State of Education survey report 2016 | Page 23

What's to blame? When considering why school leaders find it difficult to switch off from work, over three-quarters (76%) citied the demands of the profession rather than the culture of their school. This suggests that school leaders believe workload problems can only be addressed at a sector-wide level. This view is more widespread among primary school leaders than secondary, with 78% and 69% respectively believing that it is not the culture of the school, but the demands of the profession that determines their workload. It is the culture of my school, not the demands of the profession that determines my workload Agree 24% Disagree 76% Join the debate @TheKeySupport The culture of the school can alleviate some of the stresses of the workload but cannot eradicate them completely.” School leader Jenny Moore, senior researcher at The Key, says: "A lot of the questions we’re asked by our members tend to be about teacher workload, but school leaders should remember that they need to think about their own work/life balance too. While changes to education policy undoubtedly create work for school leaders and teachers, the leadership team can take some control of workload and set a positive culture – and set an example of good work/life balance – for all staff in their schools." State of Education Survey 2016 | www.thekeysupport.com 23