How to review your staff wellbeing policy

Key points to look out for

Below we suggest what might be included in a staff wellbeing policy but, since it’s not statutory, policies can vary.

Aims and objectives

Your policy should state how it aims to support staff wellbeing through things like:

• Working to improve areas that staff have identified as having a negative impact on their physical or mental health
• Building a supportive work environment
• Acknowledging that staff needs can change over time
• Supporting healthy work/life balance
• Providing support for specific wellbeing issues that staff might experience
• Making staff aware of their role in working towards whole-school wellbeing

Roles and responsibilities

The policy should set out who will do what. For example, that the:

• Governing board will be mindful of its duty of care to staff, monitor the effectiveness of the policy and hold the headteacher to account
• If you're in a MAT, make sure the policy is clear on which responsibilities sit at trust level and which sit at local governing board level
• Headteacher will make sure the policy is implemented and followed, and that it meets stated objectives
• Line managers will maintain positive and supportive relationships with their staff and help provide a safe environment in which staff can raise wellbeing concerns
• All staff will adhere to the policy and contribute to the effort to meet the stated objectives

Managing wellbeing concerns

An explanation of how your school will respond to specific issues being raised, including the types of support it will provide. Each school will be different, but some examples might include:

• Giving staff time off to deal with a personal crisis
• Arranging external support, such as counselling or occupational health services
• Completing a risk assessment and following through with any actions identified
• Reassessing a staff member's workload and deciding what tasks to prioritise

Monitoring arrangements

A description of how the governing board will monitor the implementation and impact of the policy.

You might do this through monitoring visits, staff wellbeing questionnaires and having a wellbeing link governor.

Key questions to challenge the policy

You need to ask challenging questions of senior leaders when the policy comes to you for approval so you can be sure that the policy-reviewing process was robust.

1. What input did staff have in the development of this policy?

You want to know that school leaders have spoken directly with staff about what they need from a wellbeing policy and have developed the policy to meet those needs.

School leaders should be able to explain how they got input and feedback from staff. This might be through:

• Staff surveys
• Individual conversations with staff
• A wellbeing action committee

2. How are staff wellbeing concerns escalated under this policy? Can you walk me through it?

Managing wellbeing doesn't lend itself to neatly-defined procedures. Responses must be tailored to the individual: their circumstances, need for support and how they wish to have the matter addressed.

Even so, there may be times where wellbeing concerns should be escalated in order to protect a staff member in crisis. School leaders should be able to explain:

• When wellbeing concerns should be escalated and to whom
• How confidentiality will be managed
• When staff will be pointed toward professional help

3. (For an existing policy:) How do you know this policy is achieving what it aims to achieve?

School leaders should be able to explain how they assess the impact of the strategies set out in the policy. Evidence might include responses to staff surveys or a reduction in staff absences. 

4. (For a new policy:) How will we know this policy is working and that it's being properly implemented?

School leaders should be able to explain:

• Key objectives of the policy and how success will be measured
• How implementation will be monitored and reported

Further questions

See more questions you can ask when reviewing any policy as well as specific questions to ask about wellbeing.

Model policy: maintained schools and trusts

This model document is not meant as a guide for writing it, since that's your senior leadership team's job, but you can use it to give you a sense of what a good policy looks like. 

The model policy is from our sister service, The Key Leaders, and:

• Has been approved by Forbes Solicitors
• Is designed for your senior leaders to adapt to suit your school or trust's context

Choose the appropriate download for you:

Model policy: staff wellbeing (schools)

Model policy: staff wellbeing (trusts)

Examples from schools

You can use these examples to get a sense of how other schools approach their wellbeing policies: 

• Harris Academy Riverside, a secondary free school in Thurrock
• Burford School, a secondary single academy trust in Oxfordshire
• Oastlers School, a secondary special school in Bradford

Further reading and resources

See our other articles to find out:

• How to approach wellbeing strategically
• Your role in wellbeing initiatives and what they look like in practice
• How to monitor and support headteacher and CEO wellbeing
• How to review your menopause policy – this may be a part of your staff wellbeing policy, or separate

The Department for Education’s staff wellbeing charter

The DfE’s charter is a declaration of support for the wellbeing of everyone working in education. Your school can use it as a tool to create – and publicly commit to – your wellbeing strategy and school policy.

Sign-up is voluntary and there is no deadline.