School leadership wellbeing advice and guidance

School leadership wellbeing advice and guidance

We recognise school leaders are key to promoting and maintaining wellbeing in schools as a universal entitlement for all and that the most effective school leaders place it at the heart of everything they do.  The resources on this page are to provide support and services to help school leaders with their own and their staff's wellbeing.

Wellbeing charter

The DfE Education Staff Wellbeing Charter is a declaration of support for, and a set of commitments, to the wellbeing and mental health of everyone working in education.  The charter is for all staff and all state-funded schools and colleges are invited to sign up to the charter as a shared commitment to protect, promote and enhance the wellbeing of their staff.

Guidance, resources and support

• 5 steps to mental wellbeing – guidance on mental wellbeing (NHS) 
• 10 wellbeing tips for school staff (PDF, 1.29MB) - Wellbeing tips for school staff (Young Minds) 
• Education Support - UK charity dedicated to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of teachers and education staff (Education Support) 
• Ensure there is a robust mental health and wellbeing policy - policy guidance (Anna Freud)
• Essex Headteacher Wellbeing Programme - Rationale (Word, 144KB) - Wellbeing document from Essex County Council (ECC)
• Essex Headteacher Wellbeing Programme - Trauma perceptive practice (TPP) briefing (Word, 732KB) - Wellbeing document from Essex County Council (ECC) 
• School Staff Wellbeing Policy - free draft policy (Welbee) 
• Supporting staff wellbeing : Mentally Healthy Schools - guidance and support (Anna Freud)
• Supporting staff wellbeing in schools - booklet download on staff wellbeing (Anna Freud)
• Wellbeing in Education Strategy presentation (PDF, 2.41MB) - Wellbeing presentation on strategy for headteachers from Essex County Council (ECC) 
• Wellbeing in Education Strategy presentation (PDF, 3.87MB) - Wellbeing presentation on strategy for education leaders from Essex County Council (ECC)

Video guidance
Below are a series of videos on the ECC YouTube channel hosted by Sally Rendell specifically for headteachers:

• Professional Wellbeing - An Introduction for Essex Headteachers 
• Headteacher and Senior leader wellbeing wheel session 
• Supporting staff well-being: Staff meeting #1 
• Supporting staff well-being: Staff meeting #2 - key actions

Supervision for safeguarding leads

Keeping Children Safe in Education recognises that the safeguarding lead role carries a significant level of responsibility, and it specifies that the safeguarding lead (and deputies) should be given the additional time and support needed to carry out the role effectively.  Essex Children Social Care offers a supervision programme for safeguarding leads to support them in their role, providing advice and guidance through regular sessions.  Further information is available here