Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
Occupational Stress
among Primary School
Teachers and School
Principals in Ireland
A Report Compiled by
the ESRI on Behalf of
The Teaching Council
Executive Summary v
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1
REFERENCES 44
APPENDIX 47
Executive Summary| v
Executive Summary
MICRO-LEVEL FACTORS
Chapter 1
Introduction
1 Some research on job satisfaction and occupational stress has been conducted as part of post-
graduate studies (Masters and PhD theses), but not in recent years.
difficulties in recruiting principals in recent years. This study uses
a large sample of primary teachers and principals in Ireland
drawn from the Growing Up in Ireland (GUI) study to examine job
satisfaction and job stress. The GUI study was not specifically
designed to explore levels of occupational stress and job
satisfaction among teachers and principals. 2 As a result, it has
some limitations in terms of being confined to the responses of
teachers teaching 9 year old children and in not collecting data
specifically intended to capture potential stressors. Further
(qualitative) research could provide additional insights into the
complexities of the processes shaping the work experiences of
primary school teachers and principals. However, measures of
stress and satisfaction were collected from a large sample of
teachers and principals across a range of Irish primary schools.
The data thus enable us to provide the first systematic analysis of
the micro (individual) and meso (school) level factors shaping job
satisfaction and stress among teachers and principals and
provide an important evidence base to inform policy-making in
this area.
Chapter 2
Previous Studies on Job Satisfaction and
Occupational Stress Among Teachers
3 The author refers to the paperwork involved and work-home balance as possible reasons for low
job satisfaction among female teachers.
Previous Studies on Job Satisfaction | 7
4 According to the authors, no significant difference in satisfaction was found when the data
MACRO-LEVEL FACTORS
The TALIS5 summary report for Ireland (see Shiel et al., 2009)
documents levels of job satisfaction among Irish teachers in
comparison with other countries. The survey focuses on the
learning environments and teaching conditions in second-level
schools. The authors found that average job satisfaction in Ireland
was somewhat lower in Ireland than in other comparison
countries except Poland. Shiel and colleagues found that, across
all TALIS countries, teachers job
6 Figure 4.7: Mean Job Satisfaction Scores of Teachers Ireland And Comparison
Chapter 3
Data and Methodology
In particular, the study will explore the impact of the following factors:
2 Age
1 Qualifications
3 Perceptions of pupils
Chapter 4
Research Results
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
%
Very Fairly Not Very Not At All
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
%
Very Fairly Not very Not at all
7 Age brackets for teachers and principals differ slightly due to the different age distributions of the two
groups, resulting in a small number of respondents in some categories.
Research Results | 17
aged over 60 years; this pattern may reflect the fact that more
satisfied principals retire at a later time-point than their less
satisfied peers.
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
8
Note: differences are significant at the p<.001 level.
Source: Growing Up in Ireland study, 9 year cohort.
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
%
<=3 4-6 7-10 11-15 >15
School domain
1-80
81-120
121-200
201-280
280-400
>400
Table 3a: Job Satisfaction (% Very Satisfied) by Sense of Control Over Various
Activities at School, School Year 2007/2008
A great deal of/ moderate
Some/slight/no control control
Selecting subjects to be taught
(p<.05) 55.6% 62.5%
Deciding about the content of
subjects 52.6% 62.0%
to be taught (p<.001)
Deciding about teaching techniques 42.4% 59.8%
(p<.001)
Choosing textbooks and other
learning 55.0% 59.7%
materials (p<.10)
Disciplining children (p<.001) 40.2% 60.2%
Selecting year group you teach
(p<.01) 56.2% 63.0%
Source: Growing Up in Ireland study, 9 year cohort.
Disabilities
Building condition
Administrative
After-school
Learning support
Toilets
Staff room
Library
Excellent
Maths
Playground
Poor
Music
Sports
Arts/crafts
Computing
Books
No. classrooms
No. teachers
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
% very satisfied
0 20 40 60 80
Approach teachers
informally (%)
Attend parent-teacher
meetings (%)
20 40 60 80
While the previous section dealt with job satisfaction and related
factors, this section specifically focuses on job stress among the
teachers and principals participating in the survey. While 98 per
cent of primary school teachers were satisfied with their job, 45
per cent also felt they were stressed by the job (see
Figure 9). In comparison, 93 per cent of principals felt satisfied
(either very or fairly) with their job, whereas 70 per cent of
principals felt stressed (Figure 9a). This indicates that primary
school principals were more likely to experience occupational
stress than classroom teachers.
