What to do about teacher stress - school manager

Recognising the problem

Employees may be reluctant to admit that they are feeling stressed by work (because symptoms of stress tend to be seen as signs of weakness).

Assess the risk

Carry out a risk assessment for stress caused or made worse by work:

• identify causes of high and long-lasting levels of stress
• identify who might suffer harm
• decide whether the school is doing enough to prevent harm

Take action

• Eliminate the causes of stress to bring pressures to an acceptable level.
• It is essential to tackle the causes of stress.
• Help sufferers and provide staff training.

Where to get more advice

Two useful publications are available from the National Association of Head Teachers (£2 each as of 13th September 2001). You can obtain a copies from: Publications NAHT 1 Heath Square Boltro Road Haywards Heath West Sussex RH16 1BL (cheques made payable to NAHT). More details available on the NAHT web site, www.naht.org.uk/publications/.

• PM010 - Stress Management This short advice document offers the reader a guide to the identification, management and control of stress within the school. It emphasises the need to deal with stress in a sympathetic and supportive way ensuring that the stigma often associated with stress illness, is seen as an unhelpful approach to this growing problem.
• PM038 - Bullying: Legal responsibilities with regard to bullying, both pupil-to-pupil and adult-to-adult, are described in this advice document, together with advice on developing a policy. Health and safety issues are identified in relation to the duty to care for both staff and pupils.

John Sutton, General Secretary of the Secondary Heads Association, has written "The management of stress" available from SHA Publications SHA, 130 Regent Road, Leicester LE1 7PG. It covers the nature of stress, stress in schools and colleges, creating a school policy, stress and the duty of care, managing cases, early retirement, discipline and competency, damage limitation and tips for managing stress. More details available on the SHA web site, www.sha.org.uk.