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Student Opinion

Should We Get Rid of Homework?

Some educators are pushing to get rid of homework. Would that be a good thing?

By Jeremy Engle and Michael Gonchar

Do you like doing homework? Do you think it has benefited you educationally?

Has homework ever helped you practice a difficult skill — in math, for example — until you mastered it? Has it helped you learn new concepts in history or science? Has it helped to teach you life skills, such as independence and responsibility? Or, have you had a more negative experience with homework? Does it stress you out, numb your brain from busywork or actually make you fall behind in your classes?

Should we get rid of homework?

In “ The Movement to End Homework Is Wrong, ” published in July, the Times Opinion writer Jay Caspian Kang argues that homework may be imperfect, but it still serves an important purpose in school. The essay begins:

Do students really need to do their homework? As a parent and a former teacher, I have been pondering this question for quite a long time. The teacher side of me can acknowledge that there were assignments I gave out to my students that probably had little to no academic value. But I also imagine that some of my students never would have done their basic reading if they hadn’t been trained to complete expected assignments, which would have made the task of teaching an English class nearly impossible. As a parent, I would rather my daughter not get stuck doing the sort of pointless homework I would occasionally assign, but I also think there’s a lot of value in saying, “Hey, a lot of work you’re going to end up doing in your life is pointless, so why not just get used to it?” I certainly am not the only person wondering about the value of homework. Recently, the sociologist Jessica McCrory Calarco and the mathematics education scholars Ilana Horn and Grace Chen published a paper, “ You Need to Be More Responsible: The Myth of Meritocracy and Teachers’ Accounts of Homework Inequalities .” They argued that while there’s some evidence that homework might help students learn, it also exacerbates inequalities and reinforces what they call the “meritocratic” narrative that says kids who do well in school do so because of “individual competence, effort and responsibility.” The authors believe this meritocratic narrative is a myth and that homework — math homework in particular — further entrenches the myth in the minds of teachers and their students. Calarco, Horn and Chen write, “Research has highlighted inequalities in students’ homework production and linked those inequalities to differences in students’ home lives and in the support students’ families can provide.”

Mr. Kang argues:

But there’s a defense of homework that doesn’t really have much to do with class mobility, equality or any sense of reinforcing the notion of meritocracy. It’s one that became quite clear to me when I was a teacher: Kids need to learn how to practice things. Homework, in many cases, is the only ritualized thing they have to do every day. Even if we could perfectly equalize opportunity in school and empower all students not to be encumbered by the weight of their socioeconomic status or ethnicity, I’m not sure what good it would do if the kids didn’t know how to do something relentlessly, over and over again, until they perfected it. Most teachers know that type of progress is very difficult to achieve inside the classroom, regardless of a student’s background, which is why, I imagine, Calarco, Horn and Chen found that most teachers weren’t thinking in a structural inequalities frame. Holistic ideas of education, in which learning is emphasized and students can explore concepts and ideas, are largely for the types of kids who don’t need to worry about class mobility. A defense of rote practice through homework might seem revanchist at this moment, but if we truly believe that schools should teach children lessons that fall outside the meritocracy, I can’t think of one that matters more than the simple satisfaction of mastering something that you were once bad at. That takes homework and the acknowledgment that sometimes a student can get a question wrong and, with proper instruction, eventually get it right.

Students, read the entire article, then tell us:

Should we get rid of homework? Why, or why not?

Is homework an outdated, ineffective or counterproductive tool for learning? Do you agree with the authors of the paper that homework is harmful and worsens inequalities that exist between students’ home circumstances?

Or do you agree with Mr. Kang that homework still has real educational value?

When you get home after school, how much homework will you do? Do you think the amount is appropriate, too much or too little? Is homework, including the projects and writing assignments you do at home, an important part of your learning experience? Or, in your opinion, is it not a good use of time? Explain.

In these letters to the editor , one reader makes a distinction between elementary school and high school:

Homework’s value is unclear for younger students. But by high school and college, homework is absolutely essential for any student who wishes to excel. There simply isn’t time to digest Dostoyevsky if you only ever read him in class.

What do you think? How much does grade level matter when discussing the value of homework?

Is there a way to make homework more effective?

If you were a teacher, would you assign homework? What kind of assignments would you give and why?

Want more writing prompts? You can find all of our questions in our Student Opinion column . Teachers, check out this guide to learn how you can incorporate them into your classroom.

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.

Jeremy Engle joined The Learning Network as a staff editor in 2018 after spending more than 20 years as a classroom humanities and documentary-making teacher, professional developer and curriculum designer working with students and teachers across the country. More about Jeremy Engle

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Don’t Overload Students: Assigning Too Much Work Discourages Learning

H as your to-do list ever been so long that you felt physically drained at the thought of everything that needed to be done?

New   research  has shed some light on the reason behind this feeling and shows that overloading students causes not only academic stress, but also takes a toll on students’ mental and physical health, which, unsurprisingly, hinders learning.

The study, led by Mollie Galloway from Lewis and Clark College, shows that although students who spend more time doing homework are sometimes more behaviourally engaged in school, they also tend to be more anxious, and report more physical symptoms due to stress.

“Although the students in our study were averaging more than three hours of homework per night, most did not find this homework engaging, nor did they feel it enhanced their learning,” says Galloway.

“Because homework tends to acts as a stressor in students’ lives, their bodies must find a way to respond or react to this stressor, and although research has shown that some level of stress can be healthy, chronic stress can induce negative physical, mental, and behaviour outcomes,” she explains.

The researchers surveyed over 4,000 students to determine the role that this additional work played as a stressor in their lives.

By asking questions like “How often do you try as hard as you can in school?” and “How often do you complete your school assignments?” they were able to paint a picture of students’ level of behavioural engagement.

The mental and physical well-being assessment consisted of questions like “How often do you feel stressed about your academic experience?” as well as enquiries about stress-related health problems such as headaches, weight gain and sleep difficulties.

Only 6% of students said they found their homework “very useful” in preparing them for learning, tests, papers or projects, and many experienced stress, compromised health and a lack of balance.

Students also voiced their frustration with their workload, saying things like; “There’s never a time to rest, there’s always something more you should be doing;” “It can feel like you are drowning;” and “My body crashes when I’ve done maybe half of my homework.” 

Based on such student feedback, the researchers speculate that homework overload can actually limit a person’s capacity to learn.

“Our study suggests that [students who are overloaded] experience higher levels of stress and more physical problems like sweating, headaches, exhaustion, stomach problems, and/or sleeping difficulties,” notes Galloway.

“In addition, these students report a general lack of balance in their lives, feeling like they need to choose completing their homework over engaging in social, physical, and restorative activities that could support their well-being.” 

Previous research has also shown that assigning too much work can diminish its effectiveness and even make it counter-productive. Clearly, just because students are doing more work, doesn’t mean they are actually learning more.

But what can teachers do make sure that they assign enough work without frustrating and overloading students?

Dr. Galloway notes that any work assigned to students should have a clear purpose and benefit, and should be designed to cultivate learning and development.

She also suggests the following tips for finding the right balance:

• Students and teachers should generally align in their description of the purpose of homework (that is, students should be able to identify the purpose)
• Teachers should not simply check-off homework as “complete” or “incomplete.” Homework should be incorporated or utilized in the lesson to facilitate the learning experience.
• Students and teachers should engage together in co-constructing homework assignments. In such co-construction, students can identify various ways to build upon and expand their learning of a topic or concept.  This also provides opportunities for students to bring their strengths; creativity; cultural ways of learning; and community assets to the learning process.

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By submitting my email address. i certify that i am 13 years of age or older, agree to recieve marketing email messages from the princeton review, and agree to terms of use., homework wars: high school workloads, student stress, and how parents can help.

Studies of typical homework loads vary : In one, a Stanford researcher found that more than two hours of homework a night may be counterproductive. The research , conducted among students from 10 high-performing high schools in upper-middle-class California communities, found that too much homework resulted in stress, physical health problems and a general lack of balance.

Additionally, the  2014 Brown Center Report on American Education , found that with the exception of nine-year-olds, the amount of homework schools assign has remained relatively unchanged since 1984, meaning even those in charge of the curricula don't see a need for adding more to that workload.

But student experiences don’t always match these results. On our own Student Life in America survey, over 50% of students reported feeling stressed, 25% reported that homework was their biggest source of stress, and on average teens are spending one-third of their study time feeling stressed, anxious, or stuck.

The disparity can be explained in one of the conclusions regarding the Brown Report:

Of the three age groups, 17-year-olds have the most bifurcated distribution of the homework burden. They have the largest percentage of kids with no homework (especially when the homework shirkers are added in) and the largest percentage with more than two hours.

So what does that mean for parents who still endure the homework wars at home?

Read More: Teaching Your Kids How To Deal with School Stress

It means that sometimes kids who are on a rigorous college-prep track, probably are receiving more homework, but the statistics are melding it with the kids who are receiving no homework. And on our survey, 64% of students reported that their parents couldn’t help them with their work. This is where the real homework wars lie—not just the amount, but the ability to successfully complete assignments and feel success.

Parents want to figure out how to help their children manage their homework stress and learn the material.

Our Top 4 Tips for Ending Homework Wars

1. have a routine..

Every parenting advice article you will ever read emphasizes the importance of a routine. There’s a reason for that: it works. A routine helps put order into an often disorderly world. It removes the thinking and arguing and “when should I start?” because that decision has already been made. While routines must be flexible to accommodate soccer practice on Tuesday and volunteer work on Thursday, knowing in general when and where you, or your child, will do homework literally removes half the battle.

2. Have a battle plan.

Overwhelmed students look at a mountain of homework and think “insurmountable.” But parents can look at it with an outsider’s perspective and help them plan. Put in an extra hour Monday when you don’t have soccer. Prepare for the AP Chem test on Friday a little at a time each evening so Thursday doesn’t loom as a scary study night (consistency and repetition will also help lock the information in your brain). Start reading the book for your English report so that it’s underway. Go ahead and write a few sentences, so you don’t have a blank page staring at you. Knowing what the week will look like helps you keep calm and carry on.

3. Don’t be afraid to call in reserves.

You can’t outsource the “battle” but you can outsource the help ! We find that kids just do better having someone other than their parents help them —and sometimes even parents with the best of intentions aren’t equipped to wrestle with complicated physics problem. At The Princeton Review, we specialize in making homework time less stressful. Our tutors are available 24/7 to work one-to-one in an online classroom with a chat feature, interactive whiteboard, and the file sharing tool, where students can share their most challenging assignments.

4. Celebrate victories—and know when to surrender.

Students and parents can review completed assignments together at the end of the night -- acknowledging even small wins helps build a sense of accomplishment. If you’ve been through a particularly tough battle, you’ll also want to reach reach a cease-fire before hitting your bunk. A war ends when one person disengages. At some point, after parents have provided a listening ear, planning, and support, they have to let natural consequences take their course. And taking a step back--and removing any pressure a parent may be inadvertently creating--can be just what’s needed.

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How to Help Students Who Struggle With Workload and Stress

Emilyann Rosa-Severa | April 28, 2021

The global pandemic and schools shutting down have been difficult for everyone. But for some students with real mental-health challenges, the situation is worse. They are falling behind without knowing how to receive the help that they need. They lack the ability to be consistent and be motivated to want to do the work that needs to get done, which in turn has a HUGE impact on the students’ health. 

Fixing this problem is both the school and the students’ responsibility. Yes, the school is just doing its job in assigning all this work, but administrators and teachers can always try to make it easier. For students,  there are easy ways to help them become consistent and get on the right track, such as trying to have a teacher as your support system to lighten up the challenges you may be facing and give you peace and hope that you can and will be able to get through at the pace you’re comfortable with.

Even before the pandemic, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, one in five kids experience a mental health problem during their school years, and up to 60 percent of students don’t receive the help they need due to access issues.”  And that’s before the pandemic. 

Special education teacher Katherine Anderson says school during a pandemic can be truly hard for some. They are dealing with uncertain situations, such as neglect, food shortages, no heat, no hot water, abuse, and potential eviction. Dealing with school and personal matters can just be super overwhelming and can cause some to not be motivated on doing the work that they do need. Having pressure at “school” and pressure at home could be hard, especially at a time when they are one in the same place. So this is something that a lot of teachers should notice and be understanding. 

