Education Support has long worked with Headteacher Update to bring wellbeing advice to readers. As a new term begins, Emily Kenneally asks how you will be supporting yourself and your staff this year
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Education Support is a UK charity dedicated to improving the mental health and wellbeing of leaders, teachers and education staff. We believe that better mental health leads to better education and our services are designed to support school staff, at no cost.

And this support is much needed. Our latest Teacher Wellbeing Index research (Education Support, 2023) tells us that more teachers than ever are showing signs of stress and burn-out. We found:

  • 78% of teachers say they are stressed (up 6% year-on-year).
  • 41% experienced mental health issues in the last year (up 4%).
  • 36% of teachers felt that their symptoms were evidence of burn-out (up 9%).
  • 47% of staff thought their symptoms were evidence of anxiety (compared to 33% in the general population).

With pressure on staff so high, we know school leaders are looking for new ways to support their staff and to ensure they can keep this conversation and momentum going throughout the year. School staff need to know when to reach out for help – and that there is no shame in doing so; seeking help is an important part of maintaining wellbeing.

 

What we offer 

Does your team know about the free mental health and wellbeing support we provide to teachers and education staff? Share the list below with your team. You may want to make a note in your diary to flag our support at different pressure points during the school year, especially during potential inspections or SATs season or if unexpected issues arise that risk having an impact on staff wellbeing.

 

Education Support helpline: Our free and confidential helpline is open 24/7 on 08000 562 561 and is staffed by qualified counsellors. It is available for everyone working in education – including school leaders, support staff, administrators, and teaching assistants. You can also print our helpline poster and put it up around school (perhaps in the staffroom and on the back of doors in the staff toilets): www.educationsupport.org.uk/poster 

Education Support website: Our website offers free, expert guides, tools and videos to help you, your colleagues and your organisation with mental health and wellbeing, covering topics as diverse as burn-out, the menopause, and bereavement. We also publish research: www.educationsupport.org.uk 

Education Support webinars: Each term, we host a live webinar. Hear from experts on a range of specialist areas and gain new perspectives, insights and tools to improve your mental health and wellbeing: www.educationsupport.org.uk/events 

Staff Wellbeing Service: In Wales we work directly with schools helping them to embed wellbeing strategies. We have developed a series of staff wellbeing masterclasses, available to different roles, and we offer workshops to teaching and learning support assistants. School leaders can access funded professional supervision. Sign up or share these details with any colleagues in Wales: www.educationsupport.org.uk/wales 

Employee Assistance Programme: Education Support provides an Employee Assistance Programme for schools looking to invest in the long-term wellbeing of their teachers, leaders and education staff: www.educationsupport.org.uk/eap 

 

Role-modelling wellbeing 

It is important to remember that you don’t have to choose between prioritising your own mental wellbeing against that of your colleagues or pupils. Healthy school leaders are better able to provide support to staff, who will then be better able to provide high-quality education and support for pupils.

Cultural change usually starts from the top. If mental and emotional health become a priority for you – and you are able to role-model that behaviour – it can spread throughout your school. And this is also important because our Teacher Wellbeing Index found that 89% of school leaders are stressed, with 40% reporting symptoms of burn-out and 41% symptoms of exhaustion.

 

Building psychological safety 

There is a free guide on the Education Support website on psychological safety in school settings. Psychological safety together with effective leadership role-modelling can help to create an environment where staff:

  • Are trusted and feel safe.
  • Can be honest with managers and colleagues, i.e. if they are struggling with stress levels.
  • Are able to speak up when they need to.
  • Have the freedom and security to try new things and make mistakes.
  • Feel safe enough to be creative and take risks.
  • Can be themselves, in order to perform at their best without any risk to their mental wellbeing.
  • Can safely and respectfully disagree.

 

An exercise to try

Here is a quick exercise to try with your team at the start of this new academic year. It takes five minutes and will hopefully help you to see how safe, open and emotionally supportive your school setting feels to your colleagues. You can either open these questions up in a group discussion or allow staff to provide feedback anonymously.

  • If someone makes a mistake in this team, will they be blamed for it? 
  • Can team members bring up problems and difficult issues without fear?
  • Do people in this team reject others just because they are different?
  • Is it okay to take a risk in this team?
  • Is it easy to ask for help from others in this team?
  • Would anyone in the team purposely work against the team’s efforts?
  • When working with this team are unique skills and talents always valued and used?

 

Do you need help now?

Teachers or education staff feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call the Education Support helpline on 08000 562 561. The number is free, open 24/7 and offers immediate support. You do not have to be in crisis to speak to a qualified counsellor. If you are worried you cannot keep yourself safe right now, call 999 or go to A&E.

 

Further information & resources