Validator report
05 October 2023
SWA-Richard Rose Central Academy -Ca1 1ly-05/Oct/2023
Areas for further development
Conduct brief questionnaires on aspects of provision to assess effectiveness and make adjustments. E.g. invite all staff to give feedback on buddy scheme or email policy – what they like, could be different, would make it even better. Finalise MHWB policy and ensure it clarifies process for reporting staff MH concerns to reduce stigma and ensure all are confident to share worries about themselves or others. Consider CPD on supporting staff’s own and colleague’s wellbeing, perhaps using resources from providers such as Anna Freud, MindEd etc. Encourage all staff to take informal leadership roles - leading clubs, activities with parents, provision linked to History Months, Awareness Days etc.
Award term ref
Confirm the recommendation
1
Overall comments
The school and wellbeing lead have made a real effort to find out what staff would like to improve their wellbeing and have done their best to meet their requests. They have established a diverse staff wellbeing group which meets monthly and feeds directly into SLT discussions. Its members also provide feedback to the wellbeing lead and other colleagues on how staff feel about provision which helps to complement the school's annual staff wellbeing survey. The school has monitored the impact of the various changes it has made to ensure that they are as effective as possible.
School ref
Validator benchmark comments
Benchmarks ref
Comments on impact identified during validation
The school have successfully reduced workload stress by amending requirements around report writing, marking, data provision etc. This is reflected both in all staff feedback and ongoing discussions with the staff wellbeing group.
Benchmarks ref
Comments on impact identified during validation
In addition to running an annual staff wellbeing survey, the school provides wellbeing resources and information. Staff are more confident about where to go for help and appreciate the reminders from HR and line managers that they want to hear about concerns. Staff are particularly appreciative of the new buddy scheme.
Comments on impact identified during validation
The school surveyed staff to find out what provision they would particularly welcome and introduced provision such as quite working areas and free staff lunches. Feedback indicates that staff feel more appreciated and that this provision has helped to reduce stress levels. Staff clubs and termly social events have also proved popular.
Benchmarks ref
Comments on impact identified during validation
The wellbeing survey demonstrates that staff shout outs have proved popular. They have resulted in a shift in perceptions such that staff now feel that leaders are looking for what they do well as well as things they would like to be different. Staff have also been offered incentives and rewards for undertaking duties such as monitoring corridors between lessons – staff now feel they are being rewarded for rather than required to take on extra tasks.
Comments on impact identified during validation
The school has introduced things like allowing staff to undertake PPA at home, limits on the times in which they are expected to send and respond to emails and a reduction in the number of break/lunch duties they are expected to undertake. Staff report that this has helped to improve work-life balance and reduce stress levels.
Benchmarks ref
Comments on impact identified during validation
All staff have had the opportunity to contribute to the development of a staff wellbeing and workload manifesto and the school is currently finalising staff a wellbeing policy. Staff have been reminded about the counselling service and this has resulted in an increase in uptake and positive feedback from those who have accessed them.
Comments on impact identified during validation
In addition to accredited courses, staff can access a range of ‘in-school’ pathways to support their own development which involve observing and feeding back to colleagues, delivering CPD to other staff etc. Staff appreciate this alongside the opportunity it gives them to get to work with staff from other departments. Appraisals now include a wellbeing ‘check in’ and staff report feeling more confident to talk about wellbeing concerns with line managers and other colleagues.
Comments on impact identified during validation
Staff have been given more opportunities to feed into decision making – for example, as a result of consultations, term dates have been amended. Staff are now able to discuss proposed developments at departmental level before they are implemented and this has resulted in their feeling more involved in decision making.
Validator recommendation
I recommend that the school is accredited for this award
Validation confirm date
05/Oct/2023
Product attribute ref
Gold