THE stress levels of policing pupils in schools during the coronavirus pandemic are excessive and unsustainable, Scotland’s largest teaching union has said.

Head teachers and deputy head teachers within the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) have hit out at the extra workload demands being placed on school management teams as a result of the Covid pandemic. 

At a meeting on Friday, members voiced their concerns over ever-changing guidelines, increased and unrealistic demands and lack of support from local authorities. 

Those in charge of day-to-day school management also raised concerns about the poor facilities to support new methods of working, excessive extra workload and the associated negative effect on health and wellbeing.

Schools in Scotland were forced to change plans for the current term after the government U-turned on proposals for pupils to only be in school part-time just days before the summer holidays. 

The government has said it “does not underestimate the extraordinary effort” required from school management teams, adding that it is working closely with local authorities. 

But EIS representatives have pointed out that staff have been working constantly since lockdown began in March, claiming the current methods of education has “heaped huge amounts of pressure” on teachers. 

Lorraine McBride, convener of the EIS heads and deputies network, said: “Burnout is a very real risk for members of staff who have not had a real break since before the lockdown began.”

“The risk to the health and wellbeing of head teachers and deputies is very real and very worrying. In addition to the increased risk of contracting Covid as a result of working in busy school buildings, there is a growing danger of stress-related illness taking its toll on school management teams.”