Teacher Wellbeing Index

Our annual Teacher Wellbeing Index provides an insight into the mental health and wellbeing of teachers and education staff working in the UK.

Research / 2 mins read

Our eighth annual survey of over 3,025 education staff has new insights on the impact of pupil and parent behaviour on staff morale and wellbeing.

82%

of the workforce who told us that challenging behaviour by pupils and students had increased, said this negatively affected their mental health and wellbeing

70%

who report a similar increase in challenging interactions by parents also said it had the same effect

84%

of staff who told us that that verbal or physical abuse by pupils or students has increased believe it is due to the lack of provision for students’ physical, emotional, and mental health needs

“Pressure from parents has negatively impacted my mental health. I frequently find myself overthinking interactions, feeling inadequate and exhausted by the demands of my role. This stress has affected my personal life, leaving me too tired to engage with my family or take care of myself.”
Charlotte*, teacher

Lack of support from public services

Staff also report that a lack of support from wider public services is negatively affecting how well they can do their job, their ability to switch off after work as well as their job satisfaction.

Please download the report below.

Persistently high rates of stress, anxiety, depression and burnout

There are also familiar findings. We continue to see disturbingly high rates of stress, anxiety, depression, and burnout in the education workforce.

But there is some positive news. We see a slight improvement in some wellbeing data and perceptions of workplace culture and its impact on mental health and wellbeing. Schools are doing amazing work in challenging circumstances, and they need more support to maintain this momentum.

77%

of all staff experience symptoms of poor mental health due to work (down 3% on 2023)

46%

experienced insomnia or difficulty sleeping (2% increase on 2023)

50%

of staff consider their organisation’s culture has a negative effect on their wellbeing (down 5% on 2023)

Our report outlines key recommendations for change for UK education departments. We need immediate action to make teaching an attractive and satisfying career for talented graduates.

Sinéad Mc Brearty, Education Support CEO said:
“Disturbingly high rates of stress, anxiety, and burnout continue to affect education staff, exacerbated by pupil and parent behaviour, and a lack of support for students from public services. The impact on teachers’ mental health is profound, and this must change. These issues point to deeper societal problems that extend beyond our schools and colleges."

Download the report below.

*Pseudonym used to protect identity