The unsung heroes of the Covid-19 pandemic… The Unsung Heroes report has revealed the key role played by teaching assistants during the pandemic. However, Jon Richards says that if these support staff are to play their part in the recovery effort, then they need proper training, a healthy career path and a decent wage
Staff wellbeing: Five resilience hacks Protecting the wellbeing of our education workforce is crucial during the pandemic. Martina Witter offers five resilience hacks for teaching staff to help support wellbeing during these times of change and uncertainty
Boost your wellbeing: Five simple steps for school staff The pandemic continues to take a heavy toll on the wellbeing and resilience of school staff. Dr Pooky Knightsmith explains five simple steps to boost your wellbeing when things feel hard 1 comment
Workforce planning in an era of Covid-19 This academic year will see continued disruption with the intense demands on the school workforce constantly shifting and showing no signs of letting up. Chetan Sood considers workforce strategy for the coming months
Covid-19: Managing and supporting your school's staff With increased staff absence due to Covid-19, increased anxiety among our colleagues, and an ever-changing landscape, supporting and managing our teaching colleagues is a priority for school leaders this year. Employment law expert Jane Hallas offers some tips
The Wheel of Teaching: How do you score? The Wheel of Teaching sets out eight aspects of your teaching life that are crucial to your wellbeing and job satisfaction. Drawing on the advice in his new book Love Teaching Keep Teaching, Peter Radford explains
Back to School Guide: Staff wellbeing and support In this 12-page guide, we consider how lockdown has affected the wellbeing and mental health of school staff and offer practical advice and ideas for promoting wellbeing and supporting colleagues, both now and this autumn
Seven solutions to your teacher retention challenges More than one in nine primary teachers are leaving the profession each year. Drawing on a range of research, Matt Bromley looks at seven key factors that schools should focus on if they want to boost retention rates
Reducing teacher workload: Four key areas to review From scheduling to marking, school leaders looking to reduce the workload burden for their staff should review four key areas of school life. Matt Bromley explains 1 comment
NQTs: Supporting good mental health Supporting trainee teachers with their mental health and helping them to develop good habits for the future is vital – but are we doing enough? Pearl Gibson looks at work in Essex to support new teachers
Workload is improving, but there is more to do... The Department for Education’s latest Teacher Workload Survey results show that teacher workload is improving, but there is still a way to go. Jack Worth and Matt Walker investigate the latest research findings
Retaining our new and experienced teachers With more teachers leaving the profession than joining, improving retention rates is crucial to tackling the on-going supply challenges. The government has recently announced new plans to boost teacher retention, particularly with additional support for new teachers. Dorothy Lepkowska reports
Workload reduction: What will 2019 bring? In 2019 there will be a new Ofsted framework, the introduction of a mental maths test and the return of Baseline Assessment is on the horizon. So what hope for Damian Hinds’ pledge to support schools to tackle workload?
Making job-sharing work How can flexible working conditions, such as job-shares, improve the recruitment and retention of teachers? Caroline Cafferty speaks to headteacher Angela Pagett to get her perspective on job-sharing in a primary school setting
Reflections on recruitment Getting it right is absolutely imperative. Get it wrong and that has a tremendous impact on productivity, morale, workload and outcomes for children. Rachel Jones offers her reflections on the recruitment challenge
The links between teacher wellbeing and CPD Does your school’s CPD provision help or hinder teacher wellbeing? Megan Williamson considers the links between effective CPD and teacher wellbeing and offers some practical advice
Tackling teacher retention and turnover challenges A major on-going research project by the National Foundation for Educational Research is helping us to gain a deeper understanding of the dynamics within retention and recruitment for the teacher workforce in England. Dorothy Lepkowska looks at the latest findings
Diary of a headteacher: My son Joe – the new teacher Tom Donohoe’s son Joe is about to embark on his teaching career, but what can we do to ensure that he is still teaching in five years’ time?
Appraisals: Passing the threshold Teachers who have passed the threshold and moved onto the upper pay range should be making ‘substantial and sustained’ contributions to their schools. Brian Rossiter looks at how the threshold system should work and some of the related challenges facing schools
Setting SMART performance objectives Setting performance objectives for your staff is a key part of the planning process for the coming year, and with the end of appraisal reviews around the corner, the next step is getting objectives agreed. Jenny Moore offers five steps to making them meaningful...
Effective teacher review and appraisal practices The School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document applies to all maintained schools and the majority of academies. In this article Brian Rossiter shares good appraisal practice as part of the Professional Development Review cycle and performance-related pay
Flexible working: A recruitment solution? The difficulties schools are having in recruiting teachers continue to dominate the headlines. The DfE wants us to consider the option of flexible working. Just how might this work?
Workload audit: Thirty questions for your school We all know that teachers work well beyond their designated hours, but just how can heads help to adjust the work/life balance for their staff? Drawing on the government’s Workload Survey and expert working groups, Suzanne O’Connell poses 30 self-evaluation questions for schools
Diary of a Headteacher: A tough time for recruitment The tough recruitment climate means the pressure is on when it comes to filling vacancies and interviewing candidates...
Staff wellbeing: More than a ‘nice to have’ We all recognise the importance of wellbeing for both staff and pupils. Julian Stanley discusses the six danger areas for staff wellbeing and suggests engaging with your staff to ensure good wellbeing in your school
