School workload reduction toolkit

How to use the toolkit

The resources in this toolkit have been produced by school leaders, teachers and other sector experts in conjunction with the Department for Education (DfE), and have been tested with a range of schools across England.

You can use these resources to:

identify workload issues in your school
address workload issues in your school (such as feedback and marking)
evaluate the impact of workload reduction measures

Some of the resources explain how schools have developed and maintained a culture of openness and trust which has removed traditional monitoring approaches such as classroom observations. You can use other resources as they are, perhaps as a basis for a training session, while the example policies can be adapted for your own context.

We recommend that you undertake a review of workload in your school as a starting point. The zip folder identify workload issues in your school contains a simple-to-use survey to stimulate discussion, which can be included in your school improvement cycle.

You may wish to conduct a regular review, involving all staff. This will help you to identify the areas you need to prioritise. Schools which took part in a fully evaluated project using the toolkit made significant improvements in workload and wellbeing after focussing  on the issues they identified in their survey. In many cases, pupil outcomes also improved.

In the Wellbeing and workload folder you will find example wellbeing policies. These can be read alongside the Education staff wellbeing charter, which is a declaration of support and set of commitments to the wellbeing and mental health of everyone working in education.

You can find more information about how schools and colleges can sign up to the charter.

You can also find out more about using EdTech to reduce workload through the Ed Tech Demonstrator Programme.

If you are a school leader, you can use this toolkit with teachers and staff in their directed time, for example:

as part of their INSET

in a staff or leadership team meeting
in a network session with other schools
as part of school improvement planning

You can start by identifying what’s causing the biggest workload issues, so you know what to prioritise. You may wish to conduct a regular review, involving all staff, to work alongside your school improvement review cycle.

For resources to help identify your school workload issues, download the zip file which contains:

an example of a staff workload survey
a practical tool – using software to conduct a workload survey (includes a link to an online survey you can duplicate to use in your school)
a workshop presentation – for staff to discuss the survey findings
a structured conversation template
an impact graph template
a workshop presentation – how to use an impact graph to identify workload issues
a practical example – using an INSET day to focus on ‘what gets in the way of teaching’

Choose the resources you wish to use and adapt them for your school context. The folder contains options of tools to use so you don’t have to use them all.

Wellbeing and workload

For resources to help with wellbeing and workload, download the zip file which contains examples of:

establishing a school wellbeing committee
a workload and wellbeing action plan
how to establish a school workload group
a programme of work to tackle workload and improve wellbeing
a whole school approach to wellbeing
an academy trust workload agreement
2 examples of staff wellbeing policies
an example staff wellbeing statement

Data management

For resources to help reduce data management workload, download the zip file which contains:

a workshop presentation – with facilitator notes
a summary sheet to accompany the workshop
an example of a data collection audit for use in the workshop

Feedback and marking

For resources to help reduce feedback and marking workload, download the zip file which contains:

a workshop presentation – with facilitator notes
a summary sheet to accompany the workshop
an example of an impact matrix to review and change current marking practice
an impact graph template
a workshop presentation – how to use an impact graph to identify workload issues
4 examples of feedback policies in primary and secondary schools
an example marking reflection exercise

Curriculum planning and resources

For resources to help reduce curriculum planning workload, download the zip file which contains:

a workshop presentation on reviewing and streamlining lesson planning – with facilitator notes
a summary sheet to accompany the workshop
an impact graph template
a workshop presentation – how to use an impact graph to identify workload issues
an example of how to create a sustainable workload in a school
an example protocol for lesson observations
an example of how to support staff development through feedback

Behaviour management

For resources to help reduce behaviour management workload, download the zip file which contains:

a workshop presentation – with facilitator notes
a summary sheet to accompany the workshop
a discussion template
an example of a secondary school behaviour policy
an example of a secondary school central referral system for pupil behaviour

Communications

For resources to help reduce communications workload, download the zip file which contains:

a workshop presentation – with facilitator notes
a summary sheet to accompany the workshop
an impact graph template
a workshop presentation – how to use an impact graph to identify workload issues
an example of a secondary school communications policy for parental engagement
an example of a secondary school email protocol
an example protocol for parents’ evenings
an example of how to streamline internal school communication with an email protocol

Plan your yearly calendar

For resources to plan your yearly calendar, download the zip file which contains:

a calendar planning workshop presentation – with facilitator notes
a summary sheet to accompany the workshop

Support for governing boards and trustees

For resources to help governing boards and trustees reduce workload in their school, download the zip file which contains:

a workshop presentation – with facilitator notes
a summary sheet to accompany the workshop
a workshop discussion template
a practical example of a primary school governing board looking at reducing school workload

Evaluate the impact

For resources to help evaluate the impact of workload reduction measures, download the zip file which contains:

a checklist – to help evaluate the impact of your actions to reduce workload
a template – to monitor action and impact

Using EdTech to reduce workload

The EdTech Demonstrator Programme provides free, peer-led support and advice on how to make the best use of technology, with a focus on:

reducing unnecessary teacher workload
helping schools and colleges to manage their resources effectively

There are over 40 EdTech Demonstrators across England who can provide between 6 and 30 hours of bespoke support until July 2022, to meet the educational technology requirements of any publicly-funded school or college in England.

Background to the toolkit

This toolkit is part of DfE’s action to support schools to reduce workload and address the causes of excessive workload at a national level. It builds on the principles of:

DfE has also consulted and engaged with organisations to help reduce workload in schools, including:

Ofsted
the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL)
Community, Education and Early Years (formerly Voice the Union)
the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT)

NASUWT, The Teachers’ Union
the National Education Union (NEU)

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank all the staff in the schools who contributed their time to write and share practical examples and case studies. The following people also helped to co-ordinate contributions in 2022: 

Sarah Botchway, Associate Headteacher, Vauxhall Primary school    
Dame Mo Brennan, CEO, Matrix Academy Trust  
Sue Bull, Flying High TSA  
Abby Deeks, Vice Principal, West Lakes Academy   
Paul Goodman, Deputy CEO, Flying High TSA  
Alison Gormally, Headteacher, Golborne High School 
Lynn James, Executive Principal, Outwood Grange Academies Trust
Ryan Kelsall, Deputy CEO, Eastern Learning Alliance Trust  
Jan Linsley, Teaching School Manager, Yorkshire Inclusive TSA 
David Lowbridge-Ellis, Deputy Headteacher, Barr Beacon School  
Jon Mason, NLE/Teaching School Head, Inspiring Futures Partnership Trust
Sarah McGill, Teaching School Co-ordinator, Morris Teaching School Alliance
Victoria Morris, Vice Principal, Chepping View Primary Academy
Diane Reynard, Principal, East SILC 
Jill Sunter, English & Media Teacher, West Lakes Academy
Liz Whetham MBE, Executive Headteacher, Westminster Church of England Primary Academy
Alison Wilshaw, Director of Education, Bedfordshire School Trust      
The Teaching School Hub Council and its Chair, Richard Gill, CEO, The Arthur Terry Learning Partnership

We would also like to acknowledge those who were involved in developing and testing the original toolkit:

Lesley Birch
Amanda Bennett
Helen Brown
Michael Green
Amanda Jackson
Roger Pope CBE

Melanie Shute
Dave Smith
Liz Whetham MBE

We regularly review and update these resources, taking account of feedback.

Please tell us:

how you are using the toolkit
how you are managing workload
about any innovative and effective workload solutions you would like to see in the toolkit
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