As a leader, everyone can think you have it all together.
We know that maintaining composure in all aspects of your role can become overwhelming and lead to increased stress levels, with 84% of senior leaders reporting feeling stressed in the latest Teacher Wellbeing Index.
Given the current climate of teaching and the pressure placed on school leaders, stress can seem like just part of the job.
This guide includes advice on:
- Creating a Supportive School Culture
- Cultivating Effective Communication
- How to Encourage Work-Life Balance
- The Power of Visibility
- Embracing Continuous Learning
Why is teaching harder in the winter?
Stress is only made worse by the cold, dark winter months, in which pupils are more unsettled, staff are less motivated, and a negative atmosphere can start to creep into school.
But this doesn’t need to be a time to dread!
We’ve outlined a framework for wellbeing that you can implement across your Senior Leadership Team and into your whole school approach to support teachers’ mental health.
Creating a Supportive School Culture
· Acknowledge and celebrate staff
Winter is notoriously tough for teaching staff, and there are often not many ways of getting around this. So now is the time to set the tone for the rest of the year and uplift your hardworking staff.
A ‘teacher of the month’ award is a simple way to make teachers feel appreciated for their contributions, or just simply letting them know that your door is open if they have any worries.
· Provide tailored support
Get to know your teachers’ strengths and areas for improvement, and offer them support, such as CPD courses or mentoring, where necessary. Genuine care for teachers’ progress lets staff know that they’re a valued member of a wider team.
Being authentic goes a long way in making your staff feel comfortable, so share your insights and own stories, too.
· Empower your staff with opportunities for growth
Make your staff aware of opportunities for progression and inspire them to apply. If a staff member feels stagnant in their current role, this can negatively impact the wider school community and encourage a fixed mindset, which can lead to members of staff leaving the school entirely.
Cultivating Effective Communication
· Encourage an open dialogue with all school staff
Whether you have an open-door policy for your staff to express their concerns, or you prefer to hold regular meetings where they feel valued and listened to, consistent communication improves the culture across the whole school community.
· Communicate clearly
Expectations, decisions and initiatives should be communicated transparently to build trust with teaching staff, governors, parents and students.
· Set boundaries
It’s ok to say no and limit any additional responsibilities that you be asked to take on. Maintain clear times when you will respond to e-mails or other work communications and reduce interactions that impede on your time and well-being. Boundaries enhance productivity and demonstrate a level of professionalism that should be respected.
· Validate your staff and students’ emotions
As a leader, you understand the range of challenges that can arise for both staff and students during the winter months, such as getting into school, finding childcare, or even seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Always demonstrate empathy and be a supportive presence when things get tough.
How to Encourage Work-Life Balance
· Lead by example
Plan in regular breaks throughout your day and take time to develop your personal interests outside of work. Share these interests with your teaching staff in meetings to let them know that work-life balance is encouraged. Not taking time for yourself is only likely to lead to increased stress and burnout.
· Keep it light
It can feel impossible to talk about anything but work with your colleagues sometimes. But to support teachers’ mental health, be sure to encourage light-hearted discussions when you interact with staff, reminding them that they need to make time for personal interests outside of work.
The Power of Visibility
· Make yourself known
Senior leadership can sometimes have a reputation for being separate from the rest of the school community, but your teaching staff and students will benefit from you having a visible presence across the school.
Whether it’s being on the playground in the morning, or walking around as students line up for lessons, these small signs of visibility can make such a difference, whilst also giving you a direct feel for student culture and behaviour.
· Be a force for positivity
We know that senior leadership teams have a lot of urgent responsibilities to attend to, but your teachers still need your support. Let your staff know they can approach you, and even a small conversation in the morning as you greet colleagues goes a long way.
Embracing Continuous Learning
· Make your goals SMART
Establish SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals that link to your wellbeing, both inside and outside of school. Reflect on your goals at the end of each week or month to help you embody your leadership purpose in everything that you do.
· See the bigger picture
Focus on objectives that drive school improvement and enhance student outcomes, whilst staying focused on the bigger picture. It’s easy to get caught up in the fine details of things that aren’t working, but having a long-term priority for each school term can help you to lead purposefully.
· Say yes to professional development!
In a position of leadership, it can sometimes be difficult to remember that you deserve to learn and grow as much as your fellow teaching staff.
In partnership with Milk Academy, we have a range of CPD courses available for you to look at, or to share with staff to support teachers’ mental health. You can obtain National Professional Qualifications (NPQs) even in a headteacher or leadership position, to help you become a SENCO or reach positions of executive leadership and early years leadership.
Purpose-Led Leadership to Support Teachers’ Mental Health
Prioritising wellbeing is more than a trend to consider. It’s something that, when implemented, can truly change the landscape of your school community.
At MLK Education Search, we’re here to support your vision for purpose-led leadership and a whole school approach to wellbeing.
Starting with a strategic, no-obligations consultation on your wellbeing policies and procedures, we’ll then be able to suggest a tailored approach that incorporates some of our valuable wellbeing resources.
These include:
- Wellbeing workshops with the whole staff, to help you determine the best course of action for your school.
- Consultations to advise on your CPD strategy, along with tailored, subsidised CPD bundles for your school.
- Expert speakers to support staff and students on key topics, including mental health, wellbeing, and stigmatised topics, delivered in partnership with Make Life Kind Charity.
Remember, leadership is not just about the position you hold; it’s about the impact you make and the legacy you leave behind.
Lead with purpose and see your aspirations for education come to life!