Students and teachers need to be understanding and have to reach out on both ends for pandemic school to work. Students need to try to reach teachers or friends for the support they may need  Teachers need to capture students in distress and guide them, or assist them when students are falling behind or may not seem as motivated as others. It is a two-way path that works if they try to work together to accomplish healthy habits and skills.

Yet many say that it is not that easy, and for some kids, they may just not want to do the work. It’s not that easy, a lot of the time a lot of students want to pass yet the barriers such as their mental health and anxiety are what cause them to not succeed.

I often feel overwhelmed and stressed with my school work, especially lately. Yet it is comforting to know there are ways to help me get back on track. Yes, it’s hard, but if you have the right mindset and the support that you need it could make things just a little bit easier.

So we should all put a helping hand and support those who are struggling to deal with their workload and their mental health. 

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What’s the Right Amount of Homework?

Decades of research show that homework has some benefits, especially for students in middle and high school—but there are risks to assigning too much.

Many teachers and parents believe that homework helps students build study skills and review concepts learned in class. Others see homework as disruptive and unnecessary, leading to burnout and turning kids off to school. Decades of research show that the issue is more nuanced and complex than most people think: Homework is beneficial, but only to a degree. Students in high school gain the most, while younger kids benefit much less.

The National PTA and the National Education Association support the “ 10-minute homework guideline ”—a nightly 10 minutes of homework per grade level. But many teachers and parents are quick to point out that what matters is the quality of the homework assigned and how well it meets students’ needs, not the amount of time spent on it.

The guideline doesn’t account for students who may need to spend more—or less—time on assignments. In class, teachers can make adjustments to support struggling students, but at home, an assignment that takes one student 30 minutes to complete may take another twice as much time—often for reasons beyond their control. And homework can widen the achievement gap, putting students from low-income households and students with learning disabilities at a disadvantage.

However, the 10-minute guideline is useful in setting a limit: When kids spend too much time on homework, there are real consequences to consider.

Small Benefits for Elementary Students

As young children begin school, the focus should be on cultivating a love of learning, and assigning too much homework can undermine that goal. And young students often don’t have the study skills to benefit fully from homework, so it may be a poor use of time (Cooper, 1989 ; Cooper et al., 2006 ; Marzano & Pickering, 2007 ). A more effective activity may be nightly reading, especially if parents are involved. The benefits of reading are clear: If students aren’t proficient readers by the end of third grade, they’re less likely to succeed academically and graduate from high school (Fiester, 2013 ).

For second-grade teacher Jacqueline Fiorentino, the minor benefits of homework did not outweigh the potential drawback of turning young children against school at an early age, so she experimented with dropping mandatory homework. “Something surprising happened: They started doing more work at home,” Fiorentino writes . “This inspiring group of 8-year-olds used their newfound free time to explore subjects and topics of interest to them.” She encouraged her students to read at home and offered optional homework to extend classroom lessons and help them review material.

Moderate Benefits for Middle School Students

As students mature and develop the study skills necessary to delve deeply into a topic—and to retain what they learn—they also benefit more from homework. Nightly assignments can help prepare them for scholarly work, and research shows that homework can have moderate benefits for middle school students (Cooper et al., 2006 ). Recent research also shows that online math homework, which can be designed to adapt to students’ levels of understanding, can significantly boost test scores (Roschelle et al., 2016 ).

There are risks to assigning too much, however: A 2015 study found that when middle school students were assigned more than 90 to 100 minutes of daily homework, their math and science test scores began to decline (Fernández-Alonso, Suárez-Álvarez, & Muñiz, 2015 ). Crossing that upper limit can drain student motivation and focus. The researchers recommend that “homework should present a certain level of challenge or difficulty, without being so challenging that it discourages effort.” Teachers should avoid low-effort, repetitive assignments, and assign homework “with the aim of instilling work habits and promoting autonomous, self-directed learning.”

In other words, it’s the quality of homework that matters, not the quantity. Brian Sztabnik, a veteran middle and high school English teacher, suggests that teachers take a step back and ask themselves these five questions :

• How long will it take to complete?
• Have all learners been considered?
• Will an assignment encourage future success?
• Will an assignment place material in a context the classroom cannot?
• Does an assignment offer support when a teacher is not there?

More Benefits for High School Students, but Risks as Well

By the time they reach high school, students should be well on their way to becoming independent learners, so homework does provide a boost to learning at this age, as long as it isn’t overwhelming (Cooper et al., 2006 ; Marzano & Pickering, 2007 ). When students spend too much time on homework—more than two hours each night—it takes up valuable time to rest and spend time with family and friends. A 2013 study found that high school students can experience serious mental and physical health problems, from higher stress levels to sleep deprivation, when assigned too much homework (Galloway, Conner, & Pope, 2013 ).

Homework in high school should always relate to the lesson and be doable without any assistance, and feedback should be clear and explicit.

Teachers should also keep in mind that not all students have equal opportunities to finish their homework at home, so incomplete homework may not be a true reflection of their learning—it may be more a result of issues they face outside of school. They may be hindered by issues such as lack of a quiet space at home, resources such as a computer or broadband connectivity, or parental support (OECD, 2014 ). In such cases, giving low homework scores may be unfair.

Since the quantities of time discussed here are totals, teachers in middle and high school should be aware of how much homework other teachers are assigning. It may seem reasonable to assign 30 minutes of daily homework, but across six subjects, that’s three hours—far above a reasonable amount even for a high school senior. Psychologist Maurice Elias sees this as a common mistake: Individual teachers create homework policies that in aggregate can overwhelm students. He suggests that teachers work together to develop a school-wide homework policy and make it a key topic of back-to-school night and the first parent-teacher conferences of the school year.

Parents Play a Key Role

Homework can be a powerful tool to help parents become more involved in their child’s learning (Walker et al., 2004 ). It can provide insights into a child’s strengths and interests, and can also encourage conversations about a child’s life at school. If a parent has positive attitudes toward homework, their children are more likely to share those same values, promoting academic success.

But it’s also possible for parents to be overbearing, putting too much emphasis on test scores or grades, which can be disruptive for children (Madjar, Shklar, & Moshe, 2015 ). Parents should avoid being overly intrusive or controlling—students report feeling less motivated to learn when they don’t have enough space and autonomy to do their homework (Orkin, May, & Wolf, 2017 ; Patall, Cooper, & Robinson, 2008 ; Silinskas & Kikas, 2017 ). So while homework can encourage parents to be more involved with their kids, it’s important to not make it a source of conflict.

Reducing Student Workload Through Curricular Efficiency

Affiliations.

• 1 Palm Beach Atlantic University, Lloyd L. Gregory School of Pharmacy, West Palm Beach, FL, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].
• 2 Marshall University, School of Pharmacy, Huntington, WV, USA; Editor, American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, Arlington, VA, USA.
• 3 Cedarville University, School of Pharmacy, Cedarville, OH, USA.
• PMID: 37597906
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpe.2022.12.002

Objective: This integrative review will examine the current literature assessing student workload, outcomes of increased workload and cognitive load, and approaches to evaluate and reduce student workload. Recommendations to better inform curriculum planning efforts will be presented along with a call to action to address the dilemma of student workload and curricular efficiency efforts.

Findings: Literature supports that perceptions of heavy workload can influence students' approach to learning and lead to the adoption of surface learning rather than a deep approach that involves higher-order processing and critical thinking. Additionally, ongoing evidence suggests that workload expansion affects student well-being and potential burnout in professional programs, and specifically that students perceive workload as directly related to their well-being and satisfaction. Intentional planning by faculty and programs can address this issue through streamlining classroom content, reducing lecture time, and modifying preclass work to allow for efficient learning. Even if the curriculum is lecture-based, workload perceptions can be affected by developing clearer guidance to set expectations for learners, intentionality in classroom design, and creating opportunities for student engagement.

Summary: Cognitive overload is multifactorial and complicated, given the increased standards of professional education accreditation and licensure requirements. As the Academy deliberately considers methods to improve curricular efficiency, there is an opportunity to focus on curriculum delivery with an appropriate balance of breadth and depth of instruction to ensure effective assessment and cognitive load.

Keywords: Cognitive overload; Curricular efficiency; Curriculum; Student well-being; Student workload.

Copyright © 2023 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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• Front Psychiatry

Family and Academic Stress and Their Impact on Students' Depression Level and Academic Performance

1 School of Mechatronics Engineering, Daqing Normal University, Daqing, China

2 School of Marxism, Heilongjiang University, Harbin, China

Jacob Cherian

3 College of Business, Abu Dhabi University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Noor Un Nisa Khan

4 Faculty of Business Administration, Iqra University Karachi Pakistan, Karachi, Pakistan

Kalpina Kumari

5 Faculty of Department of Business Administration, Greenwich University Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan

Muhammad Safdar Sial

6 Department of Management Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI), Islamabad, Pakistan

Ubaldo Comite

7 Department of Business Sciences, University Giustino Fortunato, Benevento, Italy

Beata Gavurova

8 Faculty of Mining, Ecology, Process Control and Geotechnologies, Technical University of Kosice, Kosice, Slovakia

József Popp

9 Hungarian National Bank–Research Center, John von Neumann University, Kecskemét, Hungary

10 College of Business and Economics, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa

Associated Data

The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors, without undue reservation.

Current research examines the impact of academic and familial stress on students' depression levels and the subsequent impact on their academic performance based on Lazarus' cognitive appraisal theory of stress. The non-probability convenience sampling technique has been used to collect data from undergraduate and postgraduate students using a modified questionnaire with a five-point Likert scale. This study used the SEM method to examine the link between stress, depression, and academic performance. It was confirmed that academic and family stress leads to depression among students, negatively affecting their academic performance and learning outcomes. This research provides valuable information to parents, educators, and other stakeholders concerned about their childrens' education and performance.

Introduction

Higher education institutions (HEIs) are believed to be one of the strongest pillars in the growth of any nation ( 1 ). Being the principal stakeholder, the performance of HEIs mainly relies on the success of its students ( 2 ). To successfully compete in the prevailing dynamic industrial environment, students are not only supposed to develop their knowledge but are also expected to have imperative skills and abilities ( 3 ). In the current highly competitive academic environment, students' performance is largely affected by several factors, such as social media, academic quality, family and social bonding, etc. ( 4 ). Aafreen et al. ( 2 ) stated that students continuously experience pressure from different sources during academic life, which ultimately causes stress among students.

Stress is a common factor that largely diminishes individual morale ( 5 ). It develops when a person cannot handle their inner and outer feelings. When the stress becomes chronic or exceeds a certain level, it affects an individual's mental health and may lead to different psychological disorders, such as depression ( 6 ). Depression is a worldwide illness marked by feelings of sadness and the inability to feel happy or satisfied ( 7 ). Nowadays, it is a common disorder, increasing day by day. According to the World Health Organization ( 8 , 9 ), depression was ranked third among the global burden of disease and predicted to take over first place by 2030.

Depression leads to decreased energy, difficulty thinking, concentrating, and making career decisions ( 6 ). Students are a pillar of the future in building an educated society. For them, academic achievement is a big goal of life and can severely be affected if the students fall prey to depression ( 10 , 11 ). There can be several reasons for this: family issues, exposure to a new lifestyle in colleges and universities, poor academic grades, favoritism by teachers, etc. Never-ending stress or academic pressure of studies can also be a chief reason leading to depression in students ( 12 ). There is a high occurrence of depression in emerging countries, and low mental health literacy has been theorized as one of the key causes of escalating rates of mental illness ( 13 ).

Several researchers, such as ( 6 , 14 , 15 ) have studied stress and depression elements from a performance perspective and reported that stress and depression negatively affect the academic performance of students. However, Aafreen et al. ( 2 ) reported contradictory results and stated that stress sharpens the individual's mind and reflexes and enables workers to perform better in taxing situations. Ardalan ( 16 ) conducted a study in the United States (US). They reported that depression is a common issue among students in the US, and 20 percent of them may have a depressive disorder spanning 12 months or more. It affects students' mental and physical health and limits their social relationships and professional career.

