Can partnerships help ease the challenges for teachers?

This month Naomi Howells, Managing Director at recruitment specialists Class People and regular Education Today columnist, talks about how partnership working can alleviate pressure on teachers.

The Teacher Regulation Agency (TRA) has recently announced a record number of teacher misconduct reports, fuelled in large part by parent complaints. They have seen a 60% increase in just 12 months, rising to almost 1,700 reports for the 2023-24 academic year alone. Despite not meeting their own targets for hearings to be held, the TRA has highlighted that 1,059 of the referrals have so far had no further action, due to not meeting the threshold for serious misconduct. Regardless, it is clear that teachers are under pressure, and changing remits have the potential to impact standards.

This trend is further reflected in our meetings with schools this year. Discussing their objectives and challenges, it is evident that the role of teacher has unofficially evolved beyond its traditional boundaries. No longer simply delivering the curriculum, today’s educators are tasked with increased responsibilities: acting as a parent, friend, carer, and psychologist, all crucial in supporting the learning and development of young minds. Yet this evolution is also making the role unmanageable, adding stress to an already extensive remit, and potentially accelerating the loss of teaching staff through long-term sickness or leaving the profession altogether.

To help alleviate some of these challenges, there is potential for partnership working with other, regional educational establishments, or with appropriate charities. We’ve seen both successfully undertaken by schools this year, and I am struck by one leading example that shows the power of the collaborative approach.

Class People met with one school that has enlisted the support of charity Place2Be, to address the mental health needs of its pupils. Mounting year-round pressure on young people has fuelled 1 in 6 pupils to experience mental health challenges nationally; a trend also observed at the school. Teachers without specialist mental health training often find the issue overwhelming, lacking the necessary tools to adequately support the child. Yet the charity, with specialist skills, resources, and funding, can deliver an exemplary service, improving the lives of pupils, and alleviating teacher pressure too. The added bonus of the partnership is support to teaching staff, aiding them in identifying their own mental health issues early on and offering an outlet to process the emotional impact of working with pupils facing such challenges.

Charitable and business partnerships are not the only approach. We have also seen regional educational groups forming between schools, as they seek to pool resources, share best practice, and foster collaborative working.

There is optimism that the change in government and the pledges made will fuel positive sector change, but only if they actually come to fruition. Between now and then, there is a long road for schools to navigate, tackling key issues of being under-resourced, dealing with teacher attrition, and facing growing remits. It is essential therefore that schools use every tactic available to them. We see partnerships as an incredible opportunity for schools to alleviate at least some of the mounting pressure.