line Cymru was launched in 2002 with support from the Welsh Assembly. The service is specific to teachers in Wales and includesaccess to Welsh language speakers

10 The Wellbeing Programme is a diagnostic and development tool provided by Work Life Support Limited

The service, part-funded by the DfES, offers a telephone helpline with a confidential and free stressmanagement and advice service. It provides information, counselling and referral to other agencies 24hours a day, 365 days a year through its helpline and website. Over 76 000 teachers have made contactwith the support line in its first four years - more than 4% of the teaching population each year - andusage continues to rise. In 2003, 78% of the calls to the helpline presented what were judged to be work-related problems. TSN has estimated that the helpline has saved 25m to 50m p.a. The benefits of a

national phoneline, independent of local authority employers, may arise from teachers perceptions of itsconfidentiality. However, it also rests on the investment made in the service, including advertising.

The HWLG study showed that 57% of Scottish teacher respondents expressed interest in using a helplinesuch as that provided in England and Wales. More than three-quarters of respondents wanted a supportservice dedicated to teachers.

Individual Organisational Interface Level Interventions

The HWLG study unveiled few examples of individual-organisational interface level interventions with afocus in the workplace which sought to modify either the day-to-day work environment or to addressstaff relationships within schools. There is no doubt that this type of intervention will be taking place onan ad-hoc basis throughout Scotland but the researchers found little evidence of effective practice beingdisseminated. Only one evaluated example of individual-organisational and systemic level interventionswas found. This was the Wellbeing programme operating in a number of LEAs and schools in England(Norfolk, Wirral, Suffolk and Kent). The programme grew from a pilot project set up by schooldevelopment specialists Worklife Support Ltd and Norfolk Education Authority in 1999 to tackle work-

related stress across the teaching sectors in Norfolk. One hundred and twelve of the authoritys 450schools participated in the two-year project, which involved all school staff. The programme has nowextended to include other local authority areas, including London, and over 1000 schools and 10,000school staff now participate.

The Wellbeing Programme

The Wellbeing Programme10 goes beyond individual level interventions and uses a hands-on, bottom-upapproach within the school. The programme, which is funded by individual schools and LEAs, seeks tomodify the day-to-day work environment and address relationships within the school. The aim is tochange the culture within schools, making them more open, supportive and person-centred. The role ofmanagers and the head are critical to success. Uniquely, the Wellbeing Programme is not a top-downinitiative but is owned and operated by everyone in the school, including non-teaching and support staff.

Evaluations of the study suggest the value of organisational interface level interventions as defined byDeFrank and Cooper (See Section Four). An evaluation by Opinion Leader Research in 2002, gathered theviews of headteachers and it found that:

89% rated the overall school culture as having improved since joining the Norfolk programme.

70% rated the retention of existing staff as either better or much better since joining.

88% rated their staffs performance as being better or much better since joining the programme.



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Another evaluation, a qualitative study by The University of East Anglias Centre for Applied Research inEducation (CARE) was more robust. The researchers tracked the changes in staffs views and experiencesin four areas of most concern identified by staff before the Wellbeing Project. It was found on average a4% improvement across them. 77% of staff said that the Wellbeing philosophy and practice had closelymatched the needs of their school.

Systemic Level Interventions

The HWLG study concluded that the policy framework in Scotland was conducive to support teacherswellbeing but that the established approach which has evolved within local authorities is one which is atodds with the multi-level conceptualisation of health and well being promoted by the central agenda.

Researchers cite the Health and Safety Executives long-term strategy for occupational health SecuringHealth Together (HSE 2000; Improving Health in Scotland The Challenge (SEHD, 2003); the formation ofthe Healthy Working Lives Group; and The Health Promoting Schools Unit, as examples of systemic levelinterventions

Systemic level interventions are either failing to recognise the specific needs of teachers or to deliverwhere the need is most acute, for individuals and in schools. Unless this is recognised and addressed it isunlikely that the wellbeing of teachers in Scotland will improve: indeed, the indications are that it willworsen.

Support for Teachers Section 5



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Innovative interventions focussed upon encouraging mutual support amongst staff should bedeveloped

A strategy for positive action should be developed to address teachers health and well-being.