However, the current literature provides mixed results on the relationship between stress and performance. Therefore, the current research investigates stress among students from family and academic perspectives using Lazaru's theory which describes stress as a relation between an individual and his environment and examines how it impacts students' depression level, leading to their academic performance. Most of the available studies on stress and depression are from industrial perspectives, and limited attention is paid to stress from family and institutional perspectives and examines its impact on students' depression level, leading to their academic performance, particularly in Pakistan, the place of the study. Besides, the present study follows a multivariate statistical technique, followed by structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine the relationship between stated variables which is also a study's uniqueness.

This paper is divided into five main sections. The current section provided introduction, theoretical perspective, and background of the study. In the second section, a theoretical framework, a detailed literature review and research hypotheses of the underlying relationships are being proposed. In the third and fourth section, methodology and analysis have been discussed. Finally, in the last section, the conclusion, limitations, implications, and recommendations for future research have been proposed.

Theory and Literature

The idea of cognitive appraisal theory was presented in 1966 by psychologist Richard Lazarus in Psychological Stress and Coping Process. According to this theory, appraisal and coping are two concepts that are central to any psychological stress theory. Both are interrelated. According to the theory, stress is the disparity between stipulations placed on the individuals and their coping resources ( 17 ). Since its first introduction as a comprehensive theory ( 18 ), a few modifications have been experienced in theory later. The recent adaptation states that stress is not defined as a specific incitement or psychological, behavioral, or subjective response. Rather, stress is seen as a relation between an individual and his environment ( 19 ). Individuals appraise the environment as significant for their well-being and try to cope with the exceeding demands and challenges.

Cognitive appraisal is a model based on the idea that stress and other emotional processes depend on a person's expectancies regarding the significance and outcome of an event, encounter, or function. This explains why there are differences in intensity, duration, and quality of emotions elicited in people in response to the environment, which objectively, are equal for all ( 18 ). These appraisals may be influenced by various factors, including a person's goals, values, motivations, etc., and are divided into primary and secondary appraisals, specific patterns of which lead to different kinds of stress ( 20 ). On the other hand, coping is defined as the efforts made by a person to minimize, tolerate, or master the internal and external demands placed on them, a concept intimately related to cognitive appraisal and, therefore, to the stress-relevant person-environment transactions.

Individuals experience different mental and physiological changes when encountering pressure, such as stress ( 21 , 22 ). The feelings of stress can be either due to factors in the external environment or subjective emotions of individuals, which can even lead to psychological disorders such as anxiety and depression. Excess stress can cause health problems. A particularly negative impact has been seen in students due to the high level of stress they endure, affecting their learning outcomes. Various methods are used to tackle stress. One of the methods is trying to pinpoint the causes of stress, which leads us to different terms such as family stress and academic stress. The two factors, stress and depression, have greatly impacted the students' academic performances. This research follows the Lazarus theory based on stress to examine the variables. See the conceptual framework of the study in Figure 1 .

Conceptual framework.

Academic Stress

Academic issues are thought to be the most prevalent source of stress for college students ( 23 ). For example, according to Yang et al. ( 24 ), students claimed that academic-related pressures such as ongoing study, writing papers, preparing for tests, and boring professors were the most important daily problems. Exams and test preparation, grade level competitiveness, and gaining a big quantity of knowledge in a short period of time all contribute to academic pressure. Perceived stress refers to a condition of physical or psychological arousal in reaction to stressors ( 25 , 26 ). When college students face excessive or negative stress, they suffer physical and psychological consequences. Excessive stress can cause health difficulties such as fatigue, loss of appetite, headaches, and gastrointestinal issues. Academic stress has been linked to a variety of negative effects, including ill health, anxiety, depression, and poor academic performance. Travis et al. ( 27 ), in particular, discovered strong links between academic stress and psychological and physical health.

Family Stress

Parental participation and learning effect how parents treat their children, as well as how they handle their children's habits and cognitive processes ( 28 ). This, in turn, shapes their children's performance and behaviors toward them. As a result, the parent-child relationship is dependent on the parents' attitudes, understanding, and perspectives. When parents have positive views, the relationship between them and their children will be considerably better than when they have negative attitudes. Parents respond to unpleasant emotions in a variety of ways, which can be classified as supportive or non-supportive ( 29 ). Parents' supportive reactions encourage children to explore their emotions by encouraging them to express them or by assisting them in understanding and coping with an emotion-eliciting scenario. Non-supportive behaviors, such as downplaying the kid's emotional experience, disciplining the child, or getting concerned by the child's display, transmit the child the message that expressing unpleasant emotions is inappropriate and unacceptable. Supportive parental reactions to unpleasant emotions in children have been linked to dimensions of emotional and social competence, such as emotion comprehension and friendship quality. Non-supportive or repressive parental reactions, on the other hand, have been connected to a child's stored negative affect and disordered behaviors during emotion-evoking events, probably due to an inability or unwillingness to communicate unpleasant sentiments ( 30 , 31 ).

Academic Stress and Students' Depression Levels

Generally, it is believed that mental health improves as we enter into adulthood, and depression disorder starts to decline between the age of 18 and 25. On the other hand, excessive depression rates are the highest pervasiveness during this evolution ( 15 ), and many university students in the particular screen above clinical cut-off scores for huge depression ( 14 , 32 ). Afreen et al. ( 2 ) stated that 30% of high school students experience depression from different perspectives. This means a major chunk of fresh high school graduates are more likely to confront depression or are more vulnerable to encountering depression while enrolling in the university. As the students promote to a higher level of education, there are many factors while calculating the stress like, for example, the syllabus is tough to comprehend, assignments are quite challenging with unrealistic deadlines, and accommodation problems for the students who are shifted from other cities, etc. ( 33 ). Experiences related to university can also contribute while studying depression. The important thing to consider is depression symptoms vary from time to time throughout the academic years ( 34 ); subjective and objective experiences are directly connected to the depression disorder ( 6 ), stress inherent in the university situation likely donates to the difference in university students' depressing experiences.

Stress negatively impacts students' mental peace, and 42.3% of students of Canadian university respondents testified devastating levels of anxiety and stress ( 35 , 36 ). Moreover, there were (58.1%) students who stated academic projects are too tough to handle for them. In Germany, Bulgaria, and Poland, a huge sample of respondents consider assignments a burden on their lives that cannot stand compared to relationships or any other concern in life ( 14 ).

In several countries, university students were studied concerning stress, and results show that depression disorder and apparent anxiety are correlated to educational needs and demands ( 37 ). In their cross-sectional study conducted on a sample of 900 Canadian students, Lörz et al. ( 38 ) concluded that strain confronted due to academic workload relatively has high bleak symptoms even after controlling 13 different risk affecting factors for depression (e.g., demographic features, abusive past, intellectual way, and personality, currently experienced stressful trials in life, societal support). Few have exhibited that students who are tired of educational workload or the students who name them traumatic tend to have more depressing disorders ( 15 ).

These relations can be described by examining the stress and coping behaviors that highlight the role of positive judgments in the stress times ( 39 ), containing the Pancer and colleagues' university modification framework ( 40 , 41 ). The evaluation concept includes examining the circumstances against the available resources, for instance, the effectiveness of coping behavior and societal support. As per these frameworks, if demand is considered unapproachable and resources are lacking, confronted stress and interrelated adverse effects will be high, conceivably giving birth to difficulties in an adjustment like mental instability. Stress triggering situations and the resources in the educational area led to excessive workload, abilities, and study and enhanced time managing skills.

Sketching the overall evaluation frameworks, Pancer et al. ( 40 ) established their framework to exhibit the constructive and damaging adjustment results for the university students dealing with the academic challenges. They stated that while students enroll in the university, they evaluate all the stress-related factors that students confront. They consider them manageable as long as they have sufficient resources. On the other hand, if the available resources do not match the stress factors, it will surely result in a negative relationship, which will lead students to experience depression for sure. Based on the given arguments, the researcher formulates the following hypothesis:

• H1: Increased academic stress results in increased depression levels in students.

Family Stress and Students' Depression Levels

According to Topuzoglu et al. ( 42 ), 3% to 16.9% of individuals are affected by depression worldwide. There are fewer chances for general people to confront depression than university students ( 43 , 44 ). In Mirza et al.'s ( 45 ) study, 1/3 of students encounter stress and depression (a subjective mean occurrence of 30.6%) of all participant students, which suggests students have a 9% higher rate of experiencing depression than general people. Depression can destroy life; it greatly impacts living a balanced life. It can impact students' personal and social relationships, educational efficiency, quality of life, affecting their social and family relationships, academic productivity, and bodily operations ( 46 , 47 ). This declines their abilities, and they get demotivated to learn new things, resulting in unsatisfactory performances, and it can even result in university dropouts ( 48 ). Depression is a continuous substantial risk aspect for committing suicide for university students ( 49 ); thus, it is obliged to discover the factors that can give rise to students' depression.

Seventy-five percentage of students in China of an intermediate school are lucky enough to enroll in higher education. The more students pursue higher education, the more they upsurge for depression (in 2002, the depression rate was 5 to 10%, 2011 it rises 24 to 38%) ( 5 ). Generally, University students' age range is late teens to early twenties, i.e., 18–23 years. Abbas ( 50 ) named the era of university students as “post-adolescence. Risk factors for teenage depression have several and complicated problems of individual characteristics and family and educational life ( 51 ). Amongst the huge depression factors, relationship building with family demands a major chunk of attention and time since factors like parenting and family building play an important role in children's development ( 52 , 53 ). Halonen et al. ( 54 ) concluded that factors like family binding play a major role in development, preservation, and driving adolescent depression. Generally speaking, depressed teenagers tend to have a weaker family relationship with their parents than non-depressed teenagers.

There are two types of family risk factors, soft and hard. Hard factors are encountered in families with a weak family building structure, parents are little to no educated at all, and of course, the family status (economically). Several studies have proved that students of hard risk factors are more likely to encounter depression. Firstly, students from broken families have low confidence in every aspect of life, and they are weak at handling emotional breakdowns compared to students from complete and happy families ( 55 – 57 ). Secondly, the university students born in educated families, especially mothers (at least a college degree or higher degree), are less likely to confront depression than the university students born in families with little to no educated families. Secondly, children born with educated mothers or mothers who at least have a college degree tend to be less depressive than the children of less-educated mothers ( 58 ). However, Parker et al. and Mahmood et al. ( 59 , 60 ) stated a strong relationship between depression and mothers with low literacy levels.

On the other hand, Chang et al. ( 46 ) couldn't prove the authentication of this relationship in university students. Thirdly, university students who belong to lower class families tend to have more unstable mental states and are more likely to witness depression than middle or upper-class families ( 61 ). Jadoon et al. and Abbas et al. ( 62 , 63 ) said that there is no link between depression and economic status. Their irrelevance can be because medical students often come from educated and wealthy families and know their jobs are guaranteed as soon as they graduate. Therefore, the relationship between the hard family environment and depression can be known by targeting a huge audience, and there are several factors to consider while gauging this relationship.

The soft family environment is divided into clear factors (parenting style example, family guidelines, rules, the parent with academic knowledge, etc.) and implied factors (family norm, parent-child relationship, communication within the family, etc.). The soft factor is the key factor within the family that cannot be neglected while studying the teenagers' mental state or depression. Families make microsystems within the families, and families are the reason to build and maintain dysfunctional behavior by multiple functional procedures ( 64 ). Amongst the soft family environmental factors, consistency and struggles can be helpful while forecasting the mental health of teenagers. The youth of broken families, family conflict, weak family relationships, and marital issues, especially unhappy married life, are major factors for youth depression ( 65 ). Ruchkin et al. ( 66 ) stated that African Americans usually have weak family bonding, and their teenagers suffer from depression even when controlling for source bias. Whereas, few researchers have stated, family unity is the most serious factor while foreseeing teenagers' depression. Eaton noted that extreme broken family expressions might hurt emotionality and emotional regulation ( 67 , 68 ).

Social circle is also considered while studying depression in teenagers ( 69 – 71 ). The traditional Pakistani culture emphasizes collectivism and peace and focuses on blood relations and sensitive sentiments. Adolescents with this type of culture opt to get inspired by family, but students who live in hostels or share the room with other students lose this family inspiration. This transformation can be a big risk to encounter depression ( 72 ). Furthermore, in Pakistan securing employment is a big concern for university students. If they want a good job in the future, they have to score good grades and maintain GPA from the beginning. They have to face different challenges all at once, like aggressive educational competition, relationships with peers and family, and of course the biggest employment stress all alone. The only source for coping with these pressures is the family that can be helpful for fundings. If the students do not get ample support the chances are of extreme depression. The following hypothesis is suggested:

• H2: Increased family stress level results in increased depression levels in students.

