Staff Wellbeing
At Kippax Greenfield Primary School, we understand that happy, healthy staff add so much value to the community they serve and mean that our children get the support and help they need to succeed. We also know that working in schools can be challenging and it is therefore imperative to us that we ensure our school is a supportive environment that is committed to the wellbeing of all our staff members. We do not see wellbeing as a tokenistic gesture and we aim for it to be woven into everything that we do.
‘If we want to create the conditions for colleagues to do their best work for pupils, then staff have to come first’
Mary Myatt
Staff Workload
Feedback: we have a simple, purposeful feedback policy which prioritises ‘live’ marking and self/peer assessment.
No meetings on key weeks: no meetings happen on weeks where an increased workload is needed e.g. assessment weeks.
Data days: training days are allocated each term to provide dedicated time to analyse data and plan interventions.
Well-planned calendar: key events are carefully timetabled to minimise additional workload e.g. parents evening directly follows on from data day to avoid duplication of work.
Schemes of work: centralised schemes of work are in place with a focus on enactment and adaptation rather than creation.
Home learning: home learning supports children to consolidate learning that has already taken place in the classroom with no additional marking required by the teaching team.
Emails and Class Dojo: there is no expectation that staff respond to emails outside normal working hours.
Subject leadership time: subject leaders are provided with two additional afternoons per half-term to develop their subjects.
Staff Wellbeing
Behaviour systems: we have clear, whole-school behaviour systems, silent signals and routines that are implemented by all.
Behaviour support: a member of SLT or the pupil welfare team is always ‘on call’ to support staff in dealing with behaviour incidents.
SLT: there is a highly visible and approachable SLT with an open-door policy of ‘anytime, anything’.
Clear communication: weekly briefings are held to communicate key messages and an online calendar makes upcoming events clear so staff can plan their time effectively.
Recognition: there is a culture of positive praise and we take time each week to give personal shoutouts and say thank you to colleagues.
Wellbeing check ins: there are termly opportunities for staff wellbeing check ins which provide an informal opportunity to provide feedback and raise concerns.
Mental health support: we promote openness about mental health and provide all staff with access to free, 24/7, confidential support services.
No prizes for staying late: all staff are encouraged to work in a way that suits them and their family.
PPA: all members of staff can choose to take their PPA from home should they wish to.
Cycle to Work scheme: discounts on a new bike are available via the ‘cycle to work’ scheme
Corporate gym memberships: corporate discounts of up to 30% are available to all members of staff at a range of gyms and leisure centres across the city.
Tea and coffee: tea and coffee are always provided for free.
Staff Development
Coherent professional learning programme: staff meetings are relevant, bespoke and always include time to put things into action.
Fortnightly coaching: all of our teaching team receive regular 1:1 coaching from their own instructional coach.
Weekly deliberate practice: all staff attend short practice sessions which are research-driven and directly link with identified areas of whole-school development.
Subject leadership networks: subject leaders attend cross-trust leadership networks to share best practice and resources.
Performance management: we have a supportive performance management framework with personalised targets and nurturing coaching for each member of the teaching team.
Professional development reviews: we have binannually professional development reviews for all of our associate staff, providing time to celebrate achievements and set future goals.
Staff CPD library: all staff have access to a CPD library stocked with books to support in researching and honing their craft.
Further professional development: all staff can access the National College CPD library, apprenticeships, NPQs and other CPD opportunities based on their development needs.
Progression: opportunities for progression are built in within the school and across the Trust.
