Teacher well-being
Discover practical strategies to boost teacher well-being, from the micro-success revolution to stress-busting techniques that prevent burnout and transform school culture.
What is Teacher Well-being?
Teacher well-being refers to the physical, mental, and emotional health of educators in their professional environment. It encompasses how teachers feel about their work, their ability to cope with daily stresses, and their overall satisfaction with their role in education. When teacher well-being is compromised, it doesn't just affect individual educators, it has a ripple effect on student learning,
The first thing I did was play some music, to be precise, I played Heather Small's "Proud", which contains the lyrics "What have you done today to make you feel proud?".Key Takeaways
I then shared with them the power of dance in making you feel good, it raises your feel-good or happy hormones, and I also shared how dancing is now said to ward off dementia. In other words, this physical movement can improve both physical health and psychological health; thereby having effects on teacher wellbeing. Just as active learning techniques energise students, physical movement revitalises teachers.
The song was deliberately chosen to remind the team to celebrate all the micro successes. Every single one. We tend to celebrate the big wins and let the little ones pass us by.
This mirrors how we often overlook evidence-based teaching approachesthat support both student and teacher success.ok the impact of everyday teaching strategies that build resilience. Why? We don't let the small moans pass us by. However, by celebrating every small win we embed those good memories into our neurological thinking.
So when complaints come in or something goes wrong, we have enough of the "good stuff" recorded in our thinking that we can cope. You can celebrate every micro success by either or with a physical movement. That might be a pumped fist or star-shaped pose.
Imagine you are just about to win that race and you are heading over the finish line. What would you do? The physical movement registers in your brain physiologically and produces happy hormones, bringing about positive well-being and emotions. Ultimately this impacts on your life balance and will also improve your sense of job satisfaction.
I then asked two fundamental questions: what is mental health and well-being in schools and who is in charge of it? This resulted in much debate as you can imagine. Before you read on, I ask you to stop and think about these two questions. Simply pause and consider:
What does mean to you? What does good well-being of teachers look like for you? Is that the same for everyone in your school? Senior leaders?
Education support staff? Who is responsible for your well-being? Can anybody else have an impact on your well-being?
Put simply, "well-being" is about how we are doing both now and also how sustainable that is in the years ahead. It is about feeling good and functioning well. The English Oxford Dictionary defines it as "the state of being comfortable, healthy or happy".
In many ways here is the challenge. How can you ensure that you and your team are "comfortable, healthy and happy"? In reality I suggest that you cannot.
Well-being is about a wide scope of sectors of a person's life, including their emotional and social state, their physical state, their spiritual state, their financial state and also their digital and environmental state. All of the above will have an impact on the lives of teachers. The individual must take responsibility for much of this within their daily lives.
How School Culture Affects Teacher Wellbeing
School culture directly impacts teacher well-being through shared responsibilities, communication patterns, and support systems. When schools misunderstand who owns well-being by placing all responsibility on administrators, it creates toxic cultures that increase burnout (Avola et al., 2025). The most effective cultures recognise well-being as everyone's responsibility while providing structured support like peer networks and celebration of micro-successes.
The culture of your school does have an impact on how it can manifest itself. All staff will contribute to the culture. For example, is there a culture of positive gossip rather than negative gossip in your school? Do you see feedback as an opportunity to grow and develop or as a negative experience?
All staff can have an impact on the culture within the school. Indeed this can then in turn impact on the potential for positive well-being of you and your team and enhance your emotional experiences and emotional lives.
Negative gossip in school, and by that I mean that talking about people rather than having direct conversations, results in people believing what they think is being said. This can result in negative effects.
Your thoughts about what people are saying are just that, thoughts. They are not facts. Remember you will never speak to anyone more than you speak to yourself, so be kind when you speak to yourself.
Relationships between teachers matter. Relationships on teacher well-being impact on everyone in the building. Co-incidentally they will have an impact on job satisfaction (Assaf & Antoun, 2024).
I suggest that it is everyone's responsibility as a whole school to feed into that state of being comfortable. In other words, everyone in the school is responsible for the well-being of themselves and each other. In other words, positive teacher well-being is impacted by everyone.
How we view the world impacts on this. Those internal working models we create about what we think is happening matter. How we construe what is happening around us has an impact on this positive teacher well-being.
As already mentioned, if you view feedback as an opportunity rather than a negative experience, you will seek feedback rather than reject it. If the culture of your school sees mistakes as a chance to learn rather than an error, you will create a positive learning environment (Cece et al., 2021).