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
%
60
50
40
30
20
10
Job satisfaction and stress are related to each other, but in very
complex ways. Table 6 shows the cross-over between these two
dimensions, revealing four groups: those who are very satisfied
with their job and not stressed; those who are very satisfied with
their job but experiencing stress; those who are not very satisfied
with their job and not stressed; and those who are not very
satisfied with their job and feeling stressed. Those who are very
satisfied with their jobs generally tend to report lower stress
levels. However, a sizeable group (20% of teachers and 27% of
principals) report high levels and feelings of stress. It may be that
this group places a strong value on the context of their job but
that day-to-day conditions operate as stressors. In the remainder
of this section, we point to a number of potential stressors for
teachers and principals.
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
%
20-29 30-39 40-49 >50
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
%
<1 1-5 5-10 11-20 >20
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
%
<=3 4-6 7-10 11-15 >15
Discipline
Subject content
Subject selection
Well-behaved in yard
Show respectW
e
0.0 60.0 ar relationship
Enjoy school 70.0 between pupil
engagement and
1%
0.0 1 stressed behaviour and
0 teacher stress
. S levels. Teachers
0o
2 who report that
0 nearly all of the
. F pupils in their
0 school are well-
i
3
0g behaved,
. u rewarding to
0r work with, enjoy
4
school and show
0e
. respect for their
01 teacher report
53 significantly
lower levels ofl parents who
stress than othere attend parent-
teachers. Teacherv teacher meetings
stress levels aree but somewhat
also lower wherel higher stress
they describes levels are
pupils in theb reported where
school as happiery attendance by
than those in parents at other
other schools.t school meetings
There is noh is low.
significant e
variation in stress
Research Results | 31
Teacher Stress
Earlier parts of the report indicated the high levels of job satisfaction
found among primary school teachers in Ireland. Table 8 explores the
factors influencing the likelihood of teachers being very satisfied
with their job. As with teacher
Research Results | 33
As with stress levels, class size per se is not associated with job
satisfaction; the important issue is the composition and climate of
their class and school. Teachers are more satisfied with their job
where pupils are well-behaved and where parents are more
involved in the life of the school. They are also more satisfied
where teachers are seen as happier than those in other schools.
As with job stress, leadership is important, with teacher
satisfaction being higher where principals are more satisfied with
their job.
Principal Stress
Teaching principals are much less satisfied with their job than
administrative principals, being less than half as likely to describe
themselves as very satisfied.
Having better administrative support significantly enhances job
satisfaction. Job satisfaction does not vary by location or school
size. However, it is influenced by school facilities, with lower
levels of job satisfaction among principals who describe these
facilities as poor or only fair. Again the disciplinary climate of
the school emerges as important, with lower levels of job
satisfaction among those in schools with more discipline
problems. Principals are also less satisfied with their jobs where
teachers are seen as less open to new developments and where
teachers provide less help and support to their colleagues.
10 Age of school building had no significant effect on teacher stress levels so was not included in
the models reported. It may be that teachers are affected by their immediate classroom
conditions while, by the nature of their post, principals are more conscious of school facilities in
general.
Table 7: Factors Influencing Teacher Stress Multilevel Logistic Regression Model, School Year 2007/2008
Model 1 Model 2 Model 3 Model 4 Model 5
Fixed part
Personal characteristics
Constant -0.183 -0.281 1.245 1.530 1.090
Female 0.207 0.195 0.194 0.188
(Contrast: Male)
Age-group:
30-39 0.221 0.169 0.192 0.133
40-49 0.419* 0.333* 0.370* 0.311
50+ 0.158 0.077 0.130 0.137
(Contrast: 20-29)
No. of years teaching in current school:
2-5 -0.424* -0.396* -0.392* -0.362*
6-10 -0.264 -0.189 -0.208 -0.118
11-20 -0.331 -0.206 -0.232 -0.199
21+ 0.064 0.120 0.133 0.212
(Contrast: 1 year)
Working conditions
Teaching multi-grade class 0.268 0.256 0.288*
(Contrast: single year class)
Teaching principal 0.346* 0.506* 0.399*
5
3
Teacher climate
Teachers less open to new developments -0.823***
(Contrast: nearly all are open)
Teachers less collegial -1.098**
(Contrast: nearly all offer support to colleagues)
Chapter 5
Conclusions and Implications for Policy and
Practice
11 It is worth noting that only one per cent of primary school pupils attend private schools so
this is not an important
source of variation in the Irish context.
