Wellbeing

Head of department and author Andy Sammons shares his first-hand experiences of the effects of stress and anxiety on teachers' mental health, and argues powerfully for the importance of self-care and putting yourself first.

Andrew Cowley is a former deputy headteacher and has written a number of books and resources on teacher wellbeing. He shares his strategic advice for senior leaders in schools about leading with values as you develop your wellbeing strategy. 

Andrew Cowley is a former deputy headteacher and has written a number of books and resources on teacher wellbeing. He explodes a few myths about wellbeing and shares his advice for senior leaders on how to grow a wellbeing culture in your school. 

From board game Olympics to round the world night, here are twenty ideas to banish boredom in lockdown, learn new skills and have family fun when school is not an option and there's a lot of time to fill!

Embedding a culture of wellbeing into schools is a vital long-term project and requires a whole-school approach but there are things we can all do to promote it. We were delighted to collaborate with Andrew Cowley – former Deputy Headteacher turned keynote speaker and author of The Wellbeing Toolkit and The Wellbeing Curriculum – to produce two Teachit Talks videos and resources about the culture of wellbeing. Wellbeing for senior leaders and Wellbeing as curriculum are full of helpful advice for senior leaders and class teachers respectively. 

Below you'll find further advice and resources to help you put wellbeing front and centre.

This year’s Mental Health Awareness Week runs from 15–21 May and will be on the theme of anxiety.

Hosted by the Mental Health Foundation, the Week offers an opportunity for people to talk about all aspects of mental health, with a focus on empowering individuals to improve their own mental health and support others to do the same. The Foundation aims to explore the experience of anxiety, its effect on our mental health, and how we can all play a part in reducing anxiety in our communities.