Staff support

Creating support systems to promote staff well-being

The best way to protect and improve pupil wellbeing at your school is to create support systems to promote staff well-being, says Tina Rae. Having emotionally literate teachers is vital when working with students at risk of developing emotional problems

Ensuring equality for disabled staff

All workplaces must make ‘reasonable adjustments’ so that staff with disabilities are not hampered in their work, and schools are no exception. This issue shows how you can help to support disability equality for staff in your school, and who can provide you with the advice and funding to do this

CPD support for teacher's wellbeing and self-worth

Teachers' wellbeing and self-worth are of paramount importance if they are to nurture similar confidence in their pupils. Elizabeth Holmes discusses what steps can be taken to support this important area of CPD

Working cooperatively: educational professionals in the classroom

School classrooms no longer host one adult and a group of pupils - there are often a team of educational professionals working together, which can have detrimental affects on behaviour. This article offers practical advice and strategies to help all adults working in the classroom to be more effective in their management of behaviour

Renewed support for headteachers

Raising standards and improving pupil progress are at the heart of every school's work, and the renewed Secondary Frameworks are aimed at helping headteachers and their staff and schools do just that, says Clive Bus, National Strategies National Director, Secondary

Establishing school staff support systems

How can strong teachers become even better? Headteacher Peter Kent and deputy head Annabel Kay describe the staff support triad system they put in place to help staff learn from and support each other

Education employment law: statutory leave and pay entitlements

Do you know your way around educational employment law? Does your school's pay and remuneration package meet or exceed minimum standards? Tamara Ludlow gives a legal overview of essential information for both leadership teams and staff

Starting school: An anxious time for pupils and parents

Starting school is an anxious time for both early years children and parents. School leaders and home-school coordinators need to be aware of their anxieties in order to ease the transition process

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Giving pupils and teachers a voice

Is your voice being heard at school? Elizabeth Hartnell-Young explains how a project undertaken by a team at Nottingham University revealed that teachers and students have a lot to say about the learning process, and that they should be heard

Teachers share their thoughts on the TLA

Can the Teacher Learning Academy double the number of teachers it has enrolled by 2011? What are the benefits of signing up? Four teachers describe their involvement with the academy read more

How to handle allegations against a member of staff

If a child makes a vague allegation is it OK to ask questions? How should an allegation against a member of staff be treated? Jenni Whitehead discusses some of the concerns facing managers when coping with these issues

Assisting the assistants: CPD for teaching assistants

Are schools rising to the challenge of CPD for the whole workforce; including teaching assistants? Elizabeth Holmes investigates what schools need to do to ensure that everyone receives professional development

Helping hands: making best use of TAs

To allow full use of teaching assistants, curriculum managers need to ensure both TAs and teachers have the support they need. This involves quality line management and a clear understanding of how to plan for effective learning, Lynn Maidment explains

Making the most of your staff

Roger Smith considers ways in which headteachers can help their staff make the most of their careers read more

Effective management and deployment of support staff

Effective management of support staff depends on a set of basic systems being in place. Ruth Bradbury looks at how to build teams, define roles and establish effective performance management read more

Behaviour for Learning: supporting new teachers

Shiraz Chakera, professional networks manager for the GTCE, describes how the Engage Network has supported early career teachers in coping with a major concern – classroom behaviour

Coping with stress: working with children who have suffered abuse

Jenni Whitehead offers advice about recognising and coping with stress brought on through child protection work read more

Cyber-bullying of teachers

Cyber-bullying is on the increase and cannot be ignored, says Patrick Nash, chief executive, Teacher Support Network

Leadership handover

Richard Bird, former headteacher and now legal consultant to the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) looks at the part that the old head can play in helping the new head to be successful read more

Lessons from Learning to Learn

What are the right conditions for teacher learning? Teachers need a working space where they have freedom to think, innovate and learn, say David Leat and Kate Wall read more

Making the most of your TAs

The relationship between teachers and teaching assistants is a changing one. Angela Youngman investigates and offers guidance to ensure effectiveness

Flexible working at school and at home

What happens when your child AND your partner are both at home sick? Secondary drama teacher Julie Leoni discusses the issues raised by her experiences read more

The work-life balance of heads

Pat Barnes, education consultant and former head, urges headteachers to take a fresh look at their work-life balance

Investors in People in primary schools

Nina Siddle explains how one school in East Yorkshire found widespread benefits from engaging with the Investors in People programme read more

School excellence and Investors in People

Working to meet the standards laid down by Investors in People (IIP) is an effective way of raising standards and improving staff morale, argues former head Roger Smith. read more

Family-friendly working: do you know the rules?

New maternity and flexible working rights mean employers must brush up on the law, says Derek Eccleston

Dealing with child protection issues: coping with involvement

If Jane’s story was true she had to be removed from a situation where she was at risk. But if it wasn’t true, was there a danger of making things even worse? A former teacher describes the tensions generated by the problem

The teaching vocation

The vocational nature of teaching has been eroded by successive government initiatives and we need to take action to preserve it, says Alex Alexandrou, chair of the International Professional Development Asscociation. read more

Welcoming and integrating new teachers into our schools

What helps new teachers feel welcome in a school? Colin Smith looks at the early professional learning (EPL) of teachers, and discusses the key areas to look at when welcoming new teachers into your school, with reference to research in real schools

Helping adults abused in childhood

Pete Saunders, chief executive and founder of NAPAC, describes how the charity helps survivors of abuse come to terms with their traumatic histories. read more

The art of getting real

Susannah Temple, Giles Barrow, Julie Leoni and Trudi Newton describe how teachers can use the principles of transactional analysis (TA) to build relationships that stimulate learning. read more

Putting SEBS at the centre

Judith Harwood, senior regional adviser for the primary and secondary strategy, describes what one school has been learning from its involvement in the Social, Emotional and Behavioural Skills (SEBS) pilot. read more

Developing your team

Julie Jennings considers how to build your Foundation Stage staff into an effective team. read more

Keeping your staff safe

Faye Spalding provides an overview of your responsibilities to your staff. read more

Support childminder scheme comes to Milton Keynes

Jane Webb is the support childminder coordinator in Milton Keynes, employed by Milton Keynes Council and working within the childcare team at Galley Hill Education Centre in partnership with the National Childminding Association (NCMA). She recounts how her local authority set up its support childminder scheme. read more

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Staff support