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Depression and stress commonplace amongst trainee teachers
The study was carried out by Leeds Beckett University, which last year set up the Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health in Schools.
A total of 173 trainee teachers were surveyed from across the country. Of those, 106 were quizzed on their personal experiences, while a further 67 were asked about mental health provision for pupils and staff in the schools they had trained in.
Of the 106 trainee teachers, 88.6% said their course caused them stress, 66.9% said it caused anxiety, and 19.8% depression.
Although 85.8% said their course had improved their resilience, 49.5% said it had caused them to feel a lack of confidence in their abilities.
Social aspects of training to become a teacher were also investigated. Only 27.3% said they had achieved a good work-life balance, just 29.3% managed to get enough sleep, with 52.8% maintaining social relationships during their course. Just 56.6% described their overall mental health as good.
Professor Jonathan Glazzard, who leads research at the Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health in Schools, said: “Training to become a teacher is a mentally and physically demanding task.
“Children and young people benefit enormously when their teachers are relaxed, refreshed, energetic and passionate.
“Teaching is, and always has been, hard work. However, the current emphasis on accountability has resulted in significant increases in workload for all teachers.
“The challenge for schools is to focus on the really essential tasks which improve outcomes for pupils and to remove tasks which have little or no impact on them.”
Of the 67 trainee teachers quizzed about mental health, only 44% knew how to identify pupils with mental health needs, and just 32.5% knew how to support those pupils.
Worryingly, only 9.2% said the issue of mental health was given enough priority during their training. Some 74.2% said schools promoted their pupils’ wellbeing, but only 33.3% agreed that schools promoted teachers’ wellbeing.
Overall, 45.5% of trainee teachers agreed that their training course promoted their own wellbeing.
Professor Glazzard said: “At Leeds Beckett University, all trainee teachers are provided with comprehensive guidance about how to manage their workload and how to secure a positive work-life balance through specific sessions which focus on mental health.”
The Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health in Schools is part of Leeds Beckett University’s Carnegie School of Education, which offers a range of primary and secondary PGCEs, and has been identified as one of the leading teacher training providers in England.
The Centre was set up last year to strengthen the mental health of both teachers and pupils by supporting schools to make positive changes, leading to improved outcomes and life chances.
It is run as a partnership between the Carnegie School of Education and social enterprise Minds Ahead CIC.
The trainee teachers were asked how schools could address pupils’ mental health issues. Their replies included:
“Make children more aware about looking after themselves both physically and mentally.”
“Stop stripping back the access to education psychologists, counselling and those trained to understand mental health in children.”
“By providing mental health first aid training to teachers, and dedicating time to small group or safe space setting discussions where issues can be raised.”
“By being more focused on nurturing a child instead of hitting targets.”
“PSHE needs to be a part of everyday learning, not as a subject that needs evidencing in an exercise book.”
“Thinking about effects of exams. Education on body image and realities of social media.”
The trainee teachers were also asked how schools could address staff mental health issues. Their responses included:
“Be more realistic about what is humanly possible in a day and actively promote a work life balance.”
“By promoting awareness of resources for supporting adult mental health, and providing assistance to teachers who are struggling with mental health.”
“Greater acknowledgement of workload and destigmatising the need to take time off work to work on one's mental health.”
“Stop telling teachers that stress is part of the job and if you can't cope then it's just not for you. Actually listen to and support them.”