Building a Culture of Support: Prioritising Staff Wellbeing in Schools

In this blog, we'll share the summary notes from our HR and Employment Law Sofa Session from the 19th November, delivered by our resident expert, Kirstie Young.

This session focused on how to prioritise staff wellbeing and take practical steps to embed it into your school’s culture — ensuring that it’s not just an add-on, but a part of everyday life.

It’s important to recognise that wellbeing is complex and unique to each individual. It’s shaped by our environment, emotions, finances, values, relationships, and physical health — all of which affect how we feel and perform.  We felt this is a key time to revisit this area, given how challenging the winter months can be and particularly over the Christmas period for many people.

Wellbeing is a shared responsibility. Leadership sets the tone and framework, but ideally everyone contributes to a community that looks after each other. The success of a school depends on the wellbeing of its people, which in turn impacts pupil outcomes. It’s also a vital part of your people strategy and your reputation as an employer — increasingly important given the ongoing recruitment and retentions challenges that exist within education.  We continue to see rising levels of teachers leaving the profession with stress and wellbeing cited as one of the most significant reasons.

While we can’t control every factor, as school leaders you can shape the culture — creating conditions where people feel valued, supported, and able to thrive.

We’ll explore how to move beyond one-off wellbeing activities to truly embed wellbeing into the culture, leadership, and daily practice of our schools.

Its interesting to revisit some data to set the context of wellbeing in schools.  There are many sources that provide a similar picture and the most recent data from the Teacher Wellbeing Index (Nov 2025) highlights continuing pressures:

• 76% of education staff describe themselves as stressed (same as 2023, up from 72% in 2022).
• By role: 86% of senior leaders (up 2% from last year), 76% of teachers (2% down), and 61% of support staff reported being  stressed — the latter showing some improvement.
• Other key indicators in the index relate to culture, and support:
• 49% feel their institution’s organisational culture has a negative effect on their mental health and wellbeing
• 40% feel that those who experience problems with their mental health and wellbeing are not well supported

In data terms not a lot of change on last year and a concerning continuum.  These findings underline the need for schools to focus on support, communication, and culture around wellbeing.

Poll 1

Duty of Care: Legal & Moral Responsibilities 

Duty of care schools hold as employers — a combination of legal, moral, and regulatory responsibilities.

The expectation on employers around wellbeing is extensive – and includes a wide breadth of areas such as -

• Providing family-friendly and flexible working options, helping staff achieve balance professional and personal commitments.
• Ensuring fair pay and benefits, which meet or exceed legal standards.
• Protecting against harassment and bullying, maintaining clear, enforced policies.
• Offering training and development, supporting professional growth and intellectual wellbeing.

Although there are many more areas that cause impact, the primary focus for this session, on two key areas are - the need to ensure the Health, Safety and Psychological Wellbeing.

This comes from the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974), the expectation that employers must protect the health, safety, and welfare of all employees — and that includes mental health and psychological wellbeing.

Under the regulations, Schools have a duty to carry out stress risk assessments and take reasonable steps to mitigate what is identified.

The HSE have developed what they call ‘Management Standards’ which help employers support work-related stress and identify key factors in relation to workload demands, control, support, relationships, role clarity, and change management.  Using stress risk assessments focussed in these areas can be impactful and support employees both as a whole and on an individual basis.

Another key area of focus is the duty to adhere to the Equality Act 2010, which encompasses so many areas given the requirement on employers to prevent discrimination and harassment, as well as discrimination arising from a disability.  Schools have a duty to make reasonable adjustments for staff whose physical or mental health conditions amount to a disability. 

A person is considered disabled if their impairment has a substantial and long-term adverse effect (lasting or likely to last 12 months or more). So many mental health conditions can fall within this definition.

This is particularly relevant in managing absence and supporting return-to-work plans, and schools should always seek advice when needed.

Thinking about what regulatory requirements apply – the Ofsted framework 2025 refers to wellbeing explicitly under the area of personal development and wellbeing.  Within an inspection, School leaders and governors are expected to evidence the steps they have taken to support staff mental health and wellbeing and therefore protect staff from excessive workload and stress.

The process of  Ofsted can be extremely stressful for all concerned – Our Health & Safety Clients have access to our new Wellbeing Risk Assessment Template on our online compliance dashboard, Jedu. To found out more about our Health & Safety service, click here.