This submission concludes that: There is a compelling argument for the introduction of a support service similar to that provided to

teachers in England and Wales.

There is a specific need to take a strategic approach to improving the wellbeing of the Scottishteaching force that embraces and shares effective practice, and tries out new and innovativeinterventions, especially at the individual-organisational interface.

There is a professional requirement for management within schools to become more person-centred,and to provide managers, and in particular, head teachers with appropriate CPD and support toenable this

Proposals

Over the last three years we have worked with numerous people and agencies to gain a detailed

understanding of the issues highlighted in this submission. This has enabled us to develop with othersviable interventions that can improve the wellbeing of teachers in Scotland at individual level, at theinterface between individual and organisation and systemically. At the individual level we will beadvocating better support services for teachers, and explaining how this could be achieved quickly andcost-effectively.

At the interface between individual and organisation we shall be proposing an integrated and innovativeapproach which is firmly centred in the school and addresses the complexity of relationships. This wouldinvolve individual and organisational development, and especially leadership and managementdevelopment, where we would want to see different imaginative approaches to managing for wellbeingbeing trialled and evaluated.

The findings of the HWLG study show that the wellbeing of teachers in Scotland is a cause for seriousconcern. This finding is supported by a wealth of research which identifies teachers as an at risk group.One of the most compelling views is that held by the Health and Safety Executive which recognisesschools as high-stress environments. The work of Matt Jarvis et al explains the reasons why thepressures teachers face are unique, and how they tend to respond to these. The HWLG study also showsthat support for teachers in relation to their wellbeing is inadequate, and even where provided is rarely

used, either because they do not know about it or do not trust in its confidentiality. The perceived linkbetween support and absence management policies is counter-productive.

It may be argued that the research undertaken by HWLG only identified teachers perceptions and thatan epidemiological study would be more appropriate. However, for teachers their perception is reality,which influences their health, behaviour and effectiveness. These perceptions cannot be dismissed andmust be taken into account when considering how they should be supported to improve their wellbeingand to maximise their effectiveness.

The study goes beyond just the provision of occupational health. It provides a valuable insight into howteachers perceive their wellbeing, their employers and the school as a workplace. When added to thework of Jarvis et al, a clearer, if more complex picture of what is happening within individual teachersand in individual schools emerges. This complexity needs to be recognised, understood and responded to.

The body of evidence, which includes the HWLG study, shows that individual teachers would benefit fromsupport when the job, and/or their home life affects their wellbeing. It also shows that personaldevelopment designed to improve self efficacy, coping skills and resilience are likely to go some way inreducing stress and improving personal effectiveness.

The HWLG study also establishes clearly that pressure on individuals occurs mainly at theindividual/organisational interface: this means relationships between teachers and managers, teachersand colleagues, pupils and parents. It is in this area where research showed a dearth of interventions inScotland. This raises questions about the nature of schools culture, management and leadership andtheir effect, not only on employee wellbeing but also on individual and organisational effectiveness.

The integrated model provided by Marks and Spencer demonstrates the elements of a pro-active, joinedup approach which addresses interventions at all of the three levels referred to in the HWLG study. TheM&S model relies on buy-in from line managers, ensuring that they understand their responsibilities butalso the relationship between wellbeing and organisational and individual effectiveness. The parallel withScottish education is an obvious one.

If Scotland is to create the ambitious, excellent schools it desires and needs, the wellbeing of teachersmust be addressed.

The HWLG study makes specific recommendations in relation to the provision of occupational healthservices in Scotland. It proposes that information and data should be routinely captured and used to

inform policy and practice, and argues for proper evaluation of interventions. It also recommends thathealth promotion programmes targeted at teachers should be developed.

The researchers suggest that:

Issue-specific interventions should be developed and tested

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Conclusions Conclusions



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Teacher Support ScotlandRoom 30346 Moray PlaceEdinburgh EH3 6BHTelephone 0131 220 0872Fax 0131 220 0872Email [email protected] www.teachersupport.info

Registered Charity Number SC032500A Company Limited by GuaranteeRegistered in Scotland Number 225940

Documents

Creating the Conditions for Ambitious Excellent Schools