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Independent academic research on teacher workload, commissioned by the EIS and published on the opening day of the EIS AGM has provided yet more stark evidence that teachers in Scotland continue to work well beyond their contracted hours and that the number of working hours per week is rising.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The research was carried out over March and April 2024, with over 1,800 teachers across all 32 local authorities taking part in a one-week workload diary-keeping exercise, with a further 40 teachers taking part in in-depth follow up interviews.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The results are stark and underline the scale of workload pressure in schools, and the impact this has on teacher stress:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The quality of education in Scotland\u2019s schools depends in no small part on the professional capacity and wellbeing of its teachers.<\/p>Professor Moira Hulme<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n On average, the teachers who participated in the research reported working 46 hours in the target week. This is 11.39 hours spent on work-related activity beyond the 35-hour working week stipulated in the 2001 Teachers\u2019 Agreement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Work beyond teachers\u2019 contracted hours was the strongest predictor of perceived stress irrespective of sector or role. Workload burden leaves teachers feeling stressed within all aspects of their lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Professor Moira Hulme, University of the West of Scotland, who led the academic research collaboration undertaking the study, presented the research findings to the AGM and said, \u201cThe quality of education in Scotland\u2019s schools depends in no small part on the professional capacity and wellbeing of its teachers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTeachers in Scotland work well beyond their contracted hours and working hours are rising. The workload of teachers has intensified as they address diverse learner needs and escalating behavioural and attendance issues with contracting resources.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n