Students' Depression Levels and Students' Academic Performance

University students denote many people experiencing a crucial conversion from teenagers to adulthood: a time that is generally considered the most traumatic time in one's ( 73 ). This then gets accumulated with other challenges like changes in social circle and exams tension, which possibly puts students' mental health at stake. It has been concluded that one-third of students experience moderate to severe depression in their entire student life ( 74 ). This is the rate that can be increased compared to the general people ( 75 , 76 ). Students with limited social-class resources tend to be more helpless. Additionally, depressed students in attainable-focused environments (for instance, higher academic institutes) are likely to score lower grades with a sense of failure and more insufficient self-assurance because they consider themselves failures, find the world unfair, and have future uncertainties. Furthermore, students with low self-esteem are rigid to take on challenging assignments and projects, hence they are damaging their educational career ( 77 ).

Depression can be defined as a blend of physical, mental, bodily processes, and benightedness which can make themselves obvious by symptoms like, for example, poor sleep schedule, lack of concentration, ill thoughts, and state of remorse ( 78 , 79 ). But, even after such a huge number of depressions in students and the poor academic system, research has not explored the effect of depression on educational performance. A study has shown that the relationship between emotional stability and academic performance in university students and financial status directly results in poor exam performance. As the study further concluded, it was verified depression is an independent factor ( 80 ). Likewise, students suffering from depression score poor grades, but this relationship vanished if their depression got treated. Apart from confidence breaking, depression is a big failure for their academic life. Students with depression symptoms bunk more classes, assessments, and assignments. They drop courses if they find them challenging than non-depressed peers, and they are more likely to drop out of university completely ( 81 ). Students suffering from depression can become ruthless, ultimately affecting their educational performance and making them moody ( 82 ).

However, it has been stated that the association between anxiety and educational performance is even worse and ambiguous. At the same time, some comprehensive research has noted that the greater the anxiousness, the greater the student's performance. On the other hand, few types of research have shown results where there is no apparent relationship between anxiety and poorer academic grades ( 83 ). Ironically, few studies have proposed that a higher anxiety level may improve academic performance ( 84 , 85 ). Current research by Khan et al. ( 86 ) on the undergraduate medical students stated that even though the high occurrence of huge depression between the students, the students GPA is unharmed. Therefore, based on given differences in various research findings, this research is supposed to find a more specific and clear answer to the shared relationship between students' depression levels and academic performance. Based on the given arguments, the researcher formulates the following hypothesis:

• H3: Students' depression level has a significant negative effect on their academic performance.

Methodology

Target population and sampling procedure.

The target audience of this study contains all male and female students studying in the public, private, or semi-government higher education institutions located in Rawalpindi/Islamabad. The researchers collected data from undergraduate and postgraduate students from the management sciences, engineering, and computer science departments. The sampling technique which has been used is the non-probability sampling technique. A questionnaire was given to the students, and they were requested to fill it and give their opinion independently. The questionnaire is based on five points Likert scale.

However, stress and depression are the most common issue among the students, which affects their learning outcomes adversely. A non-probability sampling technique gathered the data from February 2020 to May 2020. The total questionnaires distributed among students were 220, and 186 responses were useful. Of which 119 respondents were females, 66 males, and 1 preferred not to disclose. See Table 1 for detailed demographic information of respondents.

Respondent's demographic profile.

Measurement Scales

We have divided this instrument into two portions. In the first section, there is demographic information of respondents. The second section includes 14 items based on family stress, academic stress, students' depression levels, and students' academic performance. Academic and family stress were measured by 3 item scale for each construct, and students' depression level and academic performance were measured by 4 item scale for each separate construct. The five-point Likert scale is used to measure the items, in which one signifies strongly disagree (S.D), second signifies disagree (D.A), third signifies neither agree nor disagree (N), fourth signifies agree (A.G), and the fifth signifies strongly agree (S.A). The questionnaire has been taken from Gold Berg ( 87 ), which is modified and used in the given questionnaire.

Data Analysis and Results

The researchers used the SEM technique to determine the correlation between stress, depression, and academic performance. According to Prajogo and Cooper ( 88 ), it can remove biased effects triggered by the measurement faults and shape a hierarchy of latent constructs. SPSS v.23 and AMOS v.23 have been used to analyze the collected data. Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin test is used to test the competence of the sample. The value obtained is 0.868, which fulfills the Kaiser et al. ( 89 ), a minimum requirement of 0.6. The multicollinearity factor was analyzed through the variance inflation factor (VIF). It shows the value of 3.648 and meets the requirement of Hair et al. ( 90 ), which is < 4. It also indicates the absence of multicollinearity. According to Schwarz et al. ( 91 ), common method bias (CMB) is quite complex in quantitative studies. Harman's test of a single factor has been used to analyze CMB. The result obtained for the single factor is 38.63%. As stated by Podsakoff et al. ( 92 ), if any of the factors gives value < 50% of the total variance, it is adequate and does not influence the CMB. Therefore, we can say that there is no issue with CMB. Considering the above results are adequate among the measurement and structural model, we ensure that the data is valued enough to analyze the relation.

Assessment of the Measurement and Structural Model

The association between the manifest factors and their elements is examined by measuring model and verified by the Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). CFA guarantees legitimacy and the unidimensional of the measurement model ( 93 ). Peterson ( 94 ) stated that the least required, i.e., 0.8 for the measurement model, fully complies with its Cronbach's alpha value, i.e., 0.802. Therefore, it can confidently be deduced that this measurement model holds satisfactory reliability. As for the psychological legitimacy can be analyzed through factor loading, where the ideal loading is above 0.6 for already established items ( 95 ). Also, according to the recommendation of Molina et al. ( 96 ), the minimum value of the average variance extracted (AVE) for all results is supposed to be >0.5. Table 2 gives detail of the variables and their quantity of things, factor loading, merged consistency, and AVE values.

Instrument reliability and validity.

A discriminant validity test was performed to ensure the empirical difference of all constructs. For this, it was proposed by Fornell and Larcker ( 97 ) that the variance of the results is supposed to be greater than other constructs. The second indicator of discriminant validity is that the square root values of AVE have a greater correlation between the two indicators. Hair et al. ( 90 ) suggested that the correlation between the pair of predictor variables should not be higher than 0.9. Table 3 shows that discriminant validity recommended by Hair et al. ( 90 ) and Fornell and Larcker ( 97 ) was proved clearly that both conditions are fulfilled and indicates that the constructs have adequate discriminant validity.

Discriminant validity analysis.

Acd. Strs, Academic Stress; Fam. Strs, Family Stress; Std. Dep. Lev, Student's Depression Level; Std. Acd. Perf, Student's Academic Performance .

Kaynak ( 98 ) described seven indicators that ensure that the measurement model fits correctly. These indicators include standardized root mean squared residual (SRMR), root means a square error of approximation (RMSEA), comparative fit index (CFI), normative fit index (NFI), adjusted goodness of fit index (AGFI), the goodness of fit index (GFI) and chi-square to a degree of freedom (x 2 /DF). Tucker-Lewis's index (TLI) is also included to ensure the measurement and structural model's fitness. In the measurement model, the obtained result shows that the value of x 2 /DF is 1.898, which should be lower than 2 suggested by Byrne ( 99 ), and this value also meets the requirement of Bagozzi and Yi ( 100 ), i.e., <3. The RMSEA has the value 0.049, which fully meets the requirement of 0.08, as stated by Browne and Cudeck ( 101 ). Furthermore, the SRMR acquired value is 0.0596, which assemble with the required need of < 0.1 by Hu and Bentler ( 102 ). Moreover, according to Bentler and Bonett ( 103 ), McDonald and Marsh ( 104 ), and Bagozzi and Yi ( 100 ), the ideal value is 0.9, and the values obtained from NFI, GFI, AGFI, CFI, and TLI are above the ideal value.

Afterward, the structural model was analyzed and achieved the findings, which give the value of x 2 /DF 1.986. According to Browne and Cudeck ( 101 ), the RMSEA value should not be greater than 0.08, and the obtained value of RMSEA is 0.052, which meets the requirement perfectly. The minimum requirement of Hu and Bentler ( 102 ) should be <0.1, for the structural model fully complies with the SRMR value 0.0616. According to a recommendation of McDonald and Marsh ( 104 ) and Bagozzi and Yi ( 100 ), the ideal value must be up to 0.9, and Table 4 also shows that the values of NFI, GFI, AGFI, CFI, and TLI, which are above than the ideal value and meets the requirement. The above results show that both the measurement and structural models are ideally satisfied with the requirements and the collected data fits correctly.

Analysis of measurement and structural model.

Testing of Hypotheses

The SEM technique is used to examine the hypotheses. Each structural parameter goes along with the hypothesis. The academic stress (Acd. Strs) with the value β = 0.293 while the p -value is 0.003. These outcomes show a significant positive relationship between academic stress (Acd. Strs) and students' depression levels (Std. Dep. Lev). With the β = 0.358 and p = 0.001 values, the data analysis discloses that the family stress (Fam. Strs) has a significant positive effect on the students' depression level (Std. Dep. Lev). However, the student's depression level (Std. Dep. Lev) also has a significant negative effect on their academic performance (Std. Acd. Perf) with the values of β = −0.319 and p = 0.001. Therefore, the results supported the following hypotheses H 1 , H 2 , and H 3 . The sub-hypotheses analysis shows that the results are statistically significant and accepted. In Table 5 , the details of the sub-hypotheses and the principals are explained precisely. Please see Table 6 to review items with their mean and standard deviation values. Moreover, Figure 2 represents the structural model.

Examining the hypotheses.

Description of items, mean, and standard deviation.

Structural model.

Discussion and Conclusion

These findings add to our knowledge of how teenage depression is predicted by academic and familial stress, leading to poor academic performance, and they have practical implications for preventative and intervention programs to safeguard adolescents' mental health in the school context. The outcomes imply that extended academic stress positively impacts students' depression levels with a β of 0.293 and a p -value sof 0.003. However, according to Wang et al. ( 5 ), a higher level of academic stress is linked to a larger level of school burnout, which leads to a higher degree of depression. Satinsky et al. ( 105 ) also claimed that university officials and mental health specialists have expressed worry about depression and anxiety among Ph.D. students, and that his research indicated that depression and anxiety are quite common among Ph.D. students. Deb et al. ( 106 ) found the same results and concluded that depression, anxiety, behavioral difficulties, irritability, and other issues are common among students who are under a lot of academic stress. Similarly, Kokou-Kpolou et al. ( 107 ) revealed that depressive symptoms are common among university students in France. They also demonstrate that socioeconomic and demographic characteristics have a role.

However, Wang et al. ( 5 ) asserted that a higher level of academic stress is associated with a higher level of school burnout, which in return, leads to a higher level of depression. Furthermore, Satinsky et al. ( 105 ) also reported that university administrators and mental health clinicians have raised concerns about depression and anxiety and concluded in his research that depression and anxiety are highly prevalent among Ph.D. students. Deb et al. ( 106 ) also reported the same results and concluded that Depression, anxiety, behavioral problems, irritability, etc. are few of the many problems reported in students with high academic stress. Similary, Kokou-Kpolou et al. ( 107 ) confirmed that university students in France have a high prevalence of depressive symptoms. They also confirm that socio-demographic factors and perceived stress play a predictive role in depressive symptoms among university students. As a result, academic stress has spread across all countries, civilizations, and ethnic groups. Academic stress continues to be a serious problem impacting a student's mental health and well-being, according to the findings of this study.

With the β= 0.358 and p = 0.001 values, the data analysis discloses that the family stress (Fam. Strs) has a significant positive effect on the students' depression level (Std. Dep. Lev). Aleksic ( 108 ) observed similar findings and concluded that many and complicated concerns of personal traits, as well as both home and school contexts, are risk factors for teenage depression. Similarly, Wang et al. ( 109 ) indicated that, among the possible risk factors for depression, family relationships need special consideration since elements like parenting styles and family dynamics influence how children grow. Family variables influence the onset, maintenance, and course of juvenile depression, according to another study ( 110 ). Depressed adolescents are more likely than normal teenagers to have bad family and parent–child connections.

