If there is one quality that our school communities need above all in these challenging and unprecedented times, it is compassion. 

How, as school leaders, can we ensure that we support our staff with compassion? Here are three areas we can focus on that will help us to make decisions for the benefit of all staff. 

1. Be empathetic 

There’s never been a more important time to exercise empathy. It’s crucial that we see our teachers beyond their role as educators - this is true at any time, but even more so now.

Many of our teachers are homeschooling, navigating familial responsibilities and many sadly have been personally touched by recent events. This is something that needs to be kept in mind when designing and implementing home learning structures.

We need to develop models of learning that benefit pupils and give them the best possible home learning deal, but are also manageable and sustainable for staff. This will alleviate much of the pressure that teachers may be feeling. 

Finding the right balance, being flexible with timings and deadlines and keeping an open dialogue is important. 

2. Communicate

Communication has and always will be the bedrock of an effective school community but working remotely can present a real challenge on this front. It’s important that communication is clear, concise and mindfully worded. 

Remember that conveying the right tone in an email, for example, can make all the difference in how communication is received. Getting someone to proofread the email beforehand, or leaving it in your drafts to review a few hours later can help you to gauge this more accurately. 

3. Have a shared vision and problem-solve as a team

Encourage your teachers to make suggestions about how to make home learning structures more effective for all. By doing this, you can collectively problem solve and find solutions that benefit your pupils and your staff. 

Always preface any changes in home learning structures with the ‘why’ and bring it back to the pupils. This is harder to remember when there’s physical distance between teachers and their pupils, but all teachers ultimately want to positively impact their pupils and make this time as productive and happy as it can be for them, so keep this as a central premise for all decision making. 

In recent times we really have seen the creativity and inventive spirit of the teaching profession as a whole but we need to remember the emotional energy that underpins the running of our remote schools during these times and return the favour to our staff, by leading with courage, compassion and understanding.

Lekha Sharma is a primary teacher and deputy head at a school in South London. She tweets @teacherfeature2