From puzzle pieces to a plan: supporting school leaders to improve staff wellbeing

I am not sure if it is because I am a jigsaw puzzle lover, but I have come to a conclusion: schools are like jigsaw puzzles.

First of all, a puzzle has hundreds of pieces and can’t be solved within hours or even a day, In the same way schools cannot change things within a short period of time. It takes time, reflection, sorting, trying things, and planning what to focus on next. 

I have come across schools those who have their puzzles laid out on a puzzle mat, with some pieces sorted by colours, shape and with a plan to put them together.

And on the contrary, others have all their pieces of their puzzle piled in a plastic bag or scattered on the table, have not started planning where to begin - some pieces might even be missing (and please don’t get me wrong, no judgement!) both of them do really well considering all the things they have on their plate.

The power of conversations in school and education settings

Regardless of where they are I find that most of them struggle finding one thing: the time to stop, step back and gain perspective to check how their jigsaw puzzle looks and how they might move forward with a productive plan.

And this is where the magic of the Wellbeing Advisory Service in Wales comes in - a service funded by Welsh Government, at no cost to schools.

The school leaders, managers and wellbeing leads I meet tell me they appreciate having reflection time with someone outside of their setting, who really listens to them. Our meeting often ends with sentences like:

• “This hour was productive, very helpful; It helped me reflect about what is happening”
• “Thank you for helping me to gain a better perspective of this” 
• “You can’t imagine how amazing it feels to have a meeting where someone offers help instead of being demanding and complaining - I really appreciate your time offering support.”

Free, confidential mental health and wellbeing support for school leaders and managers

They also tell me they appreciate a confidential space where they can open up and debrief, and gain free, practical resources to take back and implement straight away.

A variety of emotions may happen within that an hour. Sometimes it starts with words of frustration and tiredness, but they often end up seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. 

And some leaders and wellbeing leads don’t need advice. Sometimes they just need to be heard and feel they are understood and feel reassured that their approach is valid and connect with others who understand their role.

That alone can help them move forward on their schools unique wellbeing journey. 

If you're a school leader or manager I recommend reading our free resource School leaders - do you make time to talk? for more insights and practical tips on having supportive conversations at work. 

Our free 5 tips for active listening in schools: BUILD tool can also be useful for school leaders and managers who are looking to have more supportive conversations with their teams. 

How we can help your school community

• Our regional Wellbeing Advisory Service is funded by Welsh government for schools across Wales. We have a dedicated team of wellbeing specialists, like Rocio, who provide practical resources and expert guidance to help you prioritise staff mental health and wellbeing in your school. Hear below from Linsey and Sarah about how their schools benefited from this service.
• We also offer free Professional Supervision for school leaders and managers in England and Wales, which gives you a safe and confidential space to talk about, and process what is going on for you at work.
• And don’t forget – anyone working in education in the UK can call our free helpline 24/7 to talk to a trained counsellor who understands your role in education: 08000 562 561.