It has become quite commonplace to remark that stress levels among teachers have risen to unprecedented levels.   Even without official figures general observation suggests that more teachers than ever before are having to take time off work because of stress-related illness.

This would be worrying enough in itself – but what has made the problem more troublesome is that where issues relating to stress have gone to court and tribunals, the hearings have made it clear that school managers and governors have a duty to undertake a risk assessment on the levels of stress that the staff may be experiencing. This has to be done to ensure that the working environment does not produce stress levels that are unacceptable and to help recovery where teachers have suffered from high levels of stress.

Of course the obvious contrary argument is that everyone knows that teaching is a stressful job.  However where stress claims have gone to court the courts seem to be unwilling to accept this generalisation as a defence.  Indeed one teacher recently won more than £250,000 when her school failed to respond to her rising stress levels.

The report “Recovery from Stress” covers many of the personal problems faced by teachers: lower assertiveness, low self-esteem, anxiety, lack of self-belief, depression etc.  It also looks at the most widely used successful coping strategies as well as analysing the sources of stress.  

The report also details solutions: anxiety management, problem solving, relaxation techniques, etc - and helps school managers to understand what a colleague under stress is going through and how she or he can be helped.

“Recovery from Stress” is available as a photocopiable book, as a CD, and as a download.  All editions come with a licence allowing reproduction of the text within the school so that it can be shared among all members of staff who may need to deal with a colleague suffering stress.

The volume includes a set of templates relating to the school's policy on stress which again can be copied and distributed to colleagues.

Cat No: 978 1 86083 665 7