I have been a teaching principal for 10 years. Our school has 5 mainstream class teachers, 1 fulltime SET
and 1 part time SET, no caretaker, part time secretary. The workload has become progressively worse each year. I began this journey teaching 5th/6th class and without a secretary. Towards the end of my 2nd year a part time secretary was employed by the school. It was not sustainable to cope with the workload of 5th/6th as a NAP and so I moved to Jun/Sen infants to benefit from the time from 2-3pm for planning, admin etc and due to the guilt of my class missing out when I was called to the office etc.
I have been on Mat.leave 4 times in that 10 years but was always under pressure on mat.leave to deal with recruitment and summer works, often bringing a new born to the school when contractors had to be met and decisions had to be made, this was extra difficult as I was always breastfeeding at the time also. As the family grew, I would have to pay or childcare to look after the children at home so I could work on school business for most of the summer. This is not unique to my situation and is standard do most principals in similar situations. I was always contacted by acting principal or chairperson to help with decisions or for advice and especially to deal with recruitment while on mat.leave. I always felt under pressure to return to work asap after mat leave purely due to the system and because as principals we are never fully “off” even when on leave. This is what I resent most about the job, the fact that my kids and family life suffer and when they do have my undivided attention I’m mostly snappy, cross, wrecked and lacking in energy.
The job is too much for 1 person, too many new initiatives like GDPR, child protection etc and with the best staff in the world, teachers are under a lot of pressure too and know that it’s not their responsibility, the buck stops with the principal at the end of the day. We lost a post of responsibility when our DP retired and have been without that post for 9 years now. While my 2 post holders are both excellent teachers and capable etc, their attitude towards middle management is do what they’re asked by the principal ,nothing more, and I have to ‘butter them up’ somewhat to encourage them to help me out. Mostly the job feels so isolating and lonely because of this.
This last year has been the worst by a mile, incessant workload, pupils missing out by having a teaching
principal,,issues with parents on the increase, Losing out with the SEN allocation and more cuts due next
year, unfair cut to our SNA allocation, ongoing maintenance issues, subs crisis, funding issues, etc, etc. All principals know the issues. This summer due to recruitment I have been in school working must days since the hols. Taking a break now to go on hols with the family, but will have to catch up on my own teaching notes from last term before I even consider what needs to be done for sept. It’s frustrating that my own class work has suffered while tending to admin, maintenance, discipline, parent issues, policies, planning etc. I feel completely exhausted, mentally drained, almost on the brink of a breakdown and I can’t seem to switch off to enjoy the hols. I constantly find myself wondering is there any other job or work I could do as stepping down is not an option for principals. I would love to job share for a few years while the kids are small but this is not allowed either. I don’t want to leave my job but this option is becoming more of a reality if my mental health is to become a priority. I honestly don’t know how I am going to cope going forward. Please God, our efforts in lobbying for better conditions will improve our situation. Here’s hoping!