Teachers have consistently been found to be at increased risk of experiencing poor mental health and wellbeing compared with other occupations.
This is seen, for example, in research in the Journal of Affective Disorders, and also in separate research looking at English secondary schools, in the same publication.
At Beath High School, we have taken measures to prioritise the wellbeing of all staff, including non-teaching staff, and relentlessly follow what we call a #teamBeath approach in everything we do.
In recent years, various initiatives have not only fostered a positive work environment but also created a sense of community. The idea is to improve staff wellbeing by creating a thriving and supportive atmosphere for everyone.
Recognising staff wellbeing directly influences the quality of our learning environments, too, so the school is committed to a workplace where teachers feel valued, supported and motivated by each other. This has become a key aspect of our improvement planning.
Beath High recently established a staff wellbeing committee. Comprising representatives from various faculties, it meets regularly to explore different ways we can support wellbeing.
Meanwhile, an S5 pupil wellbeing group focuses on creating positive and supportive environments for young people. For example, it has created Walk-in Wellbeing Wednesday, which includes mindfulness exercises, creative arts and interactive discussions. Staff and pupil groups also work together to shape the wellbeing culture at Beath High.
Secret friends
One initiative is Secret Friend, aimed at building camaraderie among staff. Staff draw the name of a colleague who becomes their secret friend for a term. They come up with random acts of kindness to lift their colleagues’ spirits.
We want this to promote a culture of support and appreciation. Some 45 staff members actively participate and positive feedback has poured in. Thoughtful gestures have ranged from surprise treats, coffees being delivered and uplifting notes. A new staff member was “chuffed” with a new joke book that made him smile: “It was nice to feel part of #teamBeath,” he said.
The Beath Blog is another initiative to promote staff wellbeing. This internal blog provides an outlet for staff to share their experiences, photographs and answer a set of questions, and there is a weekly email involving two different staff members every week.
Sharing achievements
Some staff members have proudly recounted their achievements in the blog, including climbing Ben Nevis to raise funds for charity, winning awards for professional excellence and graduating with first-class honours degrees. Staff also inject humour and personality by sharing amusing facts about themselves - leading to eclectic tales of chicken ownership, axe-throwing talents and in one case, having been attacked by a scorpion.
At the end of each term, staff are encouraged to contribute appreciative comments to the Beath Blog, expressing thanks for something notable that a colleague has done. These shout-outs shed light on the countless acts of kindness and excellence that often go unnoticed in a large and busy school. The Beath Blog becomes a canvas for mutual appreciation among the staff, which they look forward to reading each Friday morning.
We recently held a Feel Good Friday event, aimed at injecting positivity during the morning of an Inset day, through a variety of engaging activities: yoga, reading, pizza-making, team-building, a self-defence class and more. This received overwhelmingly positive feedback from staff - one saying “The atmosphere in the school was brilliant!” - and the rector (headteacher) now wants to incorporate wellbeing activities into every Inset day.
Beath High extends its wellbeing initiatives beyond the school, reaching out to the wider community. This year, for example, weekly yoga sessions have been offered by our staff.
Mental health
The success of all of the above has laid a strong foundation for the future. The school plans, for example, to train 30 dedicated staff members in a level 5 mental health first aid course. The hope is that a deeper understanding of the mental health issues that can affect young people will help staff recognise early signs of difficulties.
Our commitment to staff wellbeing is not just a side consideration but an integral part of the school’s ethos and day-to-day work. For our young people to reach their potential, we recognise the need to take care of our staff. At Beath High, this is a priority.
My passion for this is fuelled by the conviction that, when teachers thrive, so too does the entire school community.
Hannah Gillan is a PE teacher and lead for staff wellbeing at Beath High School, in Cowdenbeath, Fife
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