6 - Staff development, health and well-being

6.1 Overview

 

NICE guidance recommends that:

 

“Teachers and practitioners in school should be offered training and support in how to develop young people’s social, emotional and psychological well-being.  Staff should be offered training to develop their knowledge and understanding and skills to deliver a curriculum that integrates the development of social and emotional skills within all subject areas.  As well as an overall knowledge of issues surrounding mental health and emotional well-being. Training should include how to manage behaviour and how to build successful relationships.  Teachers and staff should be confident in identifying early signs of anxiety, emotional stress, and behavioural problems.  They should know and understand the procedures to follow should further help and advice be needed or a referral be made for specialist help.”

 

A good level of staff well-being is essential to promote positive relationships and social and emotional well-being of pupils.  It is the ambition of Clare Mount Specialist Sports College to continually promote staff well-being such that it becomes an integral part of the whole school approach to mental health and is included in development plans and policies.  At Clare Mount Specialist Sports College we demonstrate a commitment to staff well-being in many ways.  These include providing staff with the opportunity to assess their own emotional health and well-being and enabling them to reflect and act to support this should the need be there.  Having a good work-life balance is essential for staff to feel positively, mentally well.

Communication is a key factor in the well-being of staff.  Where good forms of communication are available and used to keep staff informed of things that affect them in school, staff feel valued and appreciated and are more likely to have a positive sense of belonging and well-being at work. As a staff, we are committed to communicating as effectively as possible.

Staff audits on workload and the effect this has on mental health are carried out and reviewed regularly with a view to taking action where necessary and appropriate. The school invests in the wellbeing of staff through a partnership with The Schools Advisory Service. Through this, staff at Clare Mount Specialist Sports College have access to support including physiotherapy, counselling, weight management, cancer support and a GP Helpline. A programme of wellbeing activities are also offered to staff on a weekly basis with yoga, running and football being particularly popular.

 

 

6.2 Training for Staff

 

Nationally, teachers say they want to be able to promote the emotional well-being of their students but lack the support and skills to do so.  82% of teachers believe that the focus on exams has become disproportionate to the overall well-being of their students.  It is school’s responsibility to make sure staff are adequately trained in this area.  This includes:

 

• Staff CPD where Mental Health and Emotional Well-being is the prime focus.
• One-page profiles distributed to staff with advice on how best to deal with the individual pupil’s issues.
• Drop-in sessions, INSET, ‘talk-time’ and external training where appropriate for staff run by the Student Support Team and others tackling issues surrounding mental health.
• Relevant members of staff provided with the opportunity for CPD in mental health.
• Mental Health Lead team (MHL) available for staff to speak to on how to tackle issues surrounding mental health.
• A programme of activities and access to e.g. school sports facilities enables the staff team to develop their own physical and social health and in turn improve their emotional well-being

It is important to note that staff who fail to acknowledge and implement strategies for dealing with the mental health of pupils in their care will not see changes in behaviour of those pupils.

As a minimum requirement, all staff will receive regular training alongside the regular child protection training they receive in order to keep students safe.  Staff are encouraged to attend Insets on issues surround SEMH issues.

Further training opportunities for staff who have mental health as an intrinsic part of their role will be provided as part of the performance management process and additional CPD will be supported throughout the year should the need for it arise.

 

1. 1. Key Areas

 

• Staff have opportunities to be involved in after school opportunities to engage in sports or relaxation programmes including staff football, yoga, art, meditation.
• Access to professional counselling should the need be there.  Referral made by school to an independent counsellor and can be delivered on or off site.
• Clinical Supervision for staff dealing with emotionally challenging issues daily.
• The school has an ambition to be part of the well-being charter to ensure that the workforce in school is mentally healthy.
• Support for those taking time off sick with work related stress and a commitment to supporting those back into work.
• Staff well-being surveys to assess the level of emotional health among staff.
• It is an ambition of the school to use the performance management procedure as a tool for measuring staff well-being.
• Ensure that all staff dealing with pupils with social, emotional and mental health issues are fully trained and supported.
• Dedicated time for CPD for all staff including specific training on mental health awareness including Insets and drop-in sessions for staff with a focus on each aspect of social, emotional and mental health.
• The designated lead officers for mental health (MHL) should be available for staff to seek advice from with concerns. 
• A rigid structure of referral for pupils with SEMH needs so that staff have knowledge and understanding of the systems in place.

6.3 Links to the Ofsted Inspection Framework

 

Steps are continually taken to ensure that the school follows the guidance of OFSTED in matters related to SEMH. Our policy, vision and everyday actions are influenced by the following: