Our commitment to wellbeing:

At The Milford Academy, we understand that happy, healthy teachers add so much value to the communities they proudly serve. We are also acutely aware of the challenges present across the profession, and we see it as our duty to support our colleagues. We have a strong commitment to wellbeing, and an understanding that time and space are the greatest gifts that we can give our team.

Our wellbeing initiatives include:

• Shared planning in year groups to reduce workloads
• Option to take PPA from home
• Option to attend at least one subject leader network per year
• A manageable marking policy
• No overly onerous planning documents
• Report writing time – on a heavily reduced format
• Carefully planned CPD to ensure staff are refreshed in busy weeks, such as Christmas and Parents Evening
• Regular lunches/breakfasts and treats provided
• Parents evening over 1 day, starting at 1.30pm, with SLT covering classes
• ‘Golden Days’ for staff who attend residentials
• Release time for life events, such as weddings or own children’s performances
• A visible and approachable SLT, who cover, support and put staff’s needs first
• A genuine culture of kindness, collaboration and empathy within the school

We do not see wellbeing as a tokenistic gesture, and we avoid wellbeing gimmicks often discussed on social media. Staff will not be asked to stay outside of school hours for wellbeing workshops, nor will INSET days be used in this way as we know that the team would rather get things done and maintain a healthy work/life balance. Wellbeing should be interwoven into everything that we do, with the understanding that happy staff perform better and live healthier lives.