Hertfordshire Well-being Programme Case Study

Longmore Education Support Centre

School No: 382

Introduction

This case study is about a how staff at a small Education Support Centre in Hertford were able to significantly improve their overall level of staff well being whilst working under extremely difficult circumstances.

The Centre is now in the third year of the Hertfordshire Well-Being Programme having carried out the first survey in March 2005 and the second in October 2006.

Although relationships were strong, at the time of the first survey staff morale was low and it was necessary to raise this before any other issues could be addressed.

Contextual Information

Longmore Education Support Centre is housed in a pleasant multi aged building ranging from 17th century to modern day.  It has recently undergone major re-modelling and redecoration.  It has a student capacity of twenty key stage 3 & 4 students.  There are just seventeen members of staff.  In November 2004 Ofsted placed the Centre in the category of ‘Serious Weaknesses’.

The headteacher of the Centre is currently on secondment to a Hertfordshire EBD school and an acting head is in post at Longmore.

The Process

In 2005 the headteacher gave the staff the opportunity to take part in the Programme as he wanted to demonstrate that he was interested in staff well being.  He asked one member of staff to become a facilitator and she chose another member of staff to work with her.  One was a teacher and the other was one of the support staff team.

 Both facilitators attended the one day training course at the Hertfordshire Development Centre and after this gave a presentation to the rest of the staff explaining the Programme, the role of the facilitators and the completion of the survey.

The first survey was carried out over a set two week period and a 100% completion rate was achieved.

Feedback was given to the headteacher and the facilitators by the County Co-ordinator and the outcomes were fed back to the staff by the facilitators at one whole staff meeting.  This was attended by most staff and afterwards a summary was sent to everyone together with the minutes.

A questionnaire was sent out asking staff which issues they considered to be most important.

Priorities for development included: Communication especially with regard to change; Organisational practice and the Physical environment.

No action plan was written but the facilitators made sure that well being issues were on staff meeting agendas.

Outcomes and Impacts

A Suggestion Box is used for agenda items and an Affirmation Box is used to acknowledge aspects of work and give recognition and thanks to individuals.  This is much appreciated by staff who feel much more valued. The facilitators have learnt to look out for individuals who may need support

Staff hold an occasional ’Guardian Angel Day’ whereby each person picked the name of a member of staff from a hat and they need to ‘look after’ that person in a variety of ways as appropriate. 

More effort has been made for the staff to meet socially.

A ‘Cake and Coffee’ break is held weekly before the staff meeting and recipes are shared.  Staff also have special lunches and brunches.

Theatre outings are arranged and are well attended.

A birthday list has been written and every member of staff receives a birthday card from the rest of the staff.

Staff  note that well being is at the forefront of meetings and staff have an increased awareness of each other’s well being.

The major work carried out to improve the physical environment has had a great impact on well being.

Through the second survey, the staff were able to measure the significant improvement in their perception of their practice in every section and theme of the survey.  This was particularly notable with regard to Communication, Relationships and Support.  Each of these improved ratings contributed to the high increase in staff perception of the culture of the Centre.

It is agreed that the stresses and strains have not reduced but staff are now able to cope better with them.

The Future

Staff will continue with what they are doing because they can see the value of it.  It is hoped that they will be able to carry out a third survey when their headteacher returns from secondment.