‘We need clear directions, if we're going to move forward. It’s as simple as that’: Teachers’ narratives during partial school reopenings in the COVID-19 pandemic

After school closures for most pupils in March 2020, following national lockdown due to COVID-19, England prepared to reopen schools to certain year groups in June. These dramatic changes in education may have frustrated teachers’ basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence and relatedness, as framed within Self-Determination Theory. The current study, which presents data from the second timepoint in a longitudinal study of teachers' experiences of COVID-19 in England, examines their experiences of partial reopenings of schools in mid-June. All twenty-four primary and secondary state school teachers were interviewed again and asked to tell stories of a low point, a high point and a turning point since their initial interviews in late April. A reflexive thematic analysis, using a mix of inductive and deductive coding was conducted, resulting in the identification of six themes: uncertainty, practical concerns, worry for pupils, importance of relationships, teacher identity, and reflections. Challenging their basic need for autonomy and competence, teachers were anxious about current and future uncertainties while navigating school reopenings. Challenging their basic need for relatedness, teachers described the importance of connecting with pupils and their families, and with colleagues. Lastly, teachers searched for holistic meaning, evaluating what it means to be a teacher and reflecting on how these circumstances have affected their personal and professional lives. Policy implications as to how teachers’ psychological needs can be met during a pandemic are discussed.