Summer is here. Time to kick back and relax.

I wish it were that easy, but worries about September are already beginning to play on my mind. There’s no avoiding the fact that the start of the new term will be a difficult time for teachers, support staff and students. 

With so much emphasis already being placed on hitting the ground running, workload is bound to be an issue. Although we all want to get right back into helping students to learn, we also need to make sure that we don’t burn out. That’s not going to help anybody.

Back to school: how to cut teacher workload

Things will be tough, but there are ways to keep workload down - and planning out those strategies now might just help to keep the worries at bay so that we can all enjoy a break this summer.

Here are some of the things I will be doing to make September more manageable.

1. Check for understanding from a distance

It’s important to keep a clear distinction between “marking” and “feedback”. September is the time to avoid marking work that is redundant, if you do not already do this. Focus instead on giving students feedback that is genuinely useful.

Checking for understanding in lessons is going to be challenging while social distancing measures remain in place. There is a danger here that workload outside of lessons could increase as teachers have to read through work they weren’t able to get close enough to take a look at in class.

Overcome this and keep workload low outside of lessons by embedding different ways of checking for class understanding from a distance. Cold call, call and response, dare I say it, mini whiteboards - the options aren’t limited. If you’ve got a visualiser, use it. Get students to bring work to it (as long as it’s a suitable distance away from you). Experiment and find what works for you and your classes.

2. Address misconceptions 

Fill gaps in knowledge, address misconceptions and ensure learning is consolidated - that’s bound to be the overarching aim for September. But avoid a “catch-up” curriculum when you fixate on what has been missed.

With that said, addressing misconceptions is going to be really important. Delivering whole-class feedback on topics where there are common misconceptions, paying particular attention to addressing those misunderstandings, is a good way to keep workload low, while having a significant impact on your classes.

As for finding out what the misconceptions are in the first place, start by identifying the most important elements of a topic that are non-negotiable - those gems that students simply can’t get by without. Apply these in context and then address any misunderstandings or errors that arise. This is a much more time-friendly way of finding gaps than assessing formally.

3. Don’t go it alone

We know the importance of having a collective vision and drive. Shared goals are important to success. 

However, try to avoid tunnel vision here. Don’t just focus on your class or your subject; look at the bigger picture, communicate and work collaboratively with colleagues. It’s easy to fixate on what you need to do, but with a collective approach, there’s more likelihood of success across the board and when we work together, our workload is reduced.

From a wellbeing perspective, collective efficacy is also a huge positive. NQTs and new staff in schools will have a difficult time in September, and settling in is less daunting when you feel part of a team.

4. Know what’s what

Now, more than ever, it is of the utmost importance that you understand your school policies, not just to ensure you are working within safe parameters, but also to ensure your workload isn’t increased inside and outside of the classroom.

With local arrangements differing from centre to centre, take the time now to familiarise yourself with any amendment to how your school will be running - and then check again just before school starts. It will save worry and confusion when things wind back up again in September. It’ll also alleviate some anxiety and give you a chance to adjust mentally before school starts. 

5. Have planning to fall back on

It is always advisable not to plan too far in advance, or in too much detail over the summer, because you want to have “wriggle room” to adjust your preparation to suit new classes and progress throughout the term. 

However, to keep workload low in the autumn, make sure that you have some kind of plan in place now. No matter the aim or intended outcome, winging it and taking things day by day or week by week is bound to increase your workload.

Although what you teach may be slightly different and how you physically fit in the room might be strange, in terms of pedagogy and delivery, the craft of teaching remains the same. What constituted effective teaching before lockdown is still the same now. 

If you know you have something already in place, that will be one less thing to worry about in those last weeks of holiday. So, get some planning sorted, and then take a much-needed break.

Adam Riches is a senior leader for teaching and learning, specialist leader in education and head of English. He tweets @TeachMrRiches