Conversely, students' depression level has a significantly negative impact on their academic performance with β and p -values of −0.319 and 0.001. According ( 111 ), anxiety and melancholy have a negative influence on a student's academic performance. Adolescents and young adults suffer from depression, which is a common and dangerous mental illness. It's linked to an increase in family issues, school failure, especially among teenagers, suicide, drug addiction, and absenteeism. While the transition to adulthood is a high-risk period for depression in general ( 5 ), young people starting college may face extra social and intellectual challenges that increase their risk of melancholy, anxiety, and stress ( 112 ). Students' high rates of depression, anxiety, and stress have serious consequences. Not only may psychological morbidity have a negative impact on a student's academic performance and quality of life, but it may also disturb family and institutional life ( 107 ). Therefore, long-term untreated depression, anxiety, or stress can have a negative influence on people's ability to operate and produce, posing a public health risk ( 113 ).

Theoretical Implications

The current study makes various contributions to the existing literature on servant leadership. Firstly, it enriches the limited literature on the role of family and academic stress and their impact on students' depression levels. Although, a few studies have investigated stress and depression and its impact on Students' academic performance ( 14 , 114 ), however, their background i.e., family and institutions are largely ignored.

Secondly, it explains how the depression level impacts students' academic learning, specifically in the Asian developing countries region. Though a substantial body of empirical research has been produced in the last decade on the relationship between students' depression levels and its impact on their academic achievements, however, the studies conducted in the Pakistani context are scarce ( 111 , 115 ). Thus, this study adds further evidence to prior studies conducted in different cultural contexts and validates the assumption that family and academic stress are key sources depression and anxiety among students which can lead toward their low academic grades and their overall performance.

This argument is in line with our proposed theory in the current research i.e., cognitive appraisal theory which was presented in 1966 by psychologist Richard Lazarus. Lazarus's theory is called the appraisal theory of stress, or the transactional theory of stress because the way a person appraises the situation affects how they feel about it and consequently it's going to affect his overall quality of life. In line with the theory, it suggests that events are not good or bad, but the way we think about them is positive or negative, and therefore has an impact on our stress levels.

Practical Implications

According to the findings of this study, high levels of depressive symptoms among college students should be brought to the attention of relevant departments. To prevent college student depression, relevant departments should improve the study and life environment for students, try to reduce the generation of negative life events, provide adequate social support for students, and improve their cognitive and coping capacities to improve their mental qualities.

Stress and depression, on the other hand, may be managed with good therapy, teacher direction, and family support. The outcomes of this study provide an opportunity for academic institutions to address students' psychological well-being and requirements. Emotional well-being support services for students at Pakistan's higher education institutions are lacking in many of these institutions, which place a low priority on the psychological requirements of these students. As a result, initiatives that consistently monitor and enhance kids' mental health are critical. Furthermore, stress-reduction treatments such as biofeedback, yoga, life-skills training, mindfulness meditation, and psychotherapy have been demonstrated to be useful among students. Professionals in the sector would be able to adapt interventions for pupils by understanding the sources from many spheres.

Counseling clinics should be established at colleges to teach students about stress and sadness. Counselors should instill in pupils the importance of positive conduct and decision-making. The administration of the school should work to create a good and safe atmosphere. Furthermore, teachers should assume responsibility for assisting and guiding sad pupils, since this will aid in their learning and performance. Support from family members might also help you get through difficult times.

Furthermore, these findings support the importance of the home environment as a source of depression risk factors among university students, implying that family-based treatments and improvements are critical in reducing depression among university students.

Limitations and Future Research Implications

The current study has a few limitations. The researcher gathered data from the higher education level of university students studying in Islamabad and Rawalpindi institutions. In the future, researchers are required to widen their region and gather information from other cities of Pakistan, for instance, Lahore, Karachi, etc. Another weakness of the study is that it is cross-sectional in nature. We need to do longitudinal research in the future to authoritatively assert the cause-and-effect link between academic and familial stress and their effects on students' academic performance since cross-sectional studies cannot establish significant cause and effect relationships. Finally, the study's relatively small sample size is a significant weakness. Due to time and budget constraints, it appears that the capacity to perform in-depth research of all firms in Pakistan's pharmaceutical business has been limited. Even though the findings are substantial and meaningful, the small sample size is predicted to limit generalizability and statistical power. This problem can be properly solved by increasing the size of the sample by the researchers, in future researches.

Data Availability Statement

Ethics statement.

Ethical review and approval was not required for the study on human participants in accordance with the local legislation and institutional requirements. Written informed consent for participation was not required for this study in accordance with the national legislation and the institutional requirements.

Author Contributions

All authors contributed to conceptualization, formal analysis, investigation, methodology, writing and editing of the original draft, and read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

This work was funded by the 2020 Heilongjiang Province Philosophy and Social Science Research Planning Project on Civic and Political Science in Universities (Grant No. 20SZB01). This work is supported by the Scientific Grant Agency of the Ministry of Education, Science, Research, and Sport of the Slovak Republic and the Slovak Academy Sciences as part of the research project VEGA 1/0797/20: Quantification of Environmental Burden Impacts of the Slovak Regions on Health, Social and Economic System of the Slovak Republic.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Publisher's Note

All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

Acknowledgments

Authors would like to thank all persons who directly or indirectly participated in the completion of this manuscript.

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Effects of Students’ Workload to Stress and Mental Health

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How reducing teacher workload can improve student outcomes

• Published on: May 10, 2020

At Charles Dickens Primary School, we have been working for five years to reduce teacher workload. We started with written marking and have subsequently addressed planning, displays, reporting to parents and writing assessment. Over this period, we have seen student outcomes improve in English and maths and, more recently, in foundation subjects. Teachers report to us that they have the freedom to focus on developing their practice and on actions that have a strong positive impact on the students in their classes. Charles Dickens retained its ‘Outstanding’ judgement following an inspection in September 2019, and the average combined reading, writing and maths outcomes over the last three years are more than 20 percentage points higher than national figures.

Our journey to reduce teacher workload started almost by accident. In 2015, teachers started a Journal Club, in which staff met on a termly basis to explore a piece of educational research. In spring 2016, we discussed the Education Endowment Foundation’s A Marked Improvement – a Review of the Evidence on Written Marking ( Elliott et al., 2016). One statement in particular struck a chord: ‘Given… the huge amount of time currently invested in marking, it is essential to ensure that marking is as efficient and impactful as possible.’ (p. 4)

Teachers overwhelmingly felt that written marking was taking a disproportionate amount of their time, without the corresponding effect on student outcomes. Their frustration was less about their workload per se and more about ensuring that this workload was purposeful.

The findings of A Marked Improvement were supported by the Independent Teacher Workload Review Group’s   Eliminating Unnecessary Workload Around Marking (2016). This report included some bold and resonant statements, in particular: ‘Marking practice that does not have the desired impact on pupil outcomes is a time-wasting burden for teachers that has to stop.’ (p. 3)

The following September, the National College for Teaching and Leadership invited bids from groups of schools to lead research projects into one of the three areas highlighted in the Workload Challenge. Following the clarion call from A Marked Improvement that ‘There is an urgent need for more studies so that teachers have better information about the most effective marking approaches’ (2016, p. 5), Charles Dickens submitted a proposal to work with other primary schools in Southwark to investigate the impact on teacher workload and student outcomes of completely removing distance written marking in English and mathematics.

The project schools replaced written marking with:

• self- and peer-assessment
• verbal feedback within the lesson
• conferencing after the lesson.

The project was funded from January to July 2017 and covered teacher release time for training and check-in sessions, a formal evaluation from UCL Institute of Education, and dissemination of the findings. Each school had two intervention and two control classes, though these were not randomised. We used the first half-term to train teachers in alternative feedback strategies and for them to teach their students to self- and peer-assess accurately and honestly. The intervention ran from spring term two to summer term one. Teacher workload was measured through entry and exit surveys; student outcomes were measured using entry and exit age-standardised tests (GL Assessment’s Progress Tests in Maths) and through extensive writing moderation. The data analysis and project evaluation were conducted by UCL Institute of Education and published as Reducing Teacher Workload: Southwark Teaching School Alliance Research Report (Featherstone and Seleznyov, 2018). We invited parents to an information evening to explain the no-marking project, and their children’s books were shared at parents’ evening. At the end of the project, we shared the outcomes in a dissemination event. No concerns were raised by parents.

The key findings for our project were:

• Teacher workload was reduced by over six hours per week
• There was no impact on student outcomes: the progress of students in the intervention was not measurably different from that of those in the control group.

Four other groups of schools across England received funding to run projects exploring alternatives to written marking. The findings of all five groups were remarkably consistent, as seen in Table 1 .

Table 1: Findings from project schools

The project evaluations are listed in the References section (Herbert et al., 2018; Kime, 2018; Protsiv and Welch, 2018; Richardson et al., 2018).

Since 2017, we have honed our approaches to feedback and rewritten our feedback policies to remove any requirement for written marking. With the increased focus on the quality of feedback and on the immediacy with which students receive feedback, we have seen student outcomes in writing and maths improve year on year.

One senior leader from a participating school commented, ‘When it first came up, I thought it was the worst idea ever. Now I think it’s brilliant.’

And what do teachers do with that additional time saved from marking? They plan meaningful responses to the students’ work; they leave early to maintain their work–life balance; and they have more time and energy to spend on their professional growth.

Involvement with the project got us thinking more about teachers’ workload. In the past two years, we have made further changes:

• introducing a commercial scheme of work in maths and home-grown, fully resourced schemes in science and foundation subjects
• replacing displays with working walls
• replacing detailed narrative reports to parents with simple reporting of attainment and engagement data across all subjects
• using comparative judgement An approach to marking where teachers compare two students... More (nomoremarking.com) for writing assessment.

The impact of this work is monitored through staff workload and wellbeing surveys and, in 2019, through a peer review, in which we asked senior leaders from other schools to evaluate our progress. This found that teachers’ workload has reduced by about 10 hours per week. Data suggests that student outcomes have either remained high or improved.

Teachers’ time is finite. If we want the very best for our students, we need to allow teachers to focus on those activities with the greatest effect on student outcomes. By reducing workload in areas with little evidence of impact, we can realign teachers’ working lives with their moral purpose and improve both teacher wellbeing and student outcomes.

Jemima Rhys-Evans’s booklet Mark Less, Mark Better: A How-To Guide is available as a free download from researchschool.org.uk/public/docs/Mark-Less-Mark-Better-Autumn-2019-002.pdf .

Elliott V, Baird J, Hopfenbeck TN et al. (2016) A Marked Improvement? A Review of the Evidence on Written Marking . Oxford: Education Endowment Foundation.

Featherstone G and Seleznyov S with UCL Institute of Education (2018) Reducing Teacher Workload: Southwark Teaching School Alliance Research Report . London: Department for Education The ministerial department responsible for children’s serv... More .

Herbert G, Oates T, Sherriff T et al. (2018) Reducing Teacher Workload: The WOWS Research Project . London: Department for Education.

Independent Teacher Workload Review Group (2016) Eliminating Unnecessary Workload Around Marking: Report of the Independent Teacher Workload Review Group . London: Department for Education.

Kime S (2018) Reducing Teacher Workload: The ‘Rebalancing Feedback’ Trial Research Report . London: Department for Education.

Protsiv R and Welch G (2018) Reducing Teacher Workload Through ‘Realtime’ Personalised Feedback Research Report, Aquinas Teaching and Learning Trust . London: Department for Education.

Rhys-Evans J and Field S (2017) Mark Less, Mark Better: A How-To Guide . London: South Teaching School Alliance.

Richardson R, Goodman O, Flight S et al. (2018) Reducing Teacher Workload: The Flying High Partnership Research Report . London: Department for Education.

From this issue

Issue 9: Learning, Leadership and Teacher Experience

Summer 2020

Impact Articles on the same themes

• Original Research

Effective leadership practices and teacher wellbeing: A review of international evidence

• Perspective Article

Can a collaborative approach to curriculum development aid teacher retention?

