College leaders have spoken out about their mental health in a new report published by the Further Education Trust for Leadership (FETL).

The report, written by East Coast College principal Stuart Rimmer, reveals that 45 per cent of college leaders experienced “distress” three to five times a week.

Around 82 college principals and chief executives took part in the survey, within which “distress” was defined as “state of overload; for example, overextension at work, thus negative stress”. 

One in 10 principals surveyed said instances of distress happened more than five times a week. 

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In anonymised comments, leaders spoke of a “brutal workload” as well as the impact that distress has on sleep, health issues and attitudes towards work.

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One leader said: “I do my best to hide it. Realistically, I know that on occasion it has made me a little sharp with colleagues and at home at times. I think it has worn down my patience and resilience. After 25 years in the sector, it also makes me consider what else I could do with my career. I hope I am a good principal - I try to do my best by my staff and students - but the pace and workload is brutal. I can’t place any more on my teams. We are juggling like crazy and I’m afraid we will drop something critical. 

“[It’s] not visible to others, so far as I am aware, but it makes me less fun to be with at home sometimes - too tired to speak at times.”

Another said: “I try and manage my stress away from my staff, although my direct colleagues do see changes in my moods. It manifests within me through poor sleep, health issues and changes to my attitude towards work.”

The report says: “Participants were mostly in agreement that there were physical symptoms that often went unnoticed for long periods. These included periods of lost sleep, physical [signs] of anxiety, musculoskeletal issues and appetite loss/gain. There were differences in how these were used by interviewees, for some they were triggers to change behaviour whilst others spent time in denial.

“The psychological and emotional factors were clearly reported, with interviewees describing changing behaviours ranging from becoming more light-hearted (‘I hide behind becoming more jokey’) through to increased anger, frustration and emotional outbursts (‘I become more emotionally visible’). 

“The theme of control was once again prevalent in these discussions as being a trigger: ‘Emotional control is my weakness’ and lack of control can ‘make you feel like a victim’.

“Overall, interviewees felt that their recognition of the symptoms of stress was improving, even if intervention didn’t follow; with one participant saying that she had ‘been on a journey of introspection recently’. These feelings were described as amplified by Covid but not exclusively caused by it, and were seen as long-term issues in the role.” 

Distress and conflicting responsibilities

When leaders were asked to name the top three causes of distress, the most common were:

• Managing conflicts between various pressures.
• Threat of sanction.
• Leading through uncertainty.
• Constant changing of policy and regulation.
• Frequent crisis management.
• College finances where many outcomes were out of direct control.
• A feeling of helplessness combined with responsibility.
•  Pressure caused through public perception and the media.

Around 71 per cent of principals identified conflicts in their role. Conflicts included things like:

• Finance versus quality, 
• Being a chief executive versus being a principal. 
• Maintaining a positive staff culture versus workloads and efficiency.
• Home life versus the needs of the role.
• Conflicts brought on by external accountability requirements.
• Wishing to meet student need versus government-mandated requirements.

The survey also put working hours under the spotlight, revealing that one in three principals felt pressured to work long hours, with 36 per cent working between 55 and 65 hours a week, and 20 per cent working more than 65. A quarter of respondents said they were not supported through emotionally demanding work.

However, the report does conclude there are high levels of satisfaction, with principals providing 7.9 out of 10 in overall satisfaction. 

The report says: “This is encouraging for the sector: while distress is high, perceptions remain that the role is providing satisfaction and then retention of college principals is likely to be high.” 

‘The culture of blaming’ in FE

In her forward to the report, FETL president Dame Ruth Silver said: “Long-term distress can have a damaging emotional, psychological and physical impact, which make the role of principal a difficult one to sustain over a long period. There is only so much a person can absorb and there comes a point where your personhood is on the line.”

She added: “We have had too much of the culture of blaming in further education. We need instead to foster a climate of care and cooperation in the sector. The report is timely, given the implications of the recent White Paper, and will, I very much hope, force these key issues further up the agenda, where they deserve to be. It is important that the government, the sector, governing bodies and the leaders themselves take note, and give careful attention to the findings. 

“If we are to deliver the government’s ambitious agenda for FE and our learners’ ambitions for their lives, we have to make sure the challenge is not insurmountable, that the pressure is utilised constructively, and that leaders have the help and support they need when they need it.”