Workload Management Strategies for Teachers
Here are some actionable strategies that teachers and school leaders can implement to creates well-being:
- Mindfulness and Meditation: Encourage staff to practise mindfulness techniques, such as deep breathing exercises or meditation, to reduce stress and improve focus. Consider offering guided meditation sessions during lunch breaks.
- Time Management Skills: Provide training on effective time management strategies to help teachers prioritise tasks, manage workload, and avoid burnout (Falecki & Mann, 2020). Introduce AI tools to reduce planning time.
- Healthy Lifestyle Choices: Promote healthy eating habits, regular exercise, and sufficient sleep. Organise staff wellness challenges or offer discounts on gym memberships.
- Positive Relationships: creates a supportive and collaborative work environment where teachers feel valued and respected (Budiharso & Tarman, 2020). Encourage open communication, teamwork, and peer support.
- Professional Development: Invest in professional development opportunities that focus on teacher well-being, resilience, and self-care (Napitupulu et al., 2023).
- Recognition and Appreciation: Acknowledge and appreciate teachers' efforts and achievements. Implement a system for recognising and celebrating micro-successes.
- Carson, R. L., Emery, D. W., & Ehmke, R. (2017). Teacher stress and coping: A systematic review of the literature. *Educational Psychology Review*, *29*(1), 33-69.
- Jennings, P. A., & Greenberg, M. T. (2009). The prosocial classroom: Teacher social and emotional competence in relation to student and classroom outcomes. *Review of Educational Research*, *79*(1), 491-525.
- Herman, K. C., Hickmon-Frye, P. A., & Reinke, W. M. (2018). Empirically derived profiles of teacher stress, burnout, efficacy, and health and their association with indicators of effective classroom management. *Journal of Positive behaviour Interventions*, *20*(2), 90-100.
- Schonert-Reichl, K. A. (2017). Social and emotional learning and teacher stress: What do the kids have to do with it?. *Mindfulness*, *8*(5), 1323-1337.
Teacher Retention and Well-being Connection
Teacher well-being is not a luxury; it is a necessity. By understanding the multifaceted nature of well-being and implementing practical strategies to support it, schools can create a positive and thriving environment for both teachers and students. Recognising that everyone in the school community plays a role in developing a supportive atmosphere is paramount to sustainable change. Prioritising well-being leads to improved job satisfaction, reduced burnout, and ultimately, better educational outcomes for all (Granziera et al., 2023).
Let us embrace a culture where teacher well-being is at the forefront, leading to a more resilient, engaged, and passionate teaching workforce. This will not only benefit the educators themselves, but also create a ripple effect of positivity that enhances the entire learning experience for students.
Crisis Support Resources for Teachers
Workplace wellbeing in schools
Mental Health Crisis in Education
The numbers paint a stark picture of teacher wellbeing across UK schools. Recent data from the Education Support charity reveals that 78% of education professionals describe themselves as stressed, whilst 44% experience symptoms of poor mental health. Most alarmingly, teacher retention rates have plummeted, with nearly one in three teachers leaving the profession within their first five years.
These statistics represent real people in real classrooms. Consider Sarah, a Year 3 teacher in Manchester who marks books until midnight every night, skips lunch to run interventions, and hasn't taken a proper break in months. Or James, a secondary maths teacher who manages behaviour incidents all day, then faces two hours of data entry each evening. Their experiences reflect a profession at breaking point.
The impact extends far beyond individual teachers. When educators operate in survival mode, classroom creativity diminishes, patience wears thin, and the quality of teaching inevitably suffers. Students quickly sense their teacher's stress; research from the University of British Columbia found that pupils in classrooms with burnt-out teachers showed 20% higher cortisol levels themselves.
Yet amidst these concerning trends, pockets of positive change are emerging. Schools implementing weekly 'marking-free Fridays' report improved staff morale without affecting pupil progress. Others have introduced 'email curfews', preventing work communications after 6pm, allowing teachers to properly switch off. One Birmingham primary school transformed their staffroom into a genuine retreat space, complete with comfortable seating and a coffee machine, noting a 30% reduction in stress-related absences within six months.
Understanding these statistics isn't about accepting defeat; it's about recognising the urgent need for systemic change in how we support our teaching workforce.
