Talking well-being at East London and Essex Education Conference and Exhibition 2017

Senior leadership in schools is a challenging task which involves a delicate juggling act between statutory requirements, financial constraints and a duty of care for staff and pupils. In this context, happiness and wellbeing are important factors, particularly as teachers and heads are leaving the profession at an alarming rate. Any measures that make the job more pleasant are invaluable.

This was one of the messages we gave to delegates at the East London and Essex Education Conference and Exhibition 2017, held in Rainham, Essex, earlier in February. The event was attended by heads, senior leaders, governors and school business managers in the East London and Essex area.

Stephanie Davies delivered a session on the importance of happiness and well-being not only for pupils but just as importantly for teachers. She explained to delegates that with so many people leaving the profession, one of the key challenges schools now face, is to put in place measures that will increase workplace happiness. The workshop looked at the Laughology happiness matrix and introduced ideas about creating happy-centred schools and cultures in schools conducive to well-being. We explained that in the best well-being cultures, people take responsibility for themselves and their own well-being – which is something they create actively, rather wait for it to be delivered passively.

In the dynamic one –hour interactive session, delegates discovered how their schools can support staff and pupils to take responsibility for their own happiness and how this has beneficial impacts on the community and families connected to those school.