A few years ago, when my headteacher first spoke to me about taking on a new area of responsibility within the SLT, that of Personal Development, I felt confident that I could tackle this new role and would enjoy moving into an area of school leadership I hadn’t done before. However, my heart sank a little when I realised that staff wellbeing also sat within the remit of this new role. This wasn’t because staff morale was especially bad in my school at the time, but rather because this was an area of school leadership where my prior prevailing opinion had always been that it was a near-impossible role to succeed at or make a tangible impact in. I have therefore since spent a lot of time thinking about the best ways to support the hardworking teachers and staff who make up our school community.
The “Little Things” Approach
My initial focus was to try and add lots of “little” things that I hoped would go a long way in boosting morale and showing that the SLT were making a concerted effort in this area. These included everything from organising staff socials, a staff fantasy football league, staff supper quiz, World Cup sweep stakes, coffee truck visits, car washing services, weekly challah deliveries, half termly staff breakfasts, staff star nominations and even a termly staff raffle with a £100 Amazon voucher as the top prize. I even spent an afternoon walking around the local high street asking for staff discounts. Our staff now enjoy a 10% discount at the local laundrette, school uniform shop, dress repair shop and I secured 25% off a sports massage at our local leisure centre.
In virtually all cases these initiatives have been incredibly well-received and this always made me feel as though I was making progress. Staff enjoy these moments of respite and appreciate the thought and care behind them. I’ve seen how small gestures can bring some lightness to a busy day and how they build a sense of community within the school.
However, despite the obvious value in these “feel-good” moments, something feels like it is still missing. No matter how much effort is put into organising these events or providing these perks, they don’t seem to address the root cause of the wellbeing challenges staff face: workload.
The Reality of Workload
As an SLT we have spent many, many hours trying to find the right balance. We certainly have made progress over the years to reduce workload in various ways. We’ve streamlined “data drops”, reduced the amount of report windows, made use of external invigilators for internal exams and incorporated more INSET and CPD time to standardisation of marking. We have even discussed the possibility of incorporating AI into report writing. In order to ensure parity across departments, we introduced a new marking policy that explicitly outlines our (minimum) expectations for “deep” marked pieces of assessed work. For members of staff like me who have been marking for decades and remember well the bygone days of having to collect in two sets of (thirty) exercise books every night in order to mark every inch of class work and ensure each sheet was glued in correctly, our current marking policy truly is a different world. And yet, the burden remains. The reality is that these changes, while important, don’t seem to eliminate the constant pressure that comes with the job.
Teachers in secondary schools – myself included – juggle multiple responsibilities on a daily basis. Most of us are teaching up to five or six different lessons a day, each one with its own unique set of challenges. We work with a wide range of students, some with different behavioural needs, others with neurodivergence, all of whom require different teaching approaches and support. The demands of planning, teaching, marking, and attending endless meetings – on top of the added pressures of parents’ evenings and other extracurricular responsibilities – can feel overwhelming. This is where the disconnect occurs.
Developing a Supportive Culture
Ultimately, I have come to realise that the key to staff wellbeing is not just about offering perks or organising fun events. These help, and are appreciated, but it’s also about building a supportive, professional environment where staff feel they can talk openly about their challenges and feel valued for the work they do. It’s about developing a culture where wellbeing is embedded into the school’s ethos and where leaders genuinely listen to staff concerns.
In addition, it is so important that staff feel that their opinions and feelings matter and that they have a voice. Not only is it important for school leaders to establish a culture of openness, but to also provide tangible opportunities and instances where staff can have their say in areas related to staff wellbeing. Furthermore, in my experience, staff focus groups/meetings discussing staff wellbeing are only effective where the emphasis is on offering solutions rather than problems. This avoids the common pitfall of these sorts of environments turning into a typical “moan” fest. Many of the initiatives I mentioned earlier which are now a staple of our school calendar came from our own staff wellbeing group which I lead.
Of course, this doesn’t solve everything, and it doesn’t eliminate the real demands of the job. But it does help create a foundation where staff feel supported, heard, and, most importantly, valued. In the end, I believe that creating a school environment where wellbeing is a shared priority and where staff feel part of a community, can go a long way toward sustaining morale, even in the face of the many challenges that come with the job.
Conclusion
Achieving staff wellbeing in secondary schools is an ongoing challenge, and it’s clear that there are no quick fixes. While initiatives like staff socials and wellbeing days are valuable, they don’t address the root of the problem—the workload. The key is to accept that there is no ‘silver bullet’ and to focus instead on creating a supportive, collegiate culture that allows staff to thrive despite the necessary realities of the job. Through continued listening, open communication, and a culture of care, we can maintain staff morale and ensure that educators feel proud, supported, and valued in their work.
Matthew Kendler – Assistant Headteacher (Personal Development) and Designated Safeguarding Lead
Matthew joined Yavneh College in September 2013 as Head of the Humanities department and teacher of History and Politics. In 2018 he was appointed Assistant Headteacher and was Head of Sixth Form for four years before becoming responsible for Personal Development. This is still his current role as well as taking on the position of Designated Safeguarding Lead as of September 2024. Matthew is very proud to be one of the longest-serving teachers at Yavneh College.