Evidence-Based Wellbeing Programmes and Tools
The Department for Education's Education Staff Wellbeing Charter represents a significant shift in how schools approach teacher welfare. Launched in 2021, this voluntary commitment encourages schools to prioritise staff wellbeing through measurable actions and accountability. Over 1,200 schools have already signed up, recognising that teacher wellbeing directly impacts student outcomes and school performance.
The Charter outlines eleven key commitments, including regular workload reviews, transparent communication, and access to mental health support. Schools implementing these principles report tangible improvements; for instance, one primary school in Manchester reduced teacher turnover by 40% after introducing weekly 'marking-free Fridays' and guaranteed planning time during the school day. This simple change gave teachers dedicated time for lesson preparation without extending their working hours.
Beyond the Charter, several government-backed initiatives provide direct support. The Education Support Partnership offers free, confidential helplines available 24/7, whilst the Wellbeing for Education Recovery programme provides training to help schools identify and address staff stress. Many local authorities now employ wellbeing leads who work directly with schools to implement evidence-based strategies.
Practical implementation varies by setting, but successful schools often start small. A secondary school in Birmingham began with monthly wellbeing surveys, using the data to make targeted changes like staggering parent evenings and creating quiet workspaces for planning periods. Another effective approach involves appointing wellbeing champions within each department, ensuring support systems reach all staff members, not just those who actively seek help. These champions receive specific training through government-funded programmes, creating a sustainable support network that recognises wellbeing as everyone's responsibility, not just senior leadership's concern.
Digital Wellbeing Tools for Teachers
Building a personal wellbeing toolkit doesn't require expensive programmes or lengthy training sessions. The most effective resources are often simple, evidence-based strategies that fit smoothly into your existing routine.
Start with the Wellbeing Action Plan (WAP), a free template developed by Mind that helps you identify your stress triggers and early warning signs. Many teachers find completing this with a trusted colleague creates accountability whilst normalising conversations about mental health. Keep it visible in your planner; when marking deadlines pile up or parent evenings loom, you'll have pre-planned coping strategies ready.
Digital tools can transform how you manage workload stress. Apps like Teacher Toolkit's Five Minute Lesson Plan reduce planning time significantly, whilst Forest encourages focused work sessions by gamifying concentration. For immediate stress relief, try the NHS-approved Headspace for Educators, which offers free access to guided meditations specifically designed for classroom challenges.
Physical resources matter too. Create a 'restoration station' in your classroom: a drawer containing herbal tea, healthy snacks, and a stress ball. This serves dual purposes; it models self-care to students whilst providing immediate comfort during difficult moments. Research from the Education Support Partnership shows that teachers who take micro-breaks throughout the day report 40% less burnout.
Finally, establish a peer support network using the 'check-in buddy' system. Pair with a colleague for weekly five-minute conversations about wellbeing wins and challenges. This simple practise, recommended by the Anna Freud Centre, creates early intervention opportunities before stress escalates into crisis.
The Current State of Teacher Wellbeing: Crisis Point Analysis
The teaching profession faces an unprecedented wellbeing crisis, with recent data painting a stark picture of educator mental health. According to the Education Support Partnership's 2023 survey, 78% of UK teachers report experiencing symptoms of poor mental health due to work, whilst teacher retention rates have plummeted to their lowest point in a decade. This isn't merely about job dissatisfaction; it's a systemic issue threatening the foundation of quality education.
The primary stressors pushing teachers to breaking point include excessive workload, behaviour management challenges, and the relentless pressure of accountability measures. Many educators report working 50-60 hour weeks, with evening and weekend marking becoming the norm rather than the exception. One Year 6 teacher from Manchester described it as "running on a treadmill that keeps getting faster, knowing you can't keep up but having no way to step off."
The impact extends far beyond individual teachers. When educators are stressed and exhausted, their ability to create engaging learning environments diminishes. Research from the University of Bristol demonstrates that teacher stress directly correlates with reduced student achievement and increased classroom disruption. Schools with high teacher turnover face constant disruption as students adapt to new teaching styles and relationships.
However, recognising the crisis is the first step towards meaningful change. Progressive schools are implementing practical solutions: introducing email curfews to protect evenings, creating shared resource banks to reduce planning duplication, and establishing weekly 'marking parties' where colleagues support each other whilst building community. These seemingly small changes accumulate into significant improvements in teacher morale and retention, proving that whilst the crisis is real, it's not insurmountable.
