The work of HeadStart as a whole school approach to support emotional health and mental wellbeing is predicated on the Resilience Framework; a set of ideas and practices which enables individuals to make smart, resilient moves in order to cope better with difficult circumstances.
One ‘magic potion’ or ‘pillar’ of this framework is about Basics. In collaboration with all of our schools working towards the HeadStart school standards we consider the basics that are in place in terms of the school building, breakfast clubs, lunchtime spaces, help with uniform etc. This area of the resilience framework is all about sorting out seemingly simple things and understanding that attending to the basics is seriously important in terms of creating the right environment for everyone to thrive. We talk about pupils feeling they have a safe space where they are comfortable to be themselves and have a sense of belonging.
This naturally applies to teachers and staff in school too, a comfortable staff room can help reduce stress levels and promote a positive work-life balance. This, in turn increases job satisfaction, reduces teacher burnout and ultimately results in better outcomes for pupils. Happy teachers = happy kids!
Meaningful staff wellbeing boards which are updated regularly, a comfortable space and a cuppa can be the ordinary magic needed in a teacher’s day.
Published: June 17