Mental Health and Well-Being: Why New Teachers Struggle to Find Balance

This blog post will explore how new teachers can better understand their emotions and mental health and what good practice looks like as they transition into their careers. Before reaching Newly Qualified Teacher (NQT) status, most early-career teachers now undergo the Early Career Framework (ECF), introduced in 2021. The ECF extends the induction period from one to two years, providing structured mentoring and professional development. It was designed to reduce the number of teachers leaving the profession within their first two years by offering extra support and guidance. So, whether you're just starting or in the middle of your ECF journey, this post will offer insights to help you navigate the challenging transition from trainee to qualified teacher.

Let me set the scene: you’ve completed your PGCE, the formal qualification that officially makes you a teacher. You’ve found your first school placement, and you’re stepping into the classroom as part of your ECF. This is where the excitement really begins, but it’s also where the invisible pressure starts to build. During your PGCE, everything was mostly theoretical—structured lessons on classroom management, subject navigation, and understanding school policies. They tell you about the difference you can make in students' lives, sprinkled with aspirational content about becoming an inspirational teacher.

But here’s what they don’t always make clear: what you learn in your course and what happens on the "shop floor" of the classroom are not always aligned. Many of the theories and strategies you were taught are framed in ideal settings or based on instructors' lived experiences, which often differ from the reality of school life. As you step into your first classroom, with 30 students staring at you, you quickly realise that real teaching is messy, unpredictable, and challenging.

This is one of the first hurdles new teachers face—reconciling what they learned in theory with what they encounter in practice. PGCE programmes give you tools and strategies for classroom management, lesson planning, safeguarding, pedagogy, and student engagement, but they don’t always prepare you for the layers of complexity in real schools—school culture, social challenges, and diverse student needs. That area of discourse is often overlooked.

In today’s schools, diversity and inclusion are at the forefront. As a teacher, you’ll need to address the individual needs of students from various backgrounds—ethnic, socio-economic, and cultural. Empathy, sensitivity, and understanding are critical for connecting with students and their families. Yes, teachers must develop cultural competency to engage effectively with students from diverse backgrounds. A quote I once shared, which gained attention, sums it up: "Students buy into the teacher before they buy into the learning." You can’t understand every issue a young person faces, but remember—it's about how you make them feel that really matters. Don’t let the paperwork distract you from connecting with the students in front of you.

Additionally, understanding Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) is crucial, as more students are identified with additional needs. Managing differentiated learning and engaging SEND students can be particularly challenging, especially if you haven’t had extensive training in these areas. Spend time with the SENCO (Special Educational Needs Coordinator), review students’ support plans, and meet regularly with teaching assistants. With all these dynamics, the reality is that not every lesson will go smoothly, and students won’t always respond as expected.

Mental Health and Well-being

Mental health and well-being are key priorities during your first year of teaching. Don’t take things personally, and don’t doubt yourself when things don’t go according to plan. Trial and error are part of the process, and it’s natural to experience a range of emotions in the job.

Each school has its own set of expectations and identity, whether it’s strict behaviour management policies or a focus on academic achievement. Some schools may expect you to prioritise classroom control, while others might emphasise marking and assessment. Building relationships with students and families is crucial, but so is understanding the school’s ethos. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and clarify expectations with your mentors. Understanding how your school operates will help you navigate challenges more smoothly and avoid unnecessary stress.

Classroom management is another area where new teachers often struggle. While your PGCE may have given you theories and techniques, the real-life experience of managing a classroom is much more complex. Each class is unique, and what works for one group of students may not work for another. Finding your management style takes time, and it can be frustrating when strategies don’t work as expected. Remember, classroom management isn’t something you master overnight. It’s a skill that evolves over time. Be willing to experiment, make mistakes, and learn from them. Don’t feel defeated if your classroom isn’t perfectly managed from day one. Seek support from mentors, observe experienced teachers, and most importantly, give yourself room to grow.

This is why I believe PGCE programmes should include a module on mental health and well-being. Teaching can be emotionally draining, and new teachers often don’t realise the toll it takes on their mental health. The overemphasis on perfect planning and overworking can lead to burnout, especially when things don’t go as expected. In some cases, new teachers join schools with high-performing staff, who may pressure them to emulate their practices. Or you might enter a school that stresses being "Outstanding" right from the start. Striving to match this pace leaves little room for error. New teachers must learn to find balance, let go of the need to be flawless, and embrace the learning curve.

One of the most common challenges new teachers face is the sheer pace of school life. You’re expected to manage your classroom, mark assignments, attend meetings, and participate in extracurricular activities. There’s playground duty, parents' evenings, and constant feedback to keep up with. The mental toll this pressure takes can be overwhelming. It’s easy to fall into the trap of over-planning, skipping toilet breaks, working in your lunch breaks, staying late, and sacrificing your personal time in pursuit of getting everything just right.

If you're not careful, teaching can consume your life, leading to bad work habits that persist for years. Personal challenges such as lack of sleep, poor eating patterns, long commutes, or financial pressures from high living costs can add to the stress. Balancing personal commitments with classroom demands is difficult, but work-life balance is essential. Set boundaries early on, or you’ll risk burning out quickly. Prioritise self-care, and don’t feel guilty for taking time for yourself on evenings and weekends. In teaching, not every day will be perfect, but remember to celebrate the small wins—like helping a student grasp a difficult concept or having a breakthrough with a challenging class.

The Importance of Organisation: Basics vs. Burnout

Research shows that teacher burnout often stems from overplanning and excessive administrative work. Proper organisation can help mitigate these stressors and lead to a more sustainable work-life balance.

Organisation Tips for New Teachers:

1. Prioritise Tasks: Start each day by identifying the top 2-3 essential tasks.
   

2. Use Templates: Don’t reinvent the wheel—adapt resources from colleagues or networks.
   

3. Plan Flexibly: Create a flexible framework instead of rigid minute-by-minute lesson plans.
   

4. Batch Tasks: Group similar tasks (e.g., marking, lesson planning) into time blocks.
   

5. Set Time Limits: Assign a specific time to each task and stick to it.
   

6. Weekly Reviews: Reflect on what worked and refine your approach for the next week.

Using tools like Google Calendar, OneNote, or good old-fashioned diaries can help streamline your workload. Staying organised reduces stress and keeps you on track without being overwhelmed.

Conclusion:

Finally, one of the most important practices for any new teacher is reflection. After a tough day, take time to reflect on what went well and what didn’t. Reflection isn’t about self-criticism; it’s about learning and growing. No one expects you to be perfect on day one—or even in year one. Teaching is a craft that develops over time, and reflection helps you refine your approach and become a better teacher in the long run.

A firm message to School leaders: They must create environments where newly qualified teachers can fit in without fear of underperforming. Strong leadership and a supportive school culture are key to this. Research shows that positive leadership can significantly reduce stress and burnout among new teachers. Leaders who prioritise mentorship, create open channels of communication, and foster a non-judgmental environment are essential for helping new teachers thrive. With the right support and understanding, new teachers can find balance and grow into the outstanding educators they aspire to be.

"My Teaching Routine" book takes you on a journey. It's not a linear book or one with a fixed narrative sequence which requires you to start at the beginning. The book takes you through different phases of the classroom and gets you to think about each stage and process."