Darlington primary school teacher says profession is under intense pressure
The annual National Education Union conference continues today
Last updated 9th Apr 2024
A primary school teacher from Darlington has been telling us about mental health issues within the profession.
Today, the National Education Union's annual conference will hear from Professor Julia Waters, the sister of headteacher Ruth Perry who took her own life, after Ofsted downgraded her school from its highest to lowest rating due to safeguarding concerns.
Clare McAdam is the representative for Darlington and is a primary school teacher. She said: "In my school we're having to keep each other going, we're having to pick each other up, there's a low mood, there's weariness, there's tiredness, we're fed up and we're exhausted. The workload is high for everyone, for the teachers and support staff, and the needs of the children are so apparent.
"The teachers' mental health and wellbeing I think is an area that's having an immense pressure and we definitely do need to improve that, but I think improving that comes from improvements into funding and investments into education from the bottom and providing the support as well in that area. I think that definitely needs doing.
"I want to see the curriculum changing. I can see the complete pressure to fit everything in. I was there on results day and the thing that stuck with me was 16 year-old children crying and feeling like complete failures, when we've had them in our education system since the age of 4.
"We've got the teachers who are angry who want to strike and vote with their feet, and then you've got the teachers, educators and support staff who are just turning around and voting with their feet by walking out of the profession. They're going to work in other places where they can have a work-life balance because they're just being crushed and they've had enough."
Significant Ofsted reforms needed
Professor Julia Waters will warn that delays and obfuscation of significant reforms to Ofsted "put more lives at risk."
She will tell the conference she is worried that those who can bring about change with the watchdog could be "paying lip service" and she will demand faster action from the Government and Ofsted.
Ofsted has come under greater scrutiny in the past year following the suicide of Mrs Perry.
In her speech, Prof. Waters will say: "I am worried that the people who could bring about real change might only be paying lip service to the lessons we must learn.
"I hope we do learn, and learn quickly. The Ofsted system of inspections is fatally flawed. It doesn't serve parents, or pupils, or teachers. It must change."
Last month, Sir Martyn Oliver, chief inspector of Ofsted, launched the watchdog's Big Listen public consultation that will seek views about Ofsted.
In his first major speech since becoming chief inspector in January, Sir Martyn said he wanted to "mark a new chapter" with the sector.
Prof Waters will also say today: "Despite the promising start, there seems to be a lot of passing the buck going on between the government and Ofsted.
"There seems to be a lot of unnecessary delay. Sir Martyn now says we will have to wait until after the general election for any major changes.
"How many more teachers will suffer from an inherently flawed, badly run inspection process in the meantime?
"How many more children will lose another dedicated headteacher to a forced resignation, a nervous breakdown or worse?
"Delays and obfuscation put more lives at risk. It's not acceptable to play politics with people's wellbeing."
On Wednesday, delegates at the NEU conference voted for a "public facing" campaign calling for Ofsted to be abolished to be launched by the union.
But Prof Waters will call on teachers to "teach Ofsted a lesson" by helping to improve school inspections.
She will ask teachers to "do what they do best" by approaching Ofsted reform "with kindness and hope" rather than opposing school inspections altogether.
Addressing union delegates, she will say: "I know that the NEU has called again for Ofsted to be abolished. You might expect my family and me to be calling for the same thing
"But frankly, what would be the point? Being angry and objecting to Ofsted's existence is totally understandable.
"But teaching unions have been calling for the abolition of Ofsted for 30 years. And what good has that done teachers? Look at the evidence. How did calling for Ofsted to be abolished help Ruth?
"No-one is going to abolish Ofsted any time soon, whether the Education Secretary is part of a Conservative or a Labour government."
At the start of the year, Ofsted inspections were paused in England to ensure inspectors were given mental health awareness training.
The watchdog also published new guidance for schools on how to request for an Ofsted inspection to be paused if staff show signs of distress.
Sir Martyn said: "Our work keeps children safe and improves their lives. But we are ambitious to improve. That is why we are carrying out a Big Listen.
"We want to hear from everyone we work with, including teachers, social workers, nursery staff and college lecturers. Crucially, we also want to hear from the parents and children we work for."
Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the NEU, said: "The NEU and Julia Waters are both campaigning for a much greater focus on leaders' wellbeing and health.
"The NEU and Julia Waters are both campaigning for a fairer approach to capturing all the things that schools achieve and contribute.
"The NEU believes there simply isn't a way to retain enough experienced teachers or to encourage enough middle leaders to step forward as heads unless Ofsted is replaced with a much fairer system of evaluation."
He added: "Ofsted is a harmful presence in our schools and needs to be replaced with a collaborative system that truly reflects a rounded picture of the work of schools.
"Parents, students and teachers all deserve better."
A Department for Education spokesperson said: "Our plan to ensure every child benefits from a world-class education is working with 90% of schools now judged to be good or outstanding, up from 68% in 2010.
"Ofsted is central to driving forward that improvement. Their independent inspections are vital to ensuring children are safe in school, parents are informed, and the department is able to intervene where strictly necessary.
"We have worked closely with Ofsted to ensure inspections are conducted with professionalism and compassion. We are supporting Sir Martyn Oliver's work through the Big Listen, to hear from parents, teachers and education experts to understand where more improvements can be made."