Policies and Practice

Many policies will impact on staff wellbeing and it's essential to ensure all relevant policies are up to date, clearly communicated, and consistently applied.  Think about absence management, family care, staff wellbeing, and flexible working.  How are these policies communicated and are they consistently applied by line managers?

Consider how policies like grievance, complaints and whistleblowing are used in practice. Policies are only effective if staff feel confident using them without fear of repercussions.

The Government’s new Employment Rights Bill is one of the biggest changes to employment law in recent years and significantly strengthens the duty of care employers owe to their staff.

These changes will start to take effect this Autumn with a larger wave of changes coming from April 2026, and beyond.  We will be sending out regular updates on the different aspects of the Bill to keep our customers informed of the proposed changes and how best to prepare for them and non-customers can also sign up for these. 

Sign up here to receive regular updates on the Employment Rights Bill. 

Poll 2 

Embedding Wellbeing into Culture, Strategy and Leadership

How do we move from wellbeing as a duty to it being embedded in our culture?

Embedding wellbeing means making it strategic, visible, and sustainable — not just running occasional activities or awareness days.

Why It Matters? - The benefits of embedding wellbeing include many factors:-

Reduced turnover and absence, lowering costs
Higher engagement, morale, and productivity
Improved pupil outcomes through consistent, motivated teaching
Enhanced reputation as an employer of choice

When staff feel cared for, respected, and supported, they are more resilient, creative, and collaborative — and that positivity spreads throughout the school.  Research shows that when employees find their work meaningful and feel supported, they perform better and manage stress more effectively.

Building a Supportive and Positive Culture - Developing a Wellbeing Strategy

Your organisations wellbeing strategy should align with your School Improvement Plan, and overall People strategy setting out:

• A clear vision and principles for staff wellbeing
• Defined actions, accountability, and measurable goals
• Input from all stakeholders — staff, leaders, governors, HR, and unions

It should be a living and breathing document which is owned by everyone in the organisation - not just a piece of paper, but something that is developed by and committed to by all parties.

A wellbeing committee or working group can help ensure staff voices are heard at all levels, involving teaching and support staff, union reps, HR, and senior leaders. whose recommendations are considered by the HT and the trust or governing body.  The key that this is not just a tick box exercise – staff views need to be fully considered with actions put in place.

A wellbeing survey can be powerful and provide valuable insight but only if results lead to action. Leaders should demonstrate visible follow-up to maintain trust.  Keep survey’s short, repeat regularly, and always share what’s being done in response. Between surveys, quick pulse checks maintain engagement and track morale through the year.

Our Occupational Health Service provides support with developing your health and wellbeing survey. Click here to find out more or get in touch. 

Governors play a key role — some boards appoint a wellbeing governor or make wellbeing a standing agenda item.  Every policy review should consider the wellbeing impact, and meetings should regularly include wellbeing updates as standing items to give the topic visibility.

A key area of wellbeing and governor responsibility which can often be overlooked is that of the Headteacher.  Consistent, practical support from governors helps sustain healthy, effective school leadership.  Practical steps governors can take to support headteacher wellbeing are through regular check-ins focused on workload and stress, not just performance. Keeping demands reasonable, setting achievable goals, and reviewing workload regularly. They should encourage delegation and regular reviews of their work life balance.  As with all wellbeing support it should be based on the individual’s needs.  It is surprising to see how many Heads I have spoken to in the past whose governors do not proactively engage with them on this basis.

Building a Supportive and positive culture is defined by how staff are treated and how communication happens day-to-day.  Wellbeing should be co-produced with input from staff, governors, and parents, and regularly reviewed through consultation.

Leaders set the tone and role model wellbeing. Compassionate communication, accessibility, and consistency in relation to staff matters are key areas.

One of the most significant factors that can affect staff wellbeing is the actions of line managers.  They need confidence and awareness to handle sensitive conversations and recognise signs of stress or mental ill-health, so appropriate training in this area is vital.

Reflect on whether your senior and middle leaders:

• Lead by example and uphold the duty of care
• Promote work–life balance and manage workload expectations
• Be confident in supporting mental health
• Know their staff - create open, honest communication channels
• Ensure a wellbeing focus in appraisals and ongoing professional dialogue, not just when problems arise.

