Author: Alison Siddons

Organization

Staff Well being and Resilience Program

We need to ensure that our schools are ‘wellbeing schools’ that prioritise the mental health and wellbeing of the whole school community. Any conversation about supporting children’s wellbeing must include how we support our teachers.Twinkl Education Blog Teachers How to prioritise wellbeing of the whole school community (2019)

Aims
You are the centre of your work life balance
1. To support all staff in feeling able to talk about wellbeing by creating an environment that it positive, supportive and safe.
2. To actively engage and motivate staff to reflect on their own health and wellbeing; to encourage good self-management and to ensure staff understand how to access support.
3. To give staff the confidence to challenge themselves and their thinking, to create an atmosphere of positive risk taking; to underpin a culture of professional development, self-reflection and continuous improvement.

Link to NHS ‘5 steps to mental wellbeing’:
1. Connect – connect with the people around you: your family, friends, colleagues and neighbours. Spend time developing these relationships.
2. Be active – you don't have to go to the gym. Take a walk, go cycling or play a game of football. Find an activity that you enjoy and make it a part of your life.
3. Keep learning – learning new skills can give you a sense of achievement and a new confidence. So why not sign up for that cooking course, start learning to play a musical instrument, or figure out how to fix your bike?
4. Give to others – even the smallest act can count, whether it's a smile, a thank you or a kind word. Larger acts, such as volunteering at your local community centre, can improve your mental wellbeing and help you build new social net-works.
5. Be mindful – be more aware of the present moment, including your thoughts and feelings, your body and the world around you. Some people call this awareness "mindfulness". It can positively change the way you feel about life and how you approach challenges.

5 Step Link	Activity Examples	Date
Connect	Bingo, Virtual Celebration of work, Virtual Coffee meeting
Be active	10,000 step challenge
Keep Learning	10 minute bitesize training on something new
Give to others	Positive shout outs
Be mindful	Mindfulness, yoga, meditation, breathing exercises

Anna Freud’s 10 ways to support staff well being
Time to think and reflect on whole School practice

Thinking about workload and work-life balance?
Are marking policies regularly reviewed, with input from staff?
Does the school have a guidance or protocols on working and emailing outside of school hours?
Do SLT lead by example when it comes to limiting emails outside of working hours?
Have staff been asked whether they think they staff room is comfortable, and what could improved?

Thinking about embedding staff wellbeing ;?
Does your school have a mental wellbeing policy, which is regularly reviewed and which covers staff wellbeing?
Are staff aware of the policy?
Have they had input into its development?
Are changes and important messages communicated to staff in a clear and timely way?
How are governors engaged in promoting staff wellbeing?
Is the wellbeing of staff a standing item at staff and governor meetings?

Thinking about monitoring staff wellbeing ?
Is it feasible to introduce a periodic staff survey in your school, to explore what the key issues are when it comes to staff wellbeing, and to keep track of any change over time?
How might you understand the impact of any the steps you are taking to support staff wellbeing? Are staff asked which measures they feel are having a positive impact?

Supervision

Dedicated supervision sessions should not be linked to an appraisal. These sessions are intended to be a ‘safe space’ for staff to discuss any issues- positive or negative that may be impacting on them. This can include personal issues also. The frequency and length of supervision sessions will be agreed between the supervisor and the member of staff. This can change as required.

“The expectation that we can be immersed in suffering and loss daily and not be touched by it is as unrealistic as expecting to be able to walk through water without getting wet” Dr Naomi Rachel Remen

“Leaders in education must prioritise and promote the wellbeing and development of staff by having clear and dedicated strategies in place. This should be developed in partnership with staff and regularly reviewed. For example, a robust approach to staff supervision and reflective practice as recommended by Barnardo’s Scotland”