Conclusions and Implications for Policy and Practice | 41
School Climate
Working Conditions
References
http://www.curriculum.edu.au/leader/leadership_aspirations_in_scho
ols,4623.h tml?issueID=969
Laughlin, A. (1984), Teacher stress in an Australian setting: The
role of biographical mediators, Educational Studies, 10, 1, 7-
22.
Lee, M. (2006), What makes a difference between two schools?
Teacher job satisfaction and educational outcomes,
International Education Journal, 7, 5, 642-650.
Ma, X. & MacMillan, R. B. (1999), Influences of workplace
conditions on teachers job satisfaction, Journal of Educational
Research, 93, 1, 39-47.
Manthei, R. & Gilmore, A. (1996), Teacher stress in intermediate schools.
Educational Research, 38, 1, 3-19.
Morgan, M. & Kitching, K. (2007), Teaching in disadvantaged
schools: Job satisfaction of beginning teachers. In Gilligan,
A.L., & Downes, P. (Eds),
Educational Disadvantage in Ireland. (pp. 367-378), Dublin:
Institute of Public Administration.
Morgan, M., Ludlow, L., Kitching, K., OLeary, M. & Clarke, A.
(2010), What makes teachers tick? Sustaining events in new
teachers lives, British Educational Research Journal, 36, 2,
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Morgan, M. & OLeary, M. (2004), The job satisfaction of beginning
primary teachers, Irish Journal of Education, 35, 73-86.
Morgan, M. & Sugrue, C. (2008), The seven challenges and four
rewards of being a school Principal, Oideas, 53, 8-27.
OECD (2010), Education at a glance, Paris: OECD.
Ololube, N. P. (2005), Teachers job satisfaction and motivation for
school effectiveness: an assessment, available online at:
http://www.usca.edu/essays/vol182006/ololube.pdf
Ostroff, C. (1992), The relationship between satisfaction,
attitudes, and performance: An organizational level analysis,
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Perie, M. & Baker, D. P. (1997), Job satisfaction among Americas
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http://nces.ed.gov/pubs97/97471.pdf
Schmidt, S. (1999), The relationship between satisfaction with
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46 | Job Satisfaction and Occupational Stress
https://scholarworks.iupui.edu/bitstream/handle/1805/276/Sch
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quence=1
Shiel, G., Perkins, R., & Gilleece, L. (2009), TALIS summary
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Appendix | 47
Appendix
QUESTIONNAIRES FOR
WAVE 1
MAY 2010
Teacher-On-Self Questionnaire
The Economic and Social Research
Institute University of Dublin
Whitaker Square T
Sir John Rogersons Quay C
Dublin 2
Ph: 01-863 2000 Fax 01-863 2100
Growing Up in Ireland
the national
longitudinal study
STRICT
LY
CONFID
ENTIAL
TEACHER-ON-SELF QUESTIONNAIRE
School ID School Roll No.
3
A primary school teaching 4
diploma or certificate, or other 5
primary school qualification....... 6
A primary degree in education 7
(B.Ed)......................................... 8
.......................................... 9
A primary degree in another
subject........................................
.............................................
A postgraduate diploma in
education ...................................
................................................
A qualification in learning
support, special education or
resource
teaching.........................
A higher degree in education
(PhD, Masters
etc.)............................................
....................
A higher degree in another
subject (PhD, Masters
etc.)............................................
...........
No
qualification ...............................
...................................................
...................................
Other [please specify]
_________________________
_________________________
___
6. Within your
regular
classroom, how
many children are
there in each year
group? If you do
not teach a
particular year
group, write
none in the total
row.
