Estyn workload damaging mental health

The workload arising from school inspections by Estyn are damaging the mental and physical health of teachers and the Welsh Government must to do more to recognise the stress they are causing, members of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union heard.

At the NASUWT Cymru Annual Conference members debated a motion on the increasing levels of stress and workload teachers face from the schools middle tier system, including the inspection body.

Conference will hear calls for the Consortia to be abolished and for the Union to “focus talks with the Welsh Government on acknowledging the link between Estyn, regional consortia and stress on teachers and on agreeing real-term ways that the stress can be mitigated.”

NASUWT General Secretary Dr Patrick Roach said:

“Teachers are not opposed to being held publicly accountable for the work they do, as long as it is genuinely collaborative and constructive.