Staff should feel able to talk about their concerns – which they cannot do if a stigma exists around mental health issues.  The more staff are encouraged to be open about discussing such issues without judgement and where constructive and supportive processes are place will help to reduce this stigma.

Finally line managers play a key role in reminding staff of the support that is available, many schools offer a really positive range of benefits and support such as EAP schemes, mental health first aiders, counselling services and access to therapies but often they are only reminded of these when issues or long term absence occurs.  It’s important for schools to take every opportunity to promote these areas of support.

Poll 3

Using Data and Insight to Strengthen Staff Experience

Data and insight allow schools to act with clarity rather than assumption.

Too often, schools base wellbeing actions on anecdotal or external trends, without analysing their own data. Collecting and interpreting meaningful insight ensures your actions are targeted, measurable, and credible.

Why Data Matters

Wellbeing data helps schools:

• Spot early signs of stress, burnout, or disengagement
• Understand what’s driving absence or turnover
• Evaluate whether wellbeing initiatives are making a difference
• Demonstrate accountability and evidence-based leadership
• Build trust by showing staff that feedback leads to change 

Collecting Wellbeing Data

Use a blend of quantitative and qualitative data:

Quantitative examples:

• Absence patterns (particularly stress-related absence)
• Retention and turnover by department or role
• Results from wellbeing or workload surveys

Qualitative examples:

• Staff voice sessions or focus groups
• Line manager check-ins and feedback
• Themes from exit interviews or survey comments

Together, these build a fuller picture of the staff experience — what’s working, and where to focus improvement.

Making Data Work

A simple process to embed:

1. Collect – Gather survey results, absence data, and feedback.
2. Discuss – Explore with staff what the data means.
3. Act – Identify two or three clear, achievable actions.
4. Review/monitor – Revisit the data to evaluate progress.

This ongoing cycle — data, dialogue, action, review — helps wellbeing become part of school life rather than a one-off project.

Reflection point - What sources of wellbeing data do we currently use — and how well are we acting on what it tells us?

Think about one new data source you could start using or tracking more effectively this term. 

Accountability for wellbeing

Governors and trust boards are ultimately accountable and should review wellbeing data as part of their strategic oversight. Some schools now include wellbeing metrics in leadership KPIs — reinforcing that staff experience is a key performance measure, not an optional extra.

Governors must ensure that policies, culture, and resources support the wellbeing of staff and pupils, and that leadership workload is reasonable. They don’t manage wellbeing day to day, but they must assure themselves that it’s being effectively supported.

The Headteacher is operationally accountable for implementing wellbeing policies and creating a positive culture across the school. This includes managing staff workload, modelling healthy behaviours, and ensuring pupils’ wellbeing is prioritised through curriculum, safeguarding, and pastoral systems.

Poll 4

Top Tips

To summarise today’s key points:

1. Schools have clear legal, moral, and regulatory duty to safeguard staff wellbeing.
2. Embedding wellbeing requires a strategic, leadership-led approach woven through culture and daily practice.
3. A strong wellbeing culture involves and benefits everyone — staff, pupils, and the wider community.
4. Some key areas to focus on are listening to staff, being seen to act on feedback, and communicate progress, and for leadership to role model and be accountable for wellbeing.

With a comprehensive suite of services, from Employment Law to Strategic HR Support, Judicium Education is equipped to guide schools and academy trusts in every aspect of workforce planning. Our expert team, understand the unique challenges of the education sector, working closely with schools, academies and colleges to tailor solutions that meet their specific needs, driving improvements in staff engagement, compliance, and overall educational delivery.

We also offer bespoke HR and employment Law options and eLearning packages.

If you require any support in any of these steps or would like to talk to someone surrounding some support for your school, please do not hesitate to call us on 0345 548 7000 or email georgina.decosta@judicium.com.

 Follow us on Twitter: @DPOforSchools and @JudiciumEDU

© This content is the exclusive property of Judicium Education. The works are intended to provide an overview of the sofa session you attend and/or to be a learning aid to assist you and your school. However, any redistribution or reproduction of part or all of the contents in any form is prohibited. You may not, except with our express written permission, distribute or exploit the content. Failure to follow this guidance may result in Judicium either preventing you with access to our sessions and/or follow up content.