Collaborative CPD as a means to improve teacher expertise and retention

Reframing ‘disadvantaged’ as ‘underserved’ in mathematics education professional development design

Promoting effective teacher reflection through collaboration

Could the development of teacher self-efficacy enhance teachers’ own mental health and wellbeing?

Effective professional development at scale

Subject communities: Grow, nurture, sustain

• Teacher Reflection

Building a strong foundation: A new head of department’s perspective on professional development for a diverse team of PSHE Educators

‘Being’ a teacher – the impact of teacher identity on self-efficacy and professional development across a career

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Reduce Your Workload Through a School-Wide Plan

Examine seven ways that working together as a school can reduce the workload for individual teachers.

Often, added workload comes in the form of additional school-wide expectations or district directives. While these duties and requirements are almost certainly well-intended, they may be misinformed. Nobody wants teachers to be overwhelmed, and that includes leadership. However, school and district leaders may be tasked with new initiatives that require the involvement of teachers and other system stakeholders. Many times, these undertakings cannot be avoided; however, it is also possible that insufficient communication among stakeholders can unnecessarily add to teacher stress and workload. There is no magic solution to these systemic stressors on workload. However, robust communication and collaborative problem-solving can often minimize unintentional and negative impacts. Here are a few strategies to consider as a school or system to help keep workload in check.

1. Ask stakeholders what they need.

Rather than relying on a top-down approach to initiative planning, ask teachers and staff what they need. By asking this question, you increase the odds that new initiatives and staff efforts will be targeted to their needs. At times, there may be state and federal mandates that must be fulfilled. Even in these cases, it is helpful to ask staff what they need to meet these mandates. Much like we would do with students, we should assess where our staff is and give them only what they need. Providing training on skills teachers already possess is a waste of time. Once again, this comes down to consistent, honest, and open communication. Of course, if you ask for input, it’s important to honor that input and apply it to your implementation plan.

2. Build a healthy work culture.

It’s just as important to build positive and healthy relationships and work culture with co-workers as it is with students. When we build relationships and learn to trust each other, we communicate more frequently and honestly. We also solve problems more effectively together, and stakeholders nearly always feel more included and empowered. A positive work culture goes a long way to preventing burnout. Part of this positive culture should include a sincere value for self-care. This should not simply be lip service. It should be reflected in practices that honor staff time and well-being.

3. Don’t have meetings just to have meetings.

Email can be easily overused and abused, but it’s also a great alternative to having a meeting. If agenda items are read-only, they can be sent out in an email. There is no need to bring people together just to have them sit and listen. One-way dissemination of information can happen electronically, allowing staff to review it when it best works into their schedules. This flexibility and professional respect are empowering and help reduce workload. Of course, this process comes with an implicit agreement by staff to faithfully read the communication. If a face-to-face meeting is called, it should necessitate people being together. In-person meetings are most beneficial for discussions, brainstorming, problem-solving, and community building. A good rule is to ask: What must be done in person, and what can be done through electronic communication?

4. Streamline record-keeping.

This comes down to needs and systems. First, determine what record-keeping is needed. Then, choose the most efficient system for facilitating this record-keeping process. Can one program be used to meet multiple needs? If yes, this saves everyone time. Do you really need to collect that information? If not, eliminate it. Sometimes, we continue old practices because we’ve never taken the time to review why they were started in the first place. It’s possible that those needs are no longer relevant.

Can any of the data be collected automatically? If data can be pulled from existing systems without manual input, that can be a huge time-saver. Also, be aware of any information collection that is a duplication of efforts. For instance, don’t have parents provide the same contact information in multiple places when they enroll students in a school or program. Strive to streamline systems to be more efficient. Part of this process includes eliminating any unnecessary bureaucracy.

5. Prioritize ongoing, job-embedded professional learning.

While we all need to continue growing in our profession, one-and-done professional learning sessions are generally ineffective. In these types of trainings, staff typically gathers for a morning, takes notes, has a few conversations, and then moves on with the task of teaching. In these situations, teachers often never think about that stand-alone presentation again.

To honor staff time and make professional learning more effective, it should be ongoing and job-embedded. This ensures that this time is not wasted, increases the likelihood that learning will be retained, and connects it to the practical aspects of our jobs by embedding it authentically into what we do. Having effective professional learning reduces workload by making new learning more efficient and meaningful to our jobs.

6. Discuss email protocols.

Have a conversation about the best use of email as a building or system. What should it be used for, and what uses should be avoided? Are there protocols for which topics are appropriately communicated through email? How frequently should email be used? Can messaging be consolidated into fewer messages? What subject labeling system can be used to help users quickly scan their inboxes for priority items? For instance, could bracketed tags be used in subject lines to call out certain types of information? Tags such as these can give context to a message before it’s read. Examples might include [due Friday], [support staff only], [optional opportunity], [urgent], [volunteer requested], [tech tip], and so on.

7. Narrow your focus.

If everything is important, nothing is important. Less is more. We’ve probably all heard these statements before because there is truth in them. When our attention is divided among many tasks (especially when we don’t see their relevance), we are less effective. Rather than doing a fair to poor job on ten school-wide goals, it’s usually better to focus on two or three outcomes and do a quality job with each. This is a meaningful way to take something off the plate and increase staff effectiveness on a narrowed list of goals. Of course, it’s important that these focused goals are crucial and that stakeholders agree on their importance. Generally, quality communication is the best way to ensure this works effectively.

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Reducing Workload in Your School: 10 Strategies for Leaders

Learning Ladders Blog Reducing Workload in Your School: 10 Strategies for Leaders

By now, it’s common knowledge that many teachers struggle with their workload. The UK government’s teacher workload survey found that teachers and middle leaders work 4.9 hours less in 2019 than they did in 2016. However, 21% reported that workload is still a ‘very serious problem.’  A high workload can have a big impact on your whole school. It can influence teachers’ decision to leave the profession, lead to stress and anxiety, and ultimately affect pupil outcomes.  So what can be done? In this blog post, school leaders can find tips, strategies for reducing workload in school. But first, why is high workload a problem?

The Effects of High Workload on Schools

The effects of high workload can be different from school to school, role to role and person to person. But it’s clear that most teachers are struggling with it. As part of the UK government’s qualitative research into teacher workload, senior leaders described it as: ‘mammoth’ and ‘relentless’. But why is it a problem?

Teacher Wellbeing

The Education Support Wellbeing Index 2020 found that 62% of education professionals described themselves as stressed. They also described having feelings of insomnia and tearfulness. Compared to the general population, teachers also experience a higher level of depression. 

What’s more, teachers are struggling to ask for help. 57% of those surveyed said they don’t feel comfortable talking about their mental health with their employer. 20% reported that they had received no support at all. 

The problem is twofold, then: it’s clear to see that teachers are disproportionately affected by mental health, but they also aren’t feeling supported too. 

Staff Retention  

To many, it may come as no surprise that 52% of teachers have considered leaving the profession due to pressures on their mental health. Specifically, 68% of those respondents cited workload as the main reason behind this. 

Hiring staff is a long and expensive process. Retaining staff is good for everyone, from leaders who can save money to children who won’t feel disrupted if their favourite teacher leaves the school.

Pupil Outcomes

When done right, reducing workload in schools can improve student outcomes. Sound too good to be true? Well, let’s take this case study as an example. Educators at Charles Dickens Primary School decided to investigate whether reducing workload would impact student outcomes. They found reducing workload had no negative consequences and, if anything, outcomes improved in some subjects. 

The study mainly focused on changing the school’s approach to marking and feedback. Instead of written feedback from a teacher, they prioritised self and peer feedback, verbal feedback in lessons, and ‘conferencing’ after the lesson. The result? Teachers saved hours of time per week (10 hours in some cases), the school retained its ‘Outstanding’ Ofsted rating, and outcomes improved in maths and writing. 

Of course, this approach may not work in every classroom. But it’s a testament to the fact that reducing workload doesn’t mean that you have to sacrifice outcomes. According to the authors, fewer hours marking means teachers can: “plan meaningful responses to the students’ work; they leave early to maintain their work-life balance, and they have more time and energy to spend on their professional growth.”

Marking is only part of the problem, though. Now, we turn to other actionable strategies that leaders can implement – no matter how big or small – to reduce workload in your school. 

Leaders: 10 Methods for Reducing Workload in Your School

1. build a healthy workplace culture.

As we’ve already covered, many teachers don’t feel like they can reach out for help if they’re struggling. One big factor that can affect this is your school culture. What kind of environment is your staff currently working in? Does it promote healthy lifestyles and a positive work-life balance?

As a school leader, you can help change the culture in your school. Think about the behaviours that you encourage and discourage. Are teachers encouraged to leave work on time? Do you make it clear that teachers should take time for themselves?

Changing your school culture won’t happen overnight. It’ll take time, patience and buy-in from your staff. But the rewards will be worth it if your staff feel safe and comfortable to reach out if they need help. 

2. Set a Good Example

Promoting a healthy work-life balance is one thing, but modelling this behaviour can be beneficial too. As a leader, your staff will look up to you and, most likely, see you as a role model. Modelling the behaviours you want to see in your staff can help to build a healthy workplace culture. 

This can involve anything, from admitting when you’re stressed, being vulnerable in front of your team members, or having conversations about non-work related activities in the staff room. Small actions like these can drastically change the way teachers think, act and feel at work.

3. Assess School Workload and How Teachers are Feeling

The statistics quoted in this blog post provide a general overview about how teachers feel in the UK. To tailor your action plan for reducing workload in your school, why not conduct a study just for your employees? This way, you can get a more granular view of how your staff are feeling, any grievances, and create a more personalised plan of action.

4. Create ‘Soft’ Boundaries with Communication  

Reading and responding to emails might seem like a small task, but the time spent in your inbox can really add up over the week. Of course, emails are still a vital tool for communicating with your colleagues, but it’s worth considering how and when you send these messages. The same applies to text messages or online chat rooms like Slack, too. 

Creating ‘soft’ boundaries with communication can prevent teachers from feeling overwhelmed. This doesn’t mean that you need to cease all communications after 5 p.m. We understand that some teachers may prefer to catchup on key messages in the evening, and it’s important to give your employees the flexibility to organise their day in a way that works for them. However, be mindful of sending key school updates on evenings and weekends. Doing so will help teachers understand that they don’t need to be ‘on’ 24/7. 

It all ties back to creating a culture where a good work-life balance is encouraged, and teachers aren’t expected to reply to every message immediately at all hours. It may be helpful to consider the following when you need to communicate a message:

• Do I need to send this message now, or can it wait until tomorrow?
• Do I expect my staff to reply? If so, do I need to make this clear in the message?
• Is an email the best way to communicate this? Or will a quick message suffice?
• How many messages have I sent today? Can I combine all of these messages into a few emails per week instead of multiple per day?

5. Reduce Marking

Earlier in this blog, we looked at a case study from Charles Dickens Primary School, where reducing marking helped to save teachers up to 10 hours a week. Marking is one of the main time-eating activities that contributes to high teacher workload. There are a few methods you can use to help reduce this and shift the focus to other types of feedback, such as:

• Self and peer assessment – this not only saves teachers time, but helps children to better reflect on their own work and that of their peers. 
• Verbal feedback in lessons – not all feedback needs to be written down. In fact, verbally providing feedback in lessons can make it seem more ‘human’ and personable.

Some schools have even started adopting a ‘no-marking policy’. It isn’t for everyone, but it’s at least worth considering. According to Twinkl : “A no marking policy eliminates the need for teachers to spend time outside of lessons writing comments in books. It means focusing on giving feedback directly to pupils during the lesson and a chance to respond to feedback quickly.

“No marking means the feedback process is integrated into teaching and learning and is immediate and impactful. Feedback is given while children are working, so they’re able to respond to it straight away and teachers identify next steps to address in the following lessons.”

6. Streamline Staff Meetings

The clichéd phrase ‘it could’ve been an email’ can apply to your school environment too. If teachers already have a lot of work to do, they’re not going to be engaged in a long meeting that’s only taking away from other activities. 

There are lots of ways to make your meetings more effective, for example:

• Consider whether you actually need the meeting – could this be communicated another way?
• Set an agenda – having a clear idea of what needs to be addressed will help you to steer the conversion and avoid unnecessary tangents. 
• Keep an eye on the clock – before you start, have a clear idea (perhaps in the agenda) of how long you need to discuss each point. This way, you know when to start wrapping things up.

