At Millstead, we recognise that teaching is a tough job. It can be immensely rewarding but also physically and emotionally draining. If we want our school staff to do what is asked of them, then we need to make sure that their mental health and wellbeing is effectively supported.

The term “wellbeing” can be used to describe our holistic health, including our physical, mental and emotional health. When we have good levels of wellbeing we feel that life is in balance and that we can generally cope well. We feel motivated and engaged and are able to show resilience and “bounce back” from life’s challenges.

School staff often juggle multiple tasks and demands, so a focus on staff wellbeing has become increasingly important. Taking good care of staff both emotionally and practically helps them to perform to the best of their ability and ensures that they are better able to support pupils. Workloads, deadlines and challenging behaviours can all impact negatively on the wellbeing of school staff.

Poor mental wellbeing may impact on their ability to manage during key moments of stress in the classroom or at school. Staff who have good mental wellbeing are more likely to have the necessary resources to be able to manage and plan during or after stressful episodes whether with a pupil, a class, a colleague, an inspector or a parent.

Good staff wellbeing can have a number of benefits for Millstead School including:

■ Positive impact on pupils, including improved educational outcomes, as both staff and children and young people are more engaged

■ Increased productivity of staff members

■ Reduced absences from work in relation to sickness (both short term and long term)

■ Staff being able to manage stress better and develop healthier coping strategies

■ Improved job satisfaction, which can support retention

■ Staff feeling valued, supported and invested in.

Things that can impact on staff wellbeing and our school response:

• The physical environment: at Millstead, we have a dedicated staff room which is comfortable, clean and tidy. Staff have access to complimentary tea, coffee, milk, sugar and cordial. Each Friday biscuits, cakes or other 'treats' are put in the staff room for all staff.
• Policies and Procedures:  generally, these are developed and produced in consultation with staff across the school. Documents are written as clearly and succinctly as possible with sufficient detail about procedures to support staff in their school role. Policies are written to be equitable for all.  
• Pathways to Support: communication is clear so that all staff are aware of the ways that they can access personal and professional support, and how they can find out more information about external services. 
• Culture & Ethos: we actively encourage open communication so that staff feel that they can discuss their concerns. All staff members' concerns are given equal status, irrespective of role in school.

Millstead school leaders are aware of the role they must play in promoting positive mental health and wellbeing. School leaders try to:

• model good working practices and self-care to encourage a work/life balance. This includes taking regular breaks, finishing on time, meeting regularly with line managers and asking for help and support when it is needed.
• communicate clearly with staff, particularly around any changes that might be taking place at school. When possible, consulting with staff about changes and offering reassurance. Leaders also provide feedback on the positives and things that are going well!
• keep staff wellbeing and development on the agenda. We plan to offer resilience-based workshops for staff to help normalise the process of speaking about wellbeing. This is done via inset days and includes topics such as managing stress and  mindfulness. We provide opportunities for colleagues to debrief with each other on a regular basis.
• provide school staff with regular opportunities to feedback on any thoughts or concerns regarding staff wellbeing and how to improve it. Staff can talk to the 'Mental Health First Aiders, or can make comment on staff questionnaires.  It s hoped that this will help to develop a more inclusive culture.

Millstead will sign up to the DfE 'Education Staff Wellbeing Charter'. 

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/education-staff-wellbeing-charter#contents