Maintaining a healthy work / life balance
School leaders are continuing to struggle with teacher workload , with more than eight in 10 ( 83 %) telling us that this was difficult to manage over the past year . When looking ahead to the next year , they do not anticipate much change : managing teacher workload ranks third among the biggest challenges school leaders expect to face during this period , behind budget pressures and teacher recruitment and retention .
Our survey shows that school leaders are also struggling to maintain a healthy work / life balance themselves . More than seven in 10 ( 73 %) feel guilty if they leave work on time , and more than three-quarters ( 78 %) say their family life has been negatively affected by their role . Furthermore , nearly six in 10 ( 57 %) say that their role has had a negative impact on their mental health . This is more prevalent among school leaders in primary settings ( 59 %) than secondary ( 47 %).
More than seven in 10 ( 73 %) feel guilty if they leave work on time
" There is no ' on time ' for me to leave school !”
School leader
The job is rewarding and can be very enjoyable . However , there is a perception that unless we are all near to breaking point we aren ' t doing our jobs properly , which is ridiculous . School staff feel they have to keep on working until they drop under the constant threat of the everchanging DfE directives and initiatives which are never left long enough for impact to be measured .”
More than three-quarters ( 78 %) say their family life has been negatively affected by their role
Nearly six in 10 ( 57 %) say that their role has had a negative impact on their mental health
School leader
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