Schools and colleges are increasingly being expected to offer support which goes “far beyond teaching and learning” because of rising child poverty and “crumbling public services”, a teaching union has warned.
A report by the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) said teachers have been “left to pick up the pieces” as “underfunded wider public services crumble around them”.
It added that schools are “not officially recognised or resourced to provide broader services, but are having to do so anyway”, following the pandemic, austerity measures and a cost of living crisis.
“From running food banks and supporting families with housing, to resolving parking issues and mediating parental disputes, the burden placed on school and college teachers and leaders has never been higher,” according to Julie McCulloch, the ASCL’s director of strategy and policy.
The ASCL has set out a roadmap for what services schools in England should reasonably be expected to provide, and which should be the responsibility of other agencies.
Things like dental checks, health of pupils’ families, and pupil behaviour on social media out of school hours should not be expected of schools, the report said.
“Some of these issues are obviously of great importance, but they cannot continue to be shouldered by educators,” said Ms McCulloch.
“More needs to be done to clearly distinguish where the core responsibilities of education staff start and end.
“It is time to rethink exactly what we expect from schools and colleges and how they should be resourced to meet these demands.”
The roadmap recommends 16 actions to address challenges facing the education system, including: investing in children’s services; setting out clear responsibilities for education, health and social care in each area; ensuring league tables focus on core education only; and allowing schools to flag issues if external agencies are falling short.
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The report also sets out some responsibilities that schools might reasonably be expected to take on, with the proper funding and resources, like helping pupils with their personal hygiene, mental health, advising on sexual health matters, and providing technology.
Other measures could include running parenting classes, holiday food and activity clubs, or financial support in the form of school uniforms and other clothing for struggling families.
The ASCL recommends boosting pay to reflect the demands of the profession, increasing the range of professional qualifications, offering flexible working and tackling excessive paperwork.
The report also warns that the “status of teaching has diminished in recent years” impacting morale, job satisfaction, and retention rates.