Class Junior Senior First Second Third Fourth Fifth
Infants Infants Class Class Class Class Class
Number of pupils
Boys
Girls
Total
.........Yes 1 No .......... 2
7b. How many days training did you do? _______________ days
8. In your opinion, how many children in your classroom (including the Study Child if relevant) have any of
the following long-term problems? (Some children may belong to more than one category)
a. A limited knowledge of the main language of instruction ................................. ______ children
b. An emotional or behavioural problem .............................................................. ______ children
c. A learning / intellectual disability ...................................................................... ______ children
d. A physical / sensory disability ........................................................................... ______ children
9. In a typical week, would you have any Special Needs Assistants working with you in the Study Childs
classroom?
Yes......... 1 No .......... 2
10.For approximately how many hours per week? _______________ hours per week
11. Approximately how many hours per week does the Study Childs class spend on each of the following
subjects, within normal school hours? Your best estimate is fine. If the class does not receive instruction in
a subject, please write none.
No. of hours per No. of hours per
Subject week Subject week
English hrs/wk Social Personal Health Education (SPHE) hrs/wk
Gaeilge hrs/wk Physical Education hrs/wk
Maths hrs/wk Drama hrs/wk
History hrs/wk Visual Arts hrs/wk
Geography hrs/wk Other 1 (specify) hrs/wk
Science hrs/wk Other 2 (specify) hrs/wk
Religion hrs/wk Other 3 (specify) hrs/wk
Music hrs/wk Other 4 (specify) hrs/wk
12. Below we have a number of statements about teaching. Please indicate how frequently the following
things happen in the Study Childs class
Never or
almost Some Most Every
never days days day
Pupils copy notes from the board in class 1 2 3 4
Pupils work in pairs 1 2 3 4
Pupils work individually in class using their textbook or worksheets 1 2 3 4
Homework is checked in class 1 2 3 4
Homework is taken up for correction 1 2 3 4
Pupils work in groups in class 1 2 3 4
You ask pupils questions in class 1 2 3 4
Pupils ask you questions in class 1 2 3 4
Pupils ask each other questions in class 1 2 3 4
You read aloud to pupils 1 2 3 4
Pupils suggest subjects or topics to be covered in class 1 2 3 4
Pupils are encouraged to find things out for themselves 1 2 3 4
You use video / DVD or audiotapes / CDs in class 1 2 3 4
You use play to facilitate pupil learning 1 2 3 4
Pupils use computer facilities in class 1 2 3 4
You provide differentiated activities, as appropriate, to pupils 1 2 3 4
Pupils get the opportunity to engage in hands-on activities 1 2 3 4
The pupils experience and their environment is the starting point for learning 1 2 3 4
You teach pupils as a whole class 1 2 3 4
13a. How often do the children in the Study Childs class use a computer(s) in the school?
13b. Do the children in the Study Childs class have use of a computer in their classroom?
Yes ............ 1 No .............. 2
14. Do the children in the Study Childs class use a computer to access the Internet?
Yes ............ 1 No .............. 2
15. On average, how many nights per week do you set homework for the children in the Study Childs class?
_______________nights
16. On a typical evening during the week, how much time do you expect children in the Study Childs class
to spend on homework?
1
3 More than 1hr 30
None............................................................... 2
1 min.................
15 mins or less. ..........................................
1 .....
3
16-30 mins .....................................................
22. Compared with other Primary Schools of your size would you say that, in general, the environment in your
school is happier, as happy or less happy for (a) pupils and (b) teachers as in other Primary Schools?
Happier As happy Less happy
a. Pupils 1.............................. 2 ...................................................... 3
23.In general terms (a) how stressed do you feel by your job and (b) how satisfied do you feel with your job?
Very Fairly Not Very Not At All
a. How stressed do you feel by your job 1 ................. 2 ..................... 3 .......................... 4
b. How satisfied do you feel with your job ....... 1 ................. 2 ..................... 3 .......................... 4
Thank you very much for having completed this part of Growing Up In Ireland
We would now like you to complete a questionnaire (one of the green ones) in respect
of each Study Child who has been selected from your class(es) for inclusion in the
project
Principals Questionnaire
U
The Economic and Social Research Institute
Whitaker Square
Sir John Rogersons Quay
Dublin 2
Ph: 01-863 2000 Fax 01-863 2001
Growing Up in Ireland
the national
longitudinal study of
children
S
T
R
I
C
T
L
Y
C
O
N
F
I
D
E
N
T
I
A
L
PR
IN
CI
PA
L
S
Q
UE
ST
IO
NN
AI
RE
No.
