Long summer break from teaching 'avoids Summer SAD'

A six-week summer break gives teaching staff the chance to relax after a hard year's work.

And this is a perk that members of most professions cannot benefit from, with many telling the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) that they are suffering from 'summer seasonal affective disorder' (Summer SAD).

In a poll carried out by the organisation, a high proportion of workers said they feel their spirits drop in the office during the summer, including 39 per cent who stated they feel demotivated and seven per cent who admitted looking for a new job.

But teachers are more likely to avoid these summer pitfalls, due to their long break, it has been suggested.

Chief executive of TDA Graham Holley noted: "There are legions of people who could benefit not only from a competitive salary plus the unbeatable rewards of working with children, but also time in the summer months to recharge their batteries away from the work environment."

Data recently released by the TDA suggested that graduates entering teaching are improving in quality.