Understanding Education Staff Wellbeing Frameworks
The Department for Education's Education Staff Wellbeing Charter provides schools with a structured approach to supporting teacher mental health and job satisfaction. This voluntary framework, signed by over 1,000 schools across England, outlines clear commitments that schools can make to prioritise staff wellbeing alongside student outcomes.
At its core, the charter recognises that teacher wellbeing directly impacts classroom effectiveness. Research from the Education Support Partnership shows that 78% of education professionals experienced stress-related symptoms in 2023, making systematic wellbeing support essential rather than optional. The charter addresses this by establishing measurable standards for workload management, professional development, and workplace culture.
Schools implementing the charter often start with practical changes. For instance, many have introduced 'email curfews', preventing work communications after 6pm or during weekends. This simple boundary helps teachers maintain work-life balance whilst reducing the constant pressure to be available. Similarly, some schools have redesigned their meeting schedules, replacing lengthy after-school sessions with focused 15-minute morning briefings that respect teachers' planning time.
The Ofsted inspection framework now explicitly considers staff wellbeing as part of leadership and management evaluations. This shift acknowledges that sustainable school improvement requires healthy, motivated teachers. Schools can demonstrate their commitment by conducting regular wellbeing surveys, establishing peer support networks, and creating dedicated spaces for staff breaks. One primary school in Manchester transformed an unused classroom into a staff wellbeing room, complete with comfortable seating and resources for mindfulness activities during break times.
These frameworks provide accountability and structure, transforming wellbeing from an abstract concept into concrete actions that benefit both teachers and their students.
Essential Wellbeing Tools and Resources for Teachers
Building a personal wellbeing toolkit doesn't require expensive equipment or lengthy training courses. The most effective resources are often simple, accessible tools that fit naturally into your teaching day. Research from the Education Support Partnership shows that teachers who use regular wellbeing practices report 40% better stress management and improved classroom performance.
Start with mindfulness apps designed specifically for educators. Apps like Calm Schools or Headspace for Educators offer quick, three-minute sessions you can use during transition periods or whilst pupils complete independent work. Many schools now provide free subscriptions, recognising that a teacher who takes brief mental breaks teaches more effectively than one who powers through exhaustion.
Physical wellbeing tools are equally important. Keep a refillable water bottle on your desk; dehydration significantly impacts concentration and mood. Consider a standing desk converter for your planning periods, as alternating between sitting and standing reduces back pain and increases energy levels. Some teachers swear by acupressure mats, which they use for five minutes during lunch to release tension from hours of standing.
Digital boundaries protect your wellbeing outside school hours. Tools like email scheduling allow you to write parent communications when convenient but send them during appropriate hours. The "Focus" mode on smartphones can silence work notifications after 6pm, creating essential recovery time. Many academies now encourage staff to include wellbeing boundaries in their email signatures, normalising the practise of not responding immediately to non-urgent messages.
Remember, consistency matters more than perfection. Using one simple tool regularly will benefit your wellbeing far more than trying multiple complex strategies sporadically.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to Identify Teacher Burnout Early Signs?
Early signs of teacher burnout include feeling emotionally drained after work, dreading Monday mornings, increased irritability with students or colleagues, and physical symptoms like headaches or sleep problems. Teachers should also watch for decreased empathy towards students and a growing sense of cynicism about their job. Recognising these warning signs early allows for proactive intervention before wellbeing becomes severely compromised.
What are some quick stress-relief techniques teachers can use during the school day?
Teachers can practise the 4-3-7 breathing technique between lessons, take a brief walk around the playground during break time, or do simple desk stretches. Even a 30-second mindfulness moment focusing on three things you can see, hear, and feel can reset your stress levels. These micro-breaks help manage cortisol levels and prevent stress from building throughout the day.
How Does Teacher Wellbeing Impact Students?
When teachers experience poor wellbeing, their ability to create engaging lessons, provide emotional support, and maintain positive classroom relationships diminishes significantly. Stressed teachers are more likely to use reactive discipline strategies rather than proactive teaching approaches, leading to increased classroom disruption. Research shows that students of teachers with better wellbeing demonstrate higher academic achievement and improved social-emotional development.
What role should school leadership play in supporting teacher wellbeing initiatives?
School leaders must create a culture where wellbeing is seen as everyone's responsibility, not just an individual teacher's concern. This includes providing adequate planning time, reasonable workload expectations, and regular check-ins with staff about their wellbeing. Leaders should also model healthy boundaries, celebrate both small and large successes, and provide access to professional development focused on wellbeing strategies.
