Article by James Pugh from ROUS+

An online teacher has called for major changes in the education sector to tackle mental health issues in schools.

Macclesfield resident Jamie Pinnock, who works for online independent school Minerva's Virtual Academy, believes reforms are needed to support teachers and stop them leaving the industry.

His comments come as teachers are set to strike over pay in England and Wales in February and March.

Jamie, 32, left traditional school teaching due to the effects on his mental health.

"There's been a mental health crisis brewing among students and teachers for quite a long time," he said.

"It seems like the Department for Education is completely out of touch with the reality of what it's like to be a teacher. 

"What is leading to so much stress in the teaching sector? I think it is a lack of awareness and therefore a lack of culture about how we talk about emotional wellbeing. 

"There's something wrong with the structure. In my view every school should have a counsellor for students which should be extended to teachers. We're all human beings.

"If I ran a school I would have someone there whose responsibility it is to support the wellbeing of teachers.

"There are people looking after the kids if they are having a hard time and rightfully so, but who is looking after the teachers?"

Jamie, who lives in Macclesfield in Cheshire, got his first full-time teaching job at an independent school in the north west when he was in his 20s.

"It was a baptism of fire - as the NQT (newly qualified teacher) year is supposed to be," he said.

"Whilst incredibly enjoyable and intellectually stimulating, I was experiencing exhaustion and the challenge in terms of stress was one that, as time went on, began to affect me more and more. I didn't know how to deal with the emotional stress I was feeling.

"I loved my colleagues and my kids, but it was destroying my life - even when I wasn't in school. I decided to leave that job after that."

Jamie decided to go travelling and eventually moved to Vietnam where he taught English for about three months.

"It was a very different experience - a lot less stressful but one that was very fulfilling," he said.

"I ended up moving to Cologne in Germany and got a job at an inner-city school.

"Again the stress of the job eventually caught up with me and after two years I decided to come back to the UK which coincided with the pandemic. 

"I ended up teaching online, doing private tutoring, and working with schools in China as well."

Jamie joined Minerva after spotting a job advert on LinkedIn.

"I started working as an English teacher and mentor, taking on history as well, and now I'm head of Year 11," he said.

"It is a really rewarding job. I was really close to throwing in the towel and I am very fortunate to have found this role which has restored my love of education and my commitment to it as well."

It comes as teachers will strike over pay in England and Wales on seven dates in February and March.

The National Education Union (NEU) is the largest education union in the UK, and balloted about 300,000 teacher and support staff members in England and Wales.

Jamie said: "Do I think talk of strikes were inevitable? 100%! And do I think teachers are doing the right thing? 100%!  

"I think it's a feeling of desperation people are feeling at the moment.

"Whether strike action will achieve what needs to be achieved I'm not sure, but in the end what the strike action represents is teachers, maybe not in huge numbers, that are standing up and saying we have had enough."

Minerva's Virtual Academy is an award-winning virtual school for 12 to 18-year-olds that offers a full GCSE and A-Level programme, with at least 20 subjects to study at home.

By being online, it is open to anyone across the nation from Macclesfield to Maldon to Midsomer Norton. 

With unique one-on-one mentoring, a smart virtual learning environment and live lessons from qualified teachers, pupils are set up to succeed. 

As an online school, it also offers flexible working conditions for teachers. 

"What I would like to see develop in the next five years is a hybrid system where teachers and students don't need to be in school all the time and could learn just as effectively at home," Jamie added.

Mr Pinnock, who has also been involved in courses at The King's School in Macclesfield, can be followed on social media.

A recent study found school staff revealing that 76% said they'd seen an increase in depression in pupils.

ENDS

Article by James Pugh from ROUS+

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