Pupil progress is being held back by teachers’ poor mental health

by Teachwire

Share

DOWNLOAD A FREE RESOURCE! Friendship activities KS2 – Positive friendships PSHE lesson Download Now

PrimaryHealth & Wellbeing

Children’s education is suffering because of poor mental health experienced by many teachers, according to new research.

In a survey of 770 teachers carried out by Teachwire.net and Leeds Beckett University, 77% said that poor teacher mental health has a detrimental impact on pupils’ progress.

Key findings from the report include:

• 94% say mental health can have a detrimental impact on their physical energy in the classroom.
• 73% believe mental health can have a negative impact on the quality of their explanations in lessons.
• 72% think that their questioning skills in lessons can suffer due to poor mental health.
• 89% say their mental health can have a detrimental impact on creativity in their teaching.
• 85% thought their mental health could reduce the quality of their lesson planning.
• 56% of respondents report they currently have poor mental health.
• Fewer teachers, only 36%, thought poor mental health made a difference to their ability to assess learners’ achievements.

The full results are as follows:

1. I have read and understood the participant information sheet. After reading the information I am happy to participate in this survey
775 out of 775 people answered this question

2. Do you currently have poor mental health?
773 out of 775 people answered this question

3. How was this identified:
427 out of 775 people answered this question

4. How many years have you been teaching?
774 out of 775 people answered this question

5. What sector of education are you employed in:
771 out of 775 people answered this question

6. My mental health can have a detrimental impact on my physical energy in the classroom:
772 out of 775 people answered this question

7. My mental health can have a detrimental impact on the quality of my relationships with my learners:
775 out of 775 people answered this question

8. My mental health can have a detrimental impact on the quality of my explanations in lessons.
774 out of 775 people answered this question

9. My mental health can have a detrimental impact on my questioning skills in lessons.
771 out of 775 people answered this question

10. My mental health can have a detrimental impact on creativity in my teaching.
773 out of 775 people answered this question

11. My mental health can have a detrimental impact on the way I plan my lessons.
773 out of 775 people answered this question

12. My mental health can have a detrimental impact on the way I assess my learners’ achievements:
773 out of 775 people answered this question

13. My mental health can have a detrimental impact on my marking and pupil feedback:
769 out of 775 people answered this question

14. My relationships with colleagues are detrimentally affected by my mental health.
768 out of 775 people answered this question

15. My mental health can have a detrimental impact on my behaviour management skills.
771 out of 775 people answered this question

16. My mental health can have a detrimental impact on my effectiveness in responding to the needs of my learners.
771 out of 775 people answered this question

17. Poor teacher mental health impacts detrimentally on pupils’ progress.
766 out of 775 people answered this question

18. My subject knowledge is less secure during periods of poor teacher mental health.
770 out of 775 people answered this question

19. My mental health can have a negative impact on pupils’ mental health.
767 out of 775 people answered this question

20. My own mental health can have a negative impact on the way I support pupils’ mental health needs.
771 out of 775 people answered this question