Headteacher wellbeing and coaching

Headteacher wellbeing

Being a headteacher is a high pressured role.  The high stakes accountability system and a sende of isolation can maen that headteachers need to access external support to talk through situations and pressures.  A range of alternatives exist.

NOSS

Counselling enables you to explain painful or difficult feelings and conflicts with the aim of helping you to make positive changes in your life. Please refer to your SLA schedule fo further details.

Our counselling service NOSS can be contacted on 01978 780 479.

Sheri Wright (contact number 01743 258414) will continue to counsel employees within Children and Young People’s Services but if she isn't available, then the NOSS telephone number applies.

If you experience any problems making contact with NOSS, please ring Occupational Health (01743 252833)

Headrest

Headrest is a free nation telephone support service - see https://www.headrestuk.co.uk/ 

EducationSupport

Educationsupport provide six free one-to-one sessions by Zoom or telephone, which are completely confidential.

For those who need it, we can also offer access to counselling, delivered by qualified BACP accredited counsellors. Details are here.

Education Support have provided a webinar for support and advice on how you can manage the emotional challenges of education’s new reality. https://www.educationsupport.org.uk/resources/for-individuals/videos/teaching-in-2023-how-to-manage-the-emotional-impact/

This addresses:

  • the emotional impact of working in education and how to manage the emotional intensity
  • your new reality you’re faced with, and how to care for yourself while you are faced with the ever increasing and often complex needs of children and young people
  • how to manage expectations and setting boundaries to protect your own wellbeing.

Headteacher Coaching

The local authority recognises the pressures that headship brings and aims to ensure that a each headteacher has access to a range of well being support mechanisms.  One of these tools is the access to a peer support programme.  Peer support is not intended to replace schemes such as NOSS.

A small group of headteachers have been trained in coaching to provide this peer support.

The peer support model is designed to support schools with the implementation of the DfE well being charter.  Full details can be found at https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1034032/DfE_Education_Workforce_Welbeing_Charter_Nov21.pdf

Headteachers will be able to request a cycle of peer support at any point. The local authority will oversee and monitor the programme as well as funding the training. Headteachers can select potential peer supporters from a list based on location and school size.

It is important to note that peer support is not mentoring. The peer support model is designed to allow headteachers access support when they are faced with particular issues. 

Full details can be found here or by the link at the top of this page. Headteachers seeking support should contact Steve Compton.