Hybrid teaching pressures harming teacher mental health

The extra time, energy and workload required to deliver hybrid teaching is having a detrimental effect on the health, safety and welfare of teachers, representatives at the Annual Conference of NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union heard today.

Whilst technology has played a vital role during the Covid-19 pandemic when pupils were learning from home, teachers said additional expectations placed on them to provide a remote learning offer in addition to classroom teaching is resulting in unsustainable and damaging workload demands.

Despite promises to the contrary, many disadvantaged pupils have not had access to appropriate technology to support their learning and the quality of resources provided to teachers has not been up to scratch.

Representatives have called for technology to be used in ways that is consistent with high-quality working conditions and educational provision, which does not increase workload and which supports teachers’ wellbeing and mental health.

Dr Patrick Roach, NASUWT General Secretary said:

“Teachers have adapted to new ways of online working and embraced new tools out of necessity to help children while they were learning from home during the pandemic.

“But it cannot be right that their health and wellbeing have been affected adversely by the excessive workload required to deliver remote education.

“As schools are asked to support education recovery, governments and administrations across the UK must ensure that teachers and learners get the additional support and investment they need.

“Teachers cannot be expected simply to soldier on whilst ministers fail to deliver the investment that is needed for children’s education.”