Whole-trust approach to staff mental health and wellbeing: case study

Last reviewed on 4 March 2022
School types: All · School phases: All
Ref: 44166

Find out how a 4-school trust developed a trust-wide approach to staff wellbeing, and how you can do it too.

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Contents

  1. In a nutshell
  2. Make sure your mission or vision underpins your goal
  3. Implement any ‘quick wins’
  4. Review what you currently have in place
  5. The 3-pillar approach
  6. Build trust to get these pillars to work for you
  7. Wellbeing initiatives the trust has in place
  8. Tailor your approach to each school
  9. Top tips for success

Our thanks to Julie Carson, director of education at Woodland Academy Trust, for her help with this article.

In a nutshell

What’s the approach?

Woodland Academy Trust developed a trust-wide approach to staff wellbeing based on 3 pillars:

  • Communication
  • Feedback
  • Flexibility

Why this approach?

It helped the trust apply consistent initiatives across the trust that were effective and practical.

This approach has had a positive impact on:

  • Staff sickness absence 
  • Retention
  • Recruitment

The trust says it has also helped it:

  • Make its vision work in practice
  • Reduce teacher workload
  • Share best practice across the trust
  • Keep an open dialogue with staff
  • Build trusting relationships with staff
  • Tailor the approach to each school

How long did it take?

This approach can work for any trust size – larger trusts may want to take a regional approach. The strength in this approach comes from sharing practice and

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