......
....
2
12. Approximately how many pupils is the school designed for? ................ ______ children
13. In which year was the school built? ........................................................... Year__________
14. Compared to other Primary Schools in the country how adequate to the needs of the school and the
pupils are the schools resources in each of the following areas?
Poor Fair Good Excellent
a. Number of teachers ................................................ 1..................... 2 .......................... 3 .......................... 4
b. Number of classrooms............................................ 1..................... 2 .......................... 3 .......................... 4
c. Books and worksheets............................................ 1..................... 2 .......................... 3 .......................... 4
d. Computing facilities................................................. 1..................... 2 .......................... 3 .......................... 4
e. Arts and crafts facilities........................................... 1..................... 2 .......................... 3 .......................... 4
f. Sports facilities........................................................ 1..................... 2 .......................... 3 .......................... 4
g. Music facilities......................................................... 1..................... 2 .......................... 3 .......................... 4
h. Playground.............................................................. 1..................... 2 .......................... 3 .......................... 4
i. Mathematics resources / facilities ........................... 1..................... 2 .......................... 3 .......................... 4
j. Library / media centre ............................................. 1..................... 2 .......................... 3 .......................... 4
k. Staff room................................................................ 1..................... 2 .......................... 3 .......................... 4
l. Toilet facilities.......................................................... 1..................... 2 .......................... 3 .......................... 4
m. Learning support provision..................................... 1..................... 2 .......................... 3 .......................... 4
n. After-school facilities (e.g. homework clubs) ......... 1..................... 2 .......................... 3 .......................... 4
o. Administrative support ............................................ 1..................... 2 .......................... 3 .......................... 4
p. Condition of the school building, classrooms etc.... 1..................... 2 .......................... 3 .......................... 4
q. Facilities for children with disabilities ..................... 1..................... 2 .......................... 3 .......................... 4
18. Does the school have a dedicated computer room for pupils? Yes ......... 1 No ........... 2
19. In your opinion, how important is each of the following to the ethos of the school?
Very Fairly Not Not
important important important sure
a. Sports............................................................ 1 ................. 2 ..................... 3 .......................... 4
_______
i a _______
onal-behavioural difficulties as to
21. Approximately how many of n v _______ adversely impact on their
each of the following groups of v Pri ______ educational development? Please
pupils do you have in your school? o nci . tick one box on each line to indicate
If none, please write NONE do l pal approximate percentage.
not leave blank. the same child 26.
v 1 Appro
can be recorded more than once. I
e None
Foreign-national
d Cla n 40%
pupils..................................................... ssr y ..........
................................................ a) Literacy Problems ............................... 1
oo o
(Number)_________ i b) Numeracy Problems............................ 1 .............. 2 .....
m u
n Te r
Pupils of families from the Travelling c) Emotional / Behavioural problems....... 1 .............. 2 .....
Community............................................ ac a
s
................ (Number) _________ her s 27. Does the school have a Home-School Community Liais
u 2 s
Pupils with language difficulties (where p 28. Over the past five years, has the number of pupils comi
native language is other than English / e
p Le s Remain
Irish) ... (Number) _________
o arn s Increased..... Decreas ed fairly
Pupils with physical / sensory r ing m .................. 1 ed........... 2 stable
disabilities ............................................. t su e
........................... (Number) _________ pp 29. Are all
i n of the
n ort
Pupils with learning / intellectual t, pupils
g /
disabilities. ................. ..........................
res a who apply
....................... (Number) _________
our p to this
c ce p school
22. Approximately, what is the h tea r
Average Daily Attendance for your i ch o generally
school this year (2006 / 2007)? l accepted
er x
________% Average Daily d 3 i ? Yes 1 Go to Q.31 No.. 2 Go to Q.30
Attendance OR r m
e Ot a 30. What criteria are used to admit
________Average number her t
n pupils [Please tick all that apply]?
