Written in November 2023, before the July 2024 general election. Education Support has published later editions of the Teacher Wellbeing Index since.

The 2023 Teacher Wellbeing Index from the charity Education Support shows teacher wellbeing getting worse on almost every measure.

Declining Wellbeing in the Education Sector

The report reveals that wellbeing among teachers and senior education staff continues to deteriorate. 78% of all staff are experiencing stress, with the organisational culture negatively impacting 55% of them. Furthermore, 46% report a lack of support for mental health and wellbeing issues within their organisations.

Mental Health Concerns

The mental health statistics are particularly concerning:

  • 81% of staff have experienced work-related symptoms.
  • 39% have encountered a mental health issue in the past year.
  • Symptoms of anxiety were identified by 45%, depression by 28%, and burnout by 35%.

Using the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS), the staff wellbeing score stands at 43.65, lower than the national average and the lowest since 2019.

Loneliness and Isolation

The report sheds light on the feelings of loneliness and isolation among education staff, with rates significantly higher than the general population:

  • 14% always or often feel lonely at work.
  • 22% of staff from a global majority background report loneliness, compared to 13% of white staff.
  • 17% feel isolated from others at work.

Distrust in Inspection Systems

There's a widespread distrust in the inspection system among school and college staff, particularly in England:

  • 73% believe inspections are not fit for purpose.
  • An equal 73% say these inspections don't improve learner achievement.
  • 71% report a negative impact on their mental health and wellbeing.
  • 64% doubt the reliability of inspection judgements.

Call to Action

These findings call for government action now. All political parties should make teacher and staff wellbeing a priority before the next General Election.

For the full report, go to Teacher Wellbeing Index 2023 (Education Support).