Wellbeing of Colleagues

The trust subscribes to an insurance package so that staff members can access wellbeing support including:

• Physiotherapy
• Counselling
• Weight management
• Menopause support
• Mindfulness support
• 24-hour GP phone and video consultations
• Cancer and chronic illness support
• Private medical operations
• Stress awareness sessions

Download the app here.

No matter what you’re going through, the Education Support Line is always here for you, day or night, all the time. 

No matter what you’re feeling, our free, confidential helpline is always here 24/7. Night or day, our trained counsellors are here to listen to you without judgement and help you find a way forward, whatever your worries or concerns and feel better.

UK-wide: 08000 562 561 day or night 
Txt: 07909 341229 (answered within 24 hours)

Visit the Education Support website.

Initiatives to support staff wellbeing

As well as a reasonable working expectation, the school offers various initiatives intended to support staff wellbeing. The list of initiatives include:

Leadership

• NEU Directed time calculator used to ensure staff do not work more than the limit of 1265 hours
• Clear and visible school leaders who take the time to listen and get to know you
• Reasonable and fair expectations
• A performance management process designed to encourage personal growth
• Weekly staff briefing to improve communication
• Continuing professional development for all staff members
• No expectation to reply to emails at unsociable hours
• Created a 365 calendar to help alleviate the pressure of busy times during the year.

Non-contact time

• Protected PPA Half day - taken off site if needed, and time with a colleague wherever possible
• Subject leader release time

Feedback and Marking

• Revised feedback and marking policy to reduce marking commitment but ensure maximum impact for the children’s learning - reviewed annually
• Revised homework policy so that is more internet based to reduce teacher marking workload

Assessment and Reporting

• Removal of Mid-Year Reviews as we felt it created work for little work for impact
• End of Year Report reduced in size

Planning

• No individual lesson plans and no requirement to hand in short term plans
• Short term planning formats are entirely up to the teacher
• Time offered to Teaching Assistants to plan Phonics
• Non-contact time for class cover Teaching Assistants

Lesson Observations

• A typical maximum of three lesson visits a year and these are not used for performance management, i.e. not used in isolation for pay progression decisions

Comforts

• Free tea and coffee
• Where appropriate, twilights will be used instead of an INSET day
• Colleagues can leave straight after school as long as they are up-to-date with things
• Free Christmas dinner/Easter dinner
• Free staff wellbeing support including 24-hour GP line, counselling and free physiotherapy sessions
• Employee benefit scheme giving discounts at shops
• Fair policies regarding dependents leave
• Regular staff social events
• Comfortable staff room
• PPA room available

Unique to Church Lane

• Low exclusions and well-behaved children
• We listen to feedback and act on it where it is felt reasonable and practical, e.g. removal of Take Part Days as colleagues felt it was a lot of work for little gain
• Resources, like whiteboard pens and glue sticks available at all times

Anna Freud - Schools In Mind

Mentally Healthy Schools

Mindful Teachers

NHS - Improve Mental Wellbeing

Staff resilience

Five Ways to Wellbeing

Mental Health.org.uk

In times of financial hardship, anyone working in the education sector can apply for a hardship grant from Teaching Staff Trust (TST) to help you through times of trouble. 9 out of 10 applications are approved.