Our Staff Wellbeing Offer
Staff wellbeing has never been more important. Primary school staff juggle a multitude of different tasks and demands, so it’s really important that they are given the right emotional and practical support. At Adderley Primary School we value all our staff and believe that having a healthy team is imperative to the functions of the entire school and the education we provide to our children. It is our duty, as an employer, to provide a comprehensive Staff Wellbeing Offer for all our staff to access to support them and their wellbeing.
The World Health Organisation defines good mental health as:
A state of wellbeing in which the individual realises his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully and is able to make a contribution to his or her own community.
At our school we have worked hard to ensure that wellbeing and mental health is integral to the school’s ethos and culture.
Cultivating a Mentally Healthy School Environment
We believe that wellbeing at work is maximised when staff feel valued, well-managed, have good workplace collaboration and can act with agency and autonomy. Good Staff Wellbeing has benefits for our staff and for the school, and is essential for cultivating a mentally healthy school environment. Benefits of effective Staff Wellbeing includes:
- Increased productivity of staff and teachers
- Reduced stress-related sick leave absences
- Improved job satisfaction
- Reduced staff turnover
- A more resilient workforce
- Enhanced reputation
- Improved outcomes for all pupils
We have Wellbeing & Mental Health Champions who focus on improving the wellbeing of their fellow colleagues and to help drive employee engagement. The purpose of the champion role is to help implement and support wellbeing and staff engagement through raising awareness of wellbeing activities, promoting healthy lifestyles and positive mental health.
Education Staff Wellbeing Charter
As part of our commitment to the wellbeing and mental health of everyone working in our school, we have signed up to the DfE Education Staff Wellbeing Charter. This charter is aimed to:
- demonstrate our commitment to staff wellbeing
- develop an ongoing and meaningful conversation with staff about their wellbeing and mental health
- devise our very unique Staff Wellbeing Offer
- maintain a wellbeing-focused culture
Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
We recognise that all employees may need additional support and guidance, not only whilst they are working, but also sometimes in their personal lives. Therefore, we are pleased to be able to inform you about our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP).
Vita Health is our EAP provider and is available to all school staff. The services include a 24-hour helpline to support you through any of life’s issues or problems, counselling, financial advice and wellbeing support. The confidential, anonymised telephone helpline is available and offers the following services.
• Emotional Support & Assessment- 0800 1116 387 (Open 24/7)
• Information & Financial Wellbeing (Mon-Fri 8am-8pm)
• Available to employee household contacts over 18 years old
• Managers Support line: 0800 111 6385 (9am-6pm)
Useful Wellbeing Resources
Supporting Staff Wellbeing In Schools