7. Establish Clear Targets

There’s no end to the number of things that teachers could do to improve the outcomes, happiness and engagement of their class. But there’s no way that they can do everything. Establishing clear targets to monitor progress can allow them to understand what they should be focusing on and why. It can give staff members a clearer idea of what should be prioritised, and what can be left for a rainy day, thus reducing unnecessary workload.

Using the SMART formula can help with this. Targets should be S pecific, M easurable, A chievable, R elevant and T ime-bound. This means that the targets are aspirational but achievable, and teachers have a clear idea of what they need to do and when.

8. Manage Change Effectively 

Government guidance on change management in schools states: “Make fewer, more strategic decisions. Decide if other existing practices can be stopped or streamlined. Don’t make change for the sake of change.”

Too much change at once can be overwhelming for anyone in school. By involving staff in these decisions where possible, planning ahead of time and working together on a roadmap, you could get more buy-in and prevent staff from feeling overwhelmed. Thinking ahead may also reduce the need for short term planning later down the line. 

9. Consistency is Key for Behaviour Management 

Having a really consistent behaviour management policy and processes could also save you time in the long run. If staff know exactly what to do, where to go for support, and when to escalate issues then they’ll be able to spend less time weighing up different options. 

To focus on reducing workload in your school that comes with behaviour management, draft up your policy and processes and communicate this to your team regularly. This can help everyone in the school to streamline this aspect of their day-to-day work. 

10. Invest in Time-Saving EdTech

EdTech is a great way to automate manual processes and save teachers time. Pupil progress software can help everyone in your school: leaders, teachers, parents and pupils too. 

Teachers say that creating pupil reports can take over 35 hours to complete – the equivalent of five working days! By using software that allows you to store assessment data throughout the year, teachers can collect all of this together in a simple report at the click of a button. This way, they can focus on more impactful activities, like writing personalised comments and feedback. 

Learning Ladders allows teachers to:

• Bring together key achievements of their pupils into a report. 
• Save time with pre-written comments and statements. 
• Send reports to parents quickly and easily. 

Read more about Learning Ladders’ automated pupil reports and discover how our software can help to reduce workload in your school. 

Useful Links

Want more support and guidance with reducing workload in school? Below are some useful links to help. 

• Ways to Reduce Workload in your School DfE Guidance
• Education Support Partnership – Wellbeing Support

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10 ways to reduce teacher workload in schools.

Teacher workload is a pressing issue, resembling an epidemic in the education sector. For school leaders, finding solutions to alleviate this burden is challenging yet vital. We invite you to read our comprehensive blog post to delve deeper into strategies and insights on this matter .

An Epidemic in Education 

Teacher workload is the leading epidemic in the education field . As a school leader, solving the problem of high workload for teachers is not easy, but it is key to managing prevalent issues like teacher retention , burnout, and absences.  

The responsibilities of the already demanding job of a teacher have grown exponentially in recent years – from assessments to planning, managing students' behaviour and well-being to dealing with safeguarding issues and, of course, the actual teaching. It’s no surprise that most teachers describe their workload as excessive.   

High teacher workload is not just a problem for the teachers themselves; it affects the mental health of everyone across the school community and can lead to lower pupil attainment levels. It is also the main contributor to why young teachers are leaving the profession altogether.   

According to NASUWT, the Teachers’ Union:  

• 4 in every 5 teachers say that their workload and the stress of the job have increased  
• Over 50% of teachers say their workload has negatively affected their physical and mental health  
• Over 65% of teachers say that they are seriously considering leaving the profession because of excessive workload  

It’s clear that teacher workload cannot be taken lightly. But what can be done to tackle this issue? How can senior leaders reduce teacher workload in schools ?   

As a team made up largely of ex-headteachers and teachers, we know all too well the immense pressure and workload teachers currently face in schools.   

Here are some of our strategies that schools can adopt to reduce teacher workload and ultimately, improve teacher well-being and keep them in their profession:   

10 Ways to Reduce Teacher Workload   

1. Use Technology Effectively  

In the 21 st century, there is an abundance of technology here to make your life easier. Make the most of the great tools available to automate routine tasks and save teachers’ time and effort.   

Streamline work like teacher observations , sending parent updates , and managing employment contracts with easy self-service tools so teachers can focus on what really matters – teaching and taking care of children.   

2. Streamline Feedback and Assessment Processes  

Teachers often spend a significant amount of time assessing and providing feedback to students and parents. Schools can implement assessment platforms that support automated grading and monitoring, which saves teachers tons of time on assessing pupils and reporting.   

Additionally, teachers can provide students with more opportunities for peer feedback and self-assessment opportunities to reduce their own workload while empowering pupils to take ownership of their learning – with close supervision, of course.  

For communication with parents, consider how teachers can provide parents with updates efficiently without receiving an influx of responses (i.e. creating more work) using a tool like MarvellousMe .    

3. Collaborate and Share Responsibilities  

Collaboration can reduce teacher workload and foster a sense of community. Teachers can share responsibilities and best practices and pool resources which can reduce the workload on individual teachers. Consider running roundtable sessions on a monthly or termly basis to share insights and resources among staff. You can also conduct surveys and evaluations to identify areas of strength and growth that can make room for more peer-led professional development.  

4. Prioritise Tasks and Time Management  

Schools can help teachers prioritise their tasks and manage their time more effectively by providing them with clear guidelines and deadlines. This helps teachers avoid burnout and ensures that they focus on the most important tasks first.   

5. Review Performance Management Processes  

School leaders can review performance management processes to ensure they are effective and not adding unnecessary workload to teachers. Performance management should be transparent, fair, and focused on professional growth rather than micro-management or accountability – so keep it simple. Use a tool like Sisra Observe to streamline teacher observations, evaluations and appraisals. Read here about how a school reduced its teacher workload significantly by using an efficient performance management system.   

6. Reduce Meetings  

Ever heard the saying “this meeting could have been an email”? Do an audit of all your staff meetings and identify which ones can be made less frequent, shorter, or cancelled altogether. You can reduce the number of meetings that teachers need to attend by reviewing current communication processes and using more efficient methods of communication such as emails, newsletters, and chat tools like Microsoft Teams or Slack.   

While it’s important to create an environment designed for shared productivity and in-person collaboration among staff, meetings should be organised, focused, and efficient to add value rather than take up precious time.  

7. Provide Professional Development Opportunities  

Offering professional development opportunities can help teachers improve their skills and knowledge, which can reduce teacher workload in the long run. Teachers can upskill by learning new pedagogical practices, classroom management strategies, assessment techniques, and time management skills, all of which can make their work more efficient. Track staff areas of growth to identify opportunities for professional development using a system like Sisra Observe and offer CPD and training according to their needs and potential.   

It’s important to facilitate teachers’ professional development in practical ways and ensure that their CPD is not simply adding to their current workload but helping them grow and yield more proficiency and efficiency in the long run.  

8. Use the ‘DAD’ Framework  

Use a framework like ‘Delete, Automate, Delegate’ (DAD) to filter out unnecessary tasks and to assess where the administrative burden lies. Some tasks could be automated to save time, whereas other tasks may be unnecessary or redundant.   

9. Review Staffing Structures   

Consider your current staffing structures to ensure that the right staff are carrying out the right roles and responsibilities. Look at the functions within your school and ask yourself the following:  

• Is there an overlap or duplication of activities and tasks?   
• Is the division of labour among staff fair and sensible?  
• Are teachers burdened with tasks that others could undertake?   
• Could we train and upskill certain members of staff to support with workload?   

We recommend speaking with an HR consultant getting an objective audit of your school’s productivity and staffing infrastructure. A consultant can help you assess if your current staff and systems are working effectively across the school and what can be done to improve your operational efficiency.   

10. Embrace AI Tools  

Encouraging educators to integrate AI tools like ChatGPT into their teaching practices for lesson planning and daily task support can be a game-changer in the education landscape. By doing so, teachers can harness the power of AI to streamline lesson preparation, resource development, and even address common queries, saving precious time and effort.   

However, establishing clear regulations and guidelines is essential to ensure responsible and effective use. These measures help guide teachers in utilising AI tools effectively, optimising their workload, and ultimately improving their overall productivity and the quality of education they deliver to pupils.   

Explore further details on utilising AI to enhance teacher workload efficiency here.  

In Conclusion   

Reducing teacher workload is a critical issue that needs to be addressed with urgency. Failure to do so can severely negatively impact pupils, staff, and school leaders. Schools should try to adopt the above strategies to reduce teacher workload and create a positive work environment that promotes teacher and workplace well-being.  

Get Help from Experts  

Changing your whole school systems to reduce teacher workload can be overwhelming. Speak to one of our experts, who has over 100 years of experience in education HR, to get clarity on what you can do to reduce teachers’ workload. As market-leading software and service providers for education, we have the answers all under one roof and are here to help you and your school!  

From Education HR Services, which includes payroll, finance, and people management, to pupil assessment trackers and parent engagement tools – get in touch with our dedicated team to find out how we can take the stress away from your teachers so they can focus more on what’s important – teaching!   

Sources:  

NASUWT, the Teachers’ Union  

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Teacher Workload Reduction: 7 Strategies School Leaders Can Implement Today

Charlotte Howe

It’s no secret that teacher workload is a growing issue within the education system and many are struggling to keep up with the demands of the profession. Heavy workloads resulting in a poor work-life balance are having a detrimental impact on both teachers and school and trust leaders’ well-being. And ultimately they are contributing to the worrying recruitment and retention crisis in teaching.  

In this article, we look at the findings from the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) workload survey “Understanding current practice around managing teacher workload” and their exploration of teacher workload across England.

And provide you with some practical suggestions to support your teachers and colleagues.

Why is teacher workload so high to start with? 

It seems the government, who created the need for proof of teaching and learning taking place, are keen to cut unproductive tasks for teachers. Hoping this helps to improve teacher recruitment and retention and promote a healthier work-life balance. 

But defining what these unproductive tasks are is unclear. 

In a TeacherTapp survey, 5,000 primary teachers shared the cause of their high workload. No single task took the majority but the top 3 answers were:

• Marking (30%)
• Display creation (10%) 

Additional tasks include adding icons to slides to identify teaching techniques such as partner talk and independent or whole class tasks, adding lesson plans to a central system, completing order forms and filling in online systems. 

For SLT, time-consuming tasks appeared to involve audits, exam forms, Ofsted preparation and school improvement plans — resulting in teachers needing to complete these things too. 

Each of these necessary tasks impacts not only school staff but students too.  

Ultimate Pack Of Maths Intervention Lessons

60+ intervention lessons ready for you to use one to one or in small groups (Year 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)r

The impact of high teacher workload

Naturally, the effects of high teacher workload differ from school to school and role to role as well as person to person.

But the overwhelming consensus is that high teacher workload and long hours across the UK is having a detrimental impact on pupil outcomes. 

We all know that high-quality teaching is the number one factor in influencing pupil outcomes, particularly in schools with a high number of disadvantaged students. 

With high teacher workloads leading to teachers being overworked and stressed, high-quality teaching becomes an almost impossible standard for teachers to consistently maintain. 

What this means for schools

Student outcomes.

The effects of high teacher workload on student outcomes can be seen both directly and indirectly. Being overworked can cause teacher burnout and make it difficult to support students and maintain high-quality teaching. 

Additionally, trying new teaching methods and providing personalised teaching, feedback and marking can become challenging and unmanageable with an overwhelming workload. 

As a result, students aren’t receiving the level of support, feedback or personalised learning they require to maximise their progress.

Impact on disadvantaged students

According to the EEF report, teachers in schools across England with high proportions of disadvantaged students often face greater workload challenges. 

Alongside long waiting times for support from external agencies, these students often require more individualised learning and feedback which teachers are unable to give due to the increasing demands, tasks and expectations of their workloads. 

This extra workload created by a greater need for more differentiation and personalisation but a lack of planning and assessment time for teachers contributes to the persistent attainment gap disadvantaged students face compared to their peers. 

Teacher well-being

High demands on lesson planning, marking, data management, behaviour management, staff meetings and the growing number of additional administrative tasks teachers face are often leading to increased levels of stress, poor work-life balance, poor mental health and teacher burnout. 