attending daily sta e
ff Other Parents
23. What percentage of w l Proximity siblings attended
i me y
pupils missed 20 days or mb to the in the the Performance Date of
more in the 2005 / 2006 t w school school school on tests application
academic year (as per h er h
1 2 3 4 5
4
the NEWB figures) a
________
e t
% Ext
m ern p
24. Approximately what o al r
percentage of the pupils in t ass o
your school would you say i ista p
o nc o
come from the immediate
n e r
area, that is, live within [pl ti
a
about 20 minutes walking ea o
l
distance of the school? se n
/
________ sp o
b %
ecif f
25. Please indicate which of e y] p
the following get h ____
____
31. Are there any other local schools to which pupils in your school might go? Yes ......... 1 No........ 2
32. In general, do more pupils apply to come to this school than there are places available?
Yes ............... 1 No.................. 2
33. If there is more than 1 class in any year-group, on what basis are pupils in the school allocated to classes?
Often
3
Randomly / alphabetically.............................. 1 a. Suspension.......................................................... 4
...........................Only1classperyear-group 2 b. Expulsion / permanent exclusion ...........................
2
c. Extra classwork ....................................................
34. Does the school hold formal parent-teacher meetings at least once per year?
d. Extra homework ...................................................
35.Approximately what percentage of parents e. Writing of lines ....................................................
attend parent-teacher meetings? ________per f. Detention ..............................................................
cent g. Exclusion from sports or other popular activities .....
36.How important is each of the following in the h. Verbal (phone or otherwise) report to parents.........
school as a curricular activity? i. Written report to parents.........................................
j. Cancellation of popular lesson e.g. art ....................
Very important
a. Physical Education / Sport............... 1 .............................. k. Warning card system ............................................
b. Music................................................ 1 .............................. l. Other (specify) _____________________________
c. Speech and Drama .......................... .............................. 39. Does the school have a written discipline policy?
1
d. Environmental Awareness ............... 1 ..............................
e. Awareness of Social Justice ............ 1 ..............................
40. To what extent were the following involved
in developing this policy?
f. Scientific education........................... 1 ..............................
To a great extent To some extent
a. Teachers 1 ..............................................
37. And how important is each of the following in the school as an
b. Parents................................... 1 ..............................................
Very important c. Pupils...................................... 1 ..............................................
a. Physical Education / Sport 1 .............................. d. Board of Management ........... 1 ..............................................
b. Music................................................ 1 ..............................
41. To what extent is bullying a problem in your
c. Speech and Drama .......................... 1 ..............................
school?
d. Environmental Awareness ............... 1 ..............................
e. Awareness of Social Justice ............ 1 .............................. A major problem...................... 1 A minor problem ..............
f. Scientific education........................... 1 .............................. 42. Does your school have an explicit anti-bullying strategy?
38. To what extent are the following forms of 43. Does your school have a written policy on bullying?
discipline used in your school:
44. Please indicate the extent to which you believe each of the following to be true of teachers in your school.
True of True for more True for less True of
nearly all than half than half only a few
a. Teachers are positive about the school 1 2 3 4
b. Teachers get a lot of help and support from colleagues 1 2 3 4
c. Teachers are open to new developments and challenges 1 2 3 4
d. Teachers are eager to take part in in-service training 1 2 3 4
45. Compared with other Primary Schools of your size would you say that the scale of day-to-day problems
in running the school are? [Please tick one box only]
Much greater than in Slightly greater than About the same as in Slightly less than in Much less than in
other schools in other schools other schools other schools other schools
1 2 3 4 5
46. What makes you say that? [Please describe as fully as possible]
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
47. Compared with other Primary Schools of your size would you say that, in general, the environment in your
school is happier, as happy or less happy for pupils as in other Primary Schools
Happier................ 1 As happy ............. 2 Less happy .......... 3
48. In general terms (a) how stressed do you feel by your job and (b) how satisfied do you feel with your job?
Very Fairly Not Very Not At All
a. How stressed do you feel by your job 1 ................. 3 .......................... 4
2 .....................
b. How satisfied do you feel with your job ....... 1 ................. 2 ..................... 3 .......................... 4
Thank you very much for having completed this part of Growing Up in Ireland