The stresses of modern-day teaching...
It’s been a while… put it down to an incredibly busy and stressful last 6 months since our General Chapter, partly because of having to catch up with nearly 4 weeks of school work once I'd come back from the Chapter whilst waiting for an overdue Ofsted inspection (I’d prepared nearly 60 hours of cover work for supply teachers to deliver in my absence, none of which got marked by the supply).
The Ofsted inspection (followed a few days later, as is usual, by an Archdiocesan inspection, a double whammy for R.E. staff and school Chaplain - I’m both!) eventually came in May. By that stage - after having been on "red alert" since February - many of the staff were suffering from nervous exhaustion. The summer holidays couldn’t come soon enough.
In Sept. a new Head Teacher took over, our previous one having retired in July. Though the new incumbent has come in and changed many of our routines and structures, he has done so with a “glass half full” type attitude, seemingly boundless energy and optimism and a generous dose of good humour. This has rubbed off on the staff, having a positive effect on morale. And so far, he's bringing the staff with him. Staff absence is significantly lower than in recent years: a very positive sign.
The above article provides a common sense analysis of where the education system has brought us.
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