In 2019 I presented at the SSAT National Conference in Birmingham.
#teacher5aday: why I started it, what we’re doing now, and its impact
A reflection on the SSAT National Conference 2019: Fighting for deep social justice
The main messages from my presentation were based around all things #teacher5aday and how we can look after our workload and wellbeing more mindfully in schools and personally when required.
As the years have moved on #teacher5aday post lockdown is probably more important than ever. In December it will celebrate it’s 10th birthday and I am very pleased with what I thought might be a year’s worth of activity that has now spanned almost a decade.
In the presentation at the Birmingham ICC I also referenced some of the leadership benefits of considering workload and wellbeing as a school improvement technique. In 2014 in another SSAT event (a teachmeet – remember them!) I shared some ideas that in some quarters on twitter and beyond were viewed as a little bit soft or woolly.
I’m very happy to report that this feedback has almost disappeared and in fact, on the verge of an election, perhaps looking after the profession is exactly what is required.
Along with the teacher wellbeing index data from 2019 as part of the numbers I used to back up my story I shared with the audience the cost of supply across the country covering for absent colleagues. This figure has always bothered me particularly what happens with the millions of pounds which are spent on agency staff and the percentage that leaves the profession entirely.
Budget pressures have caused hard decisions to be made at my school over the last three years. SEN, inflation and absence issues have, amongst other things, caused us issues along with an unfunded pay increases in real terms. Without any understanding of a pay settlement this year we are again guesstimating how to run our school over the next 1-3 years.
Nationally these and other issues are sending LAs to the wall and pushing HTs and governors/ trustees to set deficit budgets or not meet the needs of their pupils.
Across the country areas which have seen increases in expenditure include a 12.3% increase in money spent on supply teachers (£698.1m spent in 2022/23, including £486m on agency supply teachers). Overall, the figures show that while schools’ income rose by 3.3% in 2022/23 their expenditure rose by 5.1%.
I would be interested to see how those numbers increase this year. In my opinion educational staff on the front line have been hit even more this year with the impact of the pandemic and associated illnesses. I’m thinking an” Erin Brokovic” style class action on the horizon like the doctors have started …….
I’ve invested in air filters in all classrooms at our school this year. Another attempt to provide the best and safest conditions for learning. We have had workload and wellbeing as a central strategy for our school development plan since I arrived and, by no means perfect, our deliberate actions are having an impact with our recruitment of excellent staff into our team.
We’ve focused on keeping the main thing the main thing and training people well.
https://www.ssatuk.co.uk/blog/the-hayling-college-an-efa-case-study/
I ask all staff to note the three things that make them the happiest during term time and give them the resource (time) to do it as part of their 5 ways to wellbeing. (20% PPA)
This is how I’ve modelled my volunteering
https://www.englandhockey.co.uk/media/news/martyn-reah
and now after a decade I think the wellbeing word is out.
Less the mantra of “treat them mean and keep them keen” a la Wilshaw et al
https://amp.theguardian.com/education/2012/may/10/teachers-dont-know-stress-ofsted-chief
and more “love the ones you’ve got”.
Which brings me to my next pondering. Why do we persist in doing the things we’ve always done as part of our recruitment processes. We are now “in demand” if you can teach and lead / mange well. The supply and demand scenario has changed the nature of this discussion. I don’t want to pay supply companies a finders fee to solve my vacancy difficulties. (BTW at the moment we don’t have any 🤞). My inbox is full of emails from people I don’t know offering me “ECTs that they have been working” obviously all at cost.
Today I had a conversation with an individual who is taking the big companies on at their own game.
Leadership recruitment.
I had been recommended by an ex colleague who worked with me in a previous school as someone who “might be interested in a conversation about a leadership role at a trust”.
Flattered to be remembered and recommend the conversation made my day. Nothing may come of it but nothing ventured nothing gained.
So what about you?
Are you looking for leadership?
Could we connect you with employers that have the same values and moral purpose?
If so do please get in touch. I’m not on a financial agreement just interested in supporting a colleague to do something different.
In the 1980’s my Dad took a gamble and got a job in Oman working in the oil industry. For the rest of his career he networked his way into different jobs. He still gets offers in his late 70s via LinkedIn because there are very few engineers left with his experience.
Is education going in the same direction?
If you’ve got the experience and you hope a change is as good as rest why not reach out and see what is available.
What have you got to lose and no “finders fee” will be taken.
27 years a teacher 