Do Wellbeing Programmes Reduce Teacher Turnover?
Yes, comprehensive teacher wellbeing programmes have been shown to significantly reduce staff turnover by creating supportive work environments and building teacher resilience. Schools that implement structured wellbeing initiatives, including peer support networks and stress management training, typically see 20-30% improvements in staff retention. These programmes help teachers develop coping strategies and feel more valued, which directly impacts their decision to remain in the profession.
Teacher Well-being and Its Relationship to Student Achievement and Classroom Climate: An Empirical Analysis of Mediating Mechanisms View study ↗
1 citations
Premachandran P (2025)
Drawing from data across 847 teachers in 156 schools, this comprehensive study reveals the direct pathways between teacher psychological well-being and both student academic success and classroom atmosphere. The research demonstrates that when teachers experience higher job satisfaction and lower burnout, their students perform better academically and classroom environments become more positive. This evidence reinforces what many educators intuitively know: taking care of teacher well-being isn't just good for teachers, it's essential for student success.
The Influence Of School Principals' Academic Supervision On Teacher Learning Performance And Teacher Job Satisfaction View study ↗
Nor Khofifah & Malida (2025)
This research examines how principals' supportive supervision practices directly impact teacher performance and job satisfaction. The study finds that when principals provide effective guidance and support rather than just evaluation, teachers feel more valued and demonstrate improved teaching performance. For educators, this research emphasises advocating for supervision approaches that focus on professional growth and support rather than punitive oversight.
Initial teacher education curriculum vs. workplace factors, the catalyst and solution to the international teacher wellbeing and attrition crisis View study ↗
Marcus Horwood et al. (2024)
Addressing the global shortage of 44 million teachers needed by 2030, this study investigates whether the problem lies in teacher preparation programmes or workplace conditions. The research suggests that improving working conditions, implementing inclusive policies, and increasing teacher autonomy are more critical than curriculum changes for retention. This finding validates teachers' experiences that systemic workplace improvements, not just better training, are essential for making the profession sustainable and attractive.
Teacher Burnout and Classroom Environment: Associations with Student Engagement, Perceived Teacher Support and Disciplinary Climate in Secondary Schools View study ↗
Aziz Ur Rehman et al. (2025)
This secondary school study reveals how teacher burnout creates a ripple effect that impacts student engagement, the supportiveness of teacher-student relationships, and classroom discipline. When teachers experience high levels of exhaustion and stress, students become less engaged and perceive less support from their teachers, leading to more disciplinary issues. The research provides concrete evidence that addressing teacher burnout isn't just about teacher welfare, it's fundamental to creating positive learning environments where students can thrive.
Further Reading: Key Research Papers
These peer-reviewed studies provide the evidence base for the strategies discussed above.
A Scope Review of the Teacher Well-being Research Between 1968 and 2021 View study ↗
44 citations
Zhang et al. (2023)
This comprehensive review of 774 studies spanning 54 years reveals significant growth in teacher well-being research, particularly in recent decades. Teachers can benefit from understanding that their well-being is increasingly recognised as a critical area of study, validating their experiences and concerns.
Interventions to Teacher Well-Being and Burnout A Scoping Review View study ↗
32 citations
Avola et al. (2025)
This review examines various interventions designed to reduce teacher burnout and improve well-being, identifying what works in practice. Teachers and school leaders can use these findings to implement evidence-based strategies that effectively address stress and prevent burnout in educational settings.
Teacher well-being and student achievement: A multilevel analysis View study ↗
41 citations
Granziera et al. (2023)
This study explores the relationship between teacher well-being and student academic outcomes using multilevel analysis. It demonstrates to teachers that their personal well-being directly impacts student achievement, highlighting the importance of self-care as a professional responsibility.
Teacher well-being and use of artificial intelligence applications and tools: Moderation effects of leadership support in inclusive classroom View study ↗
Almaki et al. (2025)
This research examines how AI tools can improve teacher well-being in inclusive classrooms, particularly when supported by effective leadership. Teachers learn that technology integration, combined with proper administrative support, can reduce workload and enhance their ability to meet diverse student needs.
Teacher Well-Being and Perceived School Climate during COVID-19 School Closure: The Case of Physical Education in Switzerland View study ↗
Cece et al. (2021)
This study focuses on how COVID-19 school closures affected physical education teachers' well-being and perception of school climate. It provides insights for teachers on managing well-being during crisis situations and adapting teaching practices whilst maintaining professional satisfaction.
