This week the Secretary of State for Children, School and Families announced the government’s ‘National Schools Challenge’ initiative. His plans will double the money available for the 638 schools classified by his department as ‘failing’ to £400 million and a national challenge adviser will be appointed to every underperforming school to raise standards. However, local authorities will have 50 days from today — until the end of the summer term — to come up with a rescue plan for each of the schools on the Government’s hit list or the schools will be forced to close.

In response Teacher Support Network Chief Executive Patrick Nash said:

"The threat of closure can have a terrible effect on the morale of the teachers. Such uncertainty can cause stress, anxiety and depression, which in turn lead to sickness absence, further damaging the education of the young people within the school. The Government's measures are likely to label these hardworking professionals as failures and inhibit their often valiant efforts to improve the lives and knowledge of their pupils. The idea that lower achievement at GCSE is the result of "complacency" is unjustified and a damaging criticism of teachers working in often challenging circumstances.

“As well as this, three of the schools picked off are rated amongst the 14 most improved in the country. Another has a 100 per cent A-Level pass rate, is making great progress on its GCSE results and, like many others, is about to move in to a new building as part of the Government’s Building Schools for the Future programme. Their last Ofsted inspection concluded that the school was “well led” and that the staff “works very hard.”

“We know that there is clear link between teacher wellbeing and pupils learning more effectively. In order to help improve the achievements of their pupils, the authorities must support teachers’ emotional and physical health as well as their professional effectiveness. We believe any funding for schools must take this into consideration.”

Teacher Support Network aims to assist teachers improve work/life balance, manage workload and stress.

For assistance in dealing with the already stressful workload teachers face, check out:

• 10 Factsheets on workload and time management
• 10 Factsheets for dealing with stress
• A factsheet about positive and negative work environments