Unnecessary workloads and pressures to meet growing demands and expectations are proving challenging for teachers to sustain a long and enjoyable teaching profession. 

Teacher retention

Findings from the EEF reported that teachers with a healthier work-life balance have higher job satisfaction than those with a poor work-life balance. Excessive workloads faced by many are resulting in high numbers of teachers leaving the profession with almost 40,000 leaving in 2022. 

A key theme throughout the EEF report was the importance teachers place on school leaders in determining the culture around workload , demonstrating the importance placed on school and multi-academy trust leaders to implement a whole-school approach to reducing workload.

Source: NFER’s Teacher Voice panel survey June 2023

External agencies

Highlighting mounting pressure on schools from external agencies, the EEF report identified organisations such as the Department for Education (DfE) and Ofsted as contributing factors to increased teacher workload. 

Agencies such as these are requiring teachers to spend more time on admin tasks such as data drops, and excessive marking — many of which have little effect on high-quality teaching or pupil progress. 

Unsurprisingly, there’s a clear correlation between schools with multiple workload reduction strategies in place and teacher job satisfaction, workload and manageability. 

So what can you do to reduce teacher workload and make a difference to outcomes across your school?

7 strategies to improve teacher workload in schools

1. reduce marking.

Marking is one of the leading contributors to high teacher workload. And while feedback in invaluable to student progress, marking outside of classroom time is not the most effective or efficient method of marking. Instead, many schools are implementing the following:

• Whole class marking (WCM): This approach is becoming more commonly adopted across the UK. Teachers read through students’ work and make notes on what they did well and areas for improvement. This feedback is then shared as a whole class, saving teachers writing comments in each pupil’s book, and students are provided with an opportunity to respond to the feedback.  
• Verbal feedback: Verbal feedback reduces workload and provides students with real-time, personal feedback to act on immediately. Not all feedback needs to be written in books. 
• Self and peer assessment: Self and peer assessment not only help save teachers’ time but can encourage students to become reflective learners.

Read more: Headteacher Clare Sealy’s Effective ‘No Marking’ Strategy

2. Create shared schemes of work

Despite contributing to high teacher workload, the EEF found planning to be a priority for teachers. They considered it important to understand lessons thoroughly so they could provide students with high-quality teaching.  

Following the advice in the DfE workload toolkit, many schools are introducing collaborative planning for subject departments, or same year group teachers to enable support and liaise when needed.    

Schools such as Holte School, Birmingham find the high quality of Third Space Learning resources have helped save time with GCSE preparation. 

West Meon CofE Primary School in Hampshire have reduced curriculum planning by sharing resources, using existing, informed schemes of work and joining local and national networks offering support to school teachers and leaders. 

Read more: Guide to Choosing Your Primary Maths Scheme of Work  Download for secondary schools: Creating your GCSE Scheme of Work

3. Data management 

Who really enjoys exams? Asking students to complete formal assessments multiple times throughout the year can have a negative impact on the mental health of both students and teachers. 

Guidance from the DfE advises no more than two or three data collection points per academic year, reducing marking and data entry for teachers.

That said, a high-quality diagnostic assessment enables teachers to clearly assess and address gaps in their students’ knowledge. But considering how this data is collected can reduce teacher workload.

Read more: Diagnostic Assessment: Your Teaching And Intervention Must Have [+ Free Resources]

Many data collection systems work collaboratively, and so data only needs to be entered into one of the systems. Systems can also be tailored to suit your school’s needs, providing data analysis, identifying the need for interventions or suggesting next steps. 

4. Encourage flexible working

Flexible working has become a prominent feature in many workplaces. While teaching from home is not feasible, the DfE has vowed to help school leaders introduce flexible working where they can to help improve teacher well-being and reduce workload. 

In the new workload toolkit published by the DfE, there are plans to help schools introduce practices such as job shares, part-time working and ad-hoc flexibility, and the occasional personal day.

Flexible Working Ambassador Multi-Academy Trusts and Schools (FWAMS) have been introduced as part of this initiative. A further five FWAMS have been announced on top of the previous seven in June this year to help champion flexible working and offer practical advice to school leaders.

However, introducing flexible working practices such as part-time job shares could see the need for more than 40,000 more teachers . This is equivalent to the number leaving the profession and more teachers than are trained in a year. 

5. Create a consistent behaviour management system

Not only is it essential to have a consistent behaviour policy to help save teachers and school leaders time but it’s crucial that all staff fully understand the policy and their role in implementing it.  

Focusing support at an early stage, before escalation occurs, is beneficial in helping to identify patterns of behaviour and prevent these time-consuming behaviours from occurring frequently.  

Considering how behaviour is logged and reported can also help tackle workload. Implementing a simple technology system with minimal text can reduce the time spent on the administrative side of behaviour management.

6. Shorter staff meetings 

Teachers already have a lot to do, sitting through long staff meetings detracts from other tasks and can be counterproductive.  

While not all staff meetings are avoidable, some might be. It’s worth considering if the meeting is necessary or whether the information could be communicated to staff in another way. 

Ensuring an agenda for unavoidable meetings is in place and sticking to the scheduled meeting time can streamline staff meetings and free up more time for teachers to complete other jobs. 

7. Make effective use of teaching assistants

Ofsted has found that less successful schools do not make effective use of Teaching Assistants (TAs). All too often, TAs are placed with low-attaining pupils or children with SEN which can be ineffective. 

Instead, school teachers and leaders could deploy TAs to help pupils develop independent learning skills, and deliver impactful one-to-one and small group interventions. 

Sharing lesson plans with TAs before lessons can benefit students and add value to what teachers do. 

Read more: Making Effective Use Of Teaching Assistants In The Classroom: What We Can Learn From The Research

Further considerations: ECTs

Early Career Teachers (ECTs) and new teachers were proportionally low in the total number of teachers surveyed by the EEF. For schools with ECTs, school leaders may consider putting extra workload reduction strategies in place.  Read more: Five Things I Knew At The End Of My ECT Years That I Wish I’d Known At The Start

What are the barriers to improving teacher workload?

Despite having multiple strategies in place for improving teacher job satisfaction and workload, evidence from the EEF study suggests that the key to effectiveness appears to be how well schools implement their workload reduction plan. 

So what stops these strategies from being carried out effectively? 

1. Culture of silence

Many teachers struggle to reach out for help and rather than ask they will just leave, adding to the teacher shortage. 

Consider whether your school environment contributes to a culture of speaking up. 

Even if you’re promoting a healthy work-life balance, also think about the behaviours of teachers you promote and discourage.

2. Time 

Implementing new strategies and professional development takes time to start with, and may even increase workload temporarily whilst school teachers and leaders adjust to new policies. 

According to the workload survey, teachers in secondary schools and MATs were likely to report changes to behaviour policies increasing workloads. 

And schools rated ‘requires improvement’ or ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted were more likely to report an increased workload from changes to marking policies than schools rated ‘outstanding’. 

With already high workloads, large class sizes and a lack of available resources, some school leaders may even delay implementing work reduction strategies.   

To help overcome these barriers, school leaders can refer to the checklist outlined by the DfE to consider the strategies that need to be implemented and regularly evaluate their impact on teacher workload.

How does Third Space Learning reduce teacher workload?

Over the past decade, we’ve been talking and listening to teachers needs. Now more than ever, there’s a greater need for interventions to help pupils progress. But staff are stretched, particularly TAs with growing numbers of students requiring one to one support for SEN. 

That’s why every stage of our onboarding process and weekly tutoring sessions has been streamlined to minimise the impact on you and give you more time to focus on what you do best — teaching. 

Schools that use Third Space Learning tell us the time they’ve saved by freeing up time for what they do best — high-quality whole class teaching — while we carry out personalised one to one interventions. 

High-impact tutoring to ease workload

In 2013, Third Space Learning was founded to help close the maths attainment gap for disadvantaged pupils by making high-quality one-to-one maths tutoring available to pupils from less advantaged backgrounds. 

Here’s how we know that our tutoring reduces your workload:

1. Diagnostic assessment

We diagnose your students’ specific gaps before they start their tutoring. You can specify what you want us to teach them but to save you time we will work it out ourselves.

Every student sits an intial diagnostic assessment to identify the learning gaps maths specialist tutors should prioritise. 

Each session is followed by Post-Session Questions, assessing knowledge the student has retained from the lesson and the learning that needs more time.

2. Intervention resources

We provide the one to one teaching needed to address these specific learning gaps.

Every student works with the same tutor each week, building rapport in a safe learning environment. Learning with the same tutor builds trust and helps to the tutor to identify and address students learning gaps.

3. Simultaneous one to one tutoring

Up to 20 students can learn simultaneously with their one to one tutor — meaning there’s no individual timetabling issues.

Each student logs in to the Third Space Learning virtual classroom on a computer or iPad. Students share the classroom with their tutor and communicate via audio headsets. 

Schools receive free high-quality headsets for each pupil enrolled in one of our one to one tutoring programmes.

4. Regular reporting

You receive regular updates and reports to have an overall and individual view of progress and who’s on track or not.

After each session, class teachers receive a report for each of their students on the programme. This data can be used to monitor pupil progress or inform whole-class teaching.

5. Expertly designed content

No need to check or create the content of any intervention lesson (but you can of course if you want to).

Our curriculum team have created, analysed and revised revision programmes for KS2, KS3 and KS4 based on the maths National Curriculum.

6.  A vast range of content

Thousands of questions for every age group, hundreds of resources, all included.

Our intervention lessons cover content as far back as KS1 ensuring all learning gaps are addressed, no matter how far back they go. 

Questions on the SATs and GCSE revision programme are designed in the style of exam questions to build confidence and familiarise students with exam-style questions.

High-quality resources to save you time

Where possible, the DfE workload toolkit suggests sharing and adapting resources rather than making your own from scratch. 

Maths experts and former teachers have created Third Space Learning’s classroom resources with teachers needs in mind. 

1. Reduces planning time

Although the EEF report highlights the importance educators place on planning their own lessons, resourcing further adds to an already mounting workload. 

To help save teachers time, our maths experts have created a library full of over 4,000 resources for both primary and secondary teachers. Year after year, teachers tell us how arithmetic resources such as Fluent in Five and reasoning resources such as Rapid Reasoning not only save them time due to the quality of the questions and ease of use but also help close the attainment gap and fuel pupils’ enjoyment of maths.

2. Well-thought out questions

Teachers love how accessible and easy to navigate our resources are, cutting down the time spent searching for high-quality maths resources.  “easy to find and search by year group quote”

Every resource is well-thought-out and links closely to the National Curriculum — with the primary resources marrying up to the White Rose scheme of work. 

Register for the Third Space Maths Hub for thousands of primary resources, or for secondary schools, you can explore the Secondary Resource Library. 

3. Adaptable and flexible

Many of the resources on offer are adaptable to suit the needs of your class and can be used as whole-class or individual teaching resources to help boost progress and close the maths attainment gap — while reducing teacher workload! 

While teacher workloads can vary, many educators face high demands from planning, marking and feedback, behaviour management, data drops meeting and administrative tasks. A culmination of these job aspects can lead to a high workload.

Workload is different from school to school and role to role. It can be influenced by school policies and the number of responsibilities under each role.  Often, teachers are involved in many tasks outside of teaching time, including lesson planning, marking and feedback, data drops, meetings, behaviour management, communication with parents/carers and many other administrative tasks. 

Having appropriate policies in place for marking and feedback, planning, data collection, meeting and behaviour management can help to reduce the workload these time-consuming tasks create. Additionally, fostering a collaborative work environment and providing the resources and training needed can help reduce teacher workload

DO YOU HAVE STUDENTS WHO NEED MORE SUPPORT IN MATHS?

Every week Third Space Learning’s maths specialist tutors support thousands of students across hundreds of schools with weekly one to one tuition designed to plug gaps and boost progress.

Since 2013 these personalised one to one lessons have helped over 150,000 primary and secondary students become more confident, able mathematicians.

Learn about our experience with schools or request a personalised quote for your school to speak to us about your school’s needs and how we can help.

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Find out how to plan, manage, and teach one to one (and small group) maths interventions in primary and secondary schools.

Includes a 20 point checklist of techniques to improve your one to one teaching.

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