By Sheila Mckenzie-
The UK government has unveiled a comprehensive set of measures aimed at prioritizing teacher wellbeing, preventing bullying, and reducing workload pressures.
The announcement, made by the Department for Education and The Rt Hon Damian Hinds MP, includes a £1.5 million investment for a three-year mental health and wellbeing support package, new guidance to address bullying of school staff, and early recommendations to ease teacher workload.
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The £1.5 million investment will deliver a mental health and wellbeing support package for school and college leaders, providing professional supervision and counseling to at least 2,500 leaders over three years.
This initiative reflects the government’s commitment to prioritize the mental health of educators and acknowledges the challenges they face.
Additionally, the government is set to publish new guidance for schools on preventing and tackling bullying and harassment of school staff. The guidance, expected to be completed this spring, aims to create a safer and more respectful environment within educational institutions.
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The Workload Reduction Taskforce, a cross-cutting group comprising unions, teachers, and sector leaders, has agreed on early recommendations to reduce teacher workload and encourage education staff wellbeing.
These recommendations align with the government’s objective to reduce teachers’ and leaders’ working week by five hours within the next three years. The final recommendations addressing the wider causes of teacher and leader workload will be presented to the government, Ofsted, and school and trust leaders in Spring 2024.
School Minister Damian Hinds emphasized the importance of supporting teacher wellbeing, easing workload pressures, and addressing bullying and harassment.
Hinds highlighted the government’s commitment to making teaching an attractive and rewarding profession, acknowledging the key role of great teaching in academic success.
The initiatives build on the achievements of the Public Sector Productivity Programme, led by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury and the Chancellor, which explores opportunities to cut administrative tasks, leverage Artificial Intelligence, and implement early interventions to alleviate pressure on public services.
Earlier commitments, such as giving every new teacher a starting salary of at least £30,000 and the highest pay award for teachers in over thirty years, demonstrate the government’s dedication to valuing and supporting the teaching profession.
The Education Staff Wellbeing Charter, launched by the Secretary of State in July 2023, has seen significant progress, with over 3,000 schools and colleges adopting the charter.
Furthermore, the Department for Education has renewed its contract with Now Teach, valued at £1.5 million, to support career changers entering teaching.
This initiative aims to bring in talented and experienced professionals, contributing to the overall strength and diversity of the teaching profession. The contract will be in effect until October 2026.
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