WSA Staff Development & Wellbeing

Key question: How are staff supported in relation to their own health and wellbeing and to be able to support student wellbeing?

• Staff health and wellbeing is recognised as the foundation of a WSA and staff are supported accordingly.
• All staff receive training and support to increase their knowledge, skills and confidence around EHWB support for students
• All staff understand that EHWB in school is 'everybody's business'.
• Know how to refer students for support internally / externally as appropriate

Six Litmus Tests (Pooky Knightsmith)

(1) Staff at My School Are Happy and Healthy

Mentally healthy schools should not be places where children flourish at the expense of staff. Instead, they should be places where everybody’s mental health matters and steps are taken to promote the physical and emotional wellbeing of staff as well as students.

Litmus Test quick self-reflection tool

Prompts and Resources

Staff wellbeing 

Staff wellbeing is at the heart of a mentally healthy school and a WSA

www.headstartkernow.org.uk/headstart-hub/wer/wellbeing-webinars-part-2/staff-wellbeing-/

Supervision / staff support 

Many schools are realising the value of providing individual or group supervision for their staff to help them manage the emotional demands of their work. For example supervision is offered to wellbeing practitioners bythe EPS working in partnership working with Headstart Kernow and schools reoutinely offer supervision to those in safeguarding / pastoral roles. 

Developing a culture of supervision in school is a positive way to build a sustainable model in school. During spring 2022 the EPS will be offering training about developing supervision model .

In the meantime if you would like to find out out about supervision the following may be of interest.

National Hub for Supervision in Education

Book: Using Supervision in Schools: A guide to building safe cultures and providing emotional support in a range of school settings by Penny Sturt and Jo Rowe

Staff development / training 

Wellbeing is Everybody's Business... Wellbeing training should be something for all staff appropriate to roles and responsibilities. Everyone needs to understand how important tehy are to the success of a WSA and the wellbeing of the entire school community. 

www.headstartkernow.org.uk/headstart-hub/wer/

Creative Education Learning Platform- School staff / governors and anyone supporting wellbeing in Cornwall's Schools can take advantage of our full and free membership of the creative education platform to access:

• Short on demand courses (anytime, anywhere) 
• Longer in-depth learning pathways
• Live webinars and access to webinar playback anytime
• Resources 
• A wealth of content for parents and carers (give free access to your parents and carers - find out more)

Check out the Creative Education site and then head over to the Cornwall Wellbeing Hub and follow the instructions to access free membership for staff / governors / others working to support wellbeing in your school. 

Great practice idea

Keep a book of one positive event, conversation, deed, or comment you observe each day.

A great resource for individuals / groups of staff to use when needing to find resilience or the reason why you're doing what you're doing!