Female school principals in Irish second level schools face much higher rates of bullying and violence compared with their male counterparts, according to new research.
The findings are contained in a study carried out between 2022 and 2024, and based on data collected from more than 600 school leaders in post-primary schools.
The report sheds new light on the scale of workplace violence in schools, including bullying and threats facing principals and deputies.
Female school leaders were particularly affected, with reported cases of physical and cyberbullying showing marked increases over the past three years.
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It found that a high proportion of female principals reported being bullied (38 per cent), receiving abuse online (17 per cent), facing threats of violence (18 per cent) and experiencing actual physical violence (15 per cent).
This was double the rate of physical violence (7 per cent) faced by male principals during the same period.
The longitudinal study, Irish Post-Primary School Leaders’ Health and Wellbeing: A Three-Year National Study, also found that school leaders are facing high levels of stress and burnout.
Nearly 45 per cent of school leaders reported experiencing high to severe levels of burnout, while stress levels were higher than those of the general workforce.
This resulted in an increase in mental health challenges, with many leaders relying on prescription medications to cope with anxiety, depression and sleep disturbances.
The research, carried out by Dr Mark Rahimi and Dr Ben Arnold of Deakin University, was funded by the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals (NAPD) and the Irish Primary Principals Network.
The report makes a number of recommendations, and urges the Department of Education to take action by providing specialist administrative support to reduce the burden on school leaders; ensure mental health resources are readily available; and tackle the issue of workplace violence by introducing safe reporting mechanisms and preventive policies.
The issues will be explored at the NAPD’s annual conference in Galway this week where there will be a focus on mental health in leadership, reducing administrative burdens and the need to ensure the sustainability of school leadership roles. Minister for Education Norma Foley is due to address delegates on Friday.
Regina Butler, president of NAPD, said the study findings made it clear that school leaders were “struggling under the weight of unsustainable workloads and growing challenges in their roles”.
“As the data shows, the wellbeing of our principals and deputy principals is in decline, and we must act now to protect the people who are vital to the success of our education system,” she said.
The association has called for greater administrative support for post-primary principals and school leaders, through the introduction of specialist administrative staff.
The NAPD says these supports are commonplace in other European countries and would enable them to focus on leading their schools and ensuring their pupils’ wellbeing and development.
“At a time of unprecedented abundance in the State’s resources, it is incredible that the Department of Education has chosen to once again ignore the need for proper administrative supports,” Ms Butler said.
“The effect this is having on our principals’ physical and mental wellbeing is stark, and it is forcing them to spend more time bogged down in administrative duties that are ultimately detracting from our core work – leading our teachers and pupils.
“We urge the Minister to allocate the necessary administrative supports that are required to deliver the top-quality education that our students deserve and that we all want.”
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