Leicestershire County Council
Employee Health & Well Being Offers

Discounted local gym membership
Free eye test (if your job involves using a computer)
The opportunity to join our workers groups (disabled workers’ group; black workers’ group; lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans network; working carers’ group)
Access to a confidential employee counselling service
Advice and support from an occupational health service when required
A range of activities to support health and wellbeing including mindfulness sessions, exercise groups, menopause support network, and a singing for fun group
Support to stop smoking

https://www.leicestershire.gov.uk/jobs-and-volunteering/working-for-the-council/employee-benefits

Top Tips
Think Action suggest 10 things to improve mental wellbeing.
1/ Do something creative
Being creative can improve your mood and self-esteem.
2/ Learn new skills
Achieving a goal you’ve set yourself can help increase your confidence and help you feel more optimistic about our future.
3/ Value yourself and others
Spend time to reflect what you have done well, show your appreciation and take pride in any compliments you may receive.
4/ Eat well to boost your mood
What we put in our mouths can have a real influence on our mood so choose healthy foods to boost your mood and energy levels.
5/ Keep in touch with your friends and loved ones
Research shows that people who spend time with their family, friends and colleagues have increased wellbeing.
6/ Keep physically active
We know exercise has proven to lower levels of anxiety and depression as well as improving your fitness levels. Just 30 minutes, 5 times a week can make a difference.
7/ Care for yourself
Set aside some time for yourself to do something you enjoy such as a hobby, a walk you enjoy, read a good book or book to have your hair done.
8/ Get involved
Being involved in a fun event or a project can lead to new skills, making new friends and a sense of fulfilment.
9/ Take a break
Make sure you book your annual leave throughout the year. This will give you times to look forward to and make sure you take a well-earned break.
10/ Ask for help
If you’re feeling pressure at work, make sure you take the opportunity to discuss your feelings with family, friends or your line manager. This will prevent unnecessary stress and anxiety from building up.

Support for staff

Mindful Teachers is an international community of educators and helping professionals committed to mindfulness and compassion.
mindfulteachers.org

NHS Five Steps to Mental Wellbeing
nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/ improve-mental-wellbeing/

Mentally Healthy Schools is a site providing quality assured resources on children’s mental health for primary schools. Funded by the Royal Foundation it is a legacy project of the Heads Together campaign and is run by the AFNCCF, Place2Be and Young Minds with expert guidance form the Centre for Mental Health and NAHT.
Mentallyhealthyschools.org.uk

Education Support Partnership is a charity dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of teachers and the entire education workforce. It offers a free, confidential helpline to all those working in education in the UK.
educationsupportpartnership.org.uk/helping-you/telephone-support-counselling

Acknowledgements

Anna Freud— Mental well being in Schools’
Charlie Mackesy— The boy, the mole, the fox and the horse
https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/self-help/guides-tools-and-activities/five-steps-to-mental-wellbeing/
Supervision in Education – Healthier Schools For All Barnardo’s Scotland report on the use of Professional or Reflective Supervision in Education Trauma-informed schools – Paper #2 Nicki Lawrence February 2020
Think Action– top tips
Twinkl Education Blog Teachers How to prioritise wellbeing of the whole school community (2019)

5 STEPS LINK	DATE	ACTIVITY
Connect	14.10.20	Bingo
Connect, Give to Others, Be Mindful	09.12.20	Shared Lunch
Keep Learning	27.01.21	Movie / Arts and Crafts/ Uno
Keep Learning, Be Mindful, Be Active	17.03.21	Archery
Keep learning, Be Mindful	28.04.21	Pottery Painting
Connect, Give To Others	07.07.21	Watermead Park- Picnic

5 STEPS LINK	DATE	ACTIVITY
Connect	14.10.20	Bingo
Connect, Give to Others, Be Mindful	09.12.20	Shared Lunch
Keep Learning	27.01.21	Movie / Arts and Crafts/ Uno
Keep Learning, Be Mindful, Be Active	17.03.21	Archery
Keep learning, Be Mindful	28.04.21	Pottery Painting
Connect, Give To Others	07.07.21	Watermead Park- Picnic