Excellence in Staff Wellbeing Award

As teachers and school staff leave the profession in record numbers, recruitment and retention is a key priority for school leaders in 2025. Alarmingly, data shows that almost one in ten of all newly qualified teachers left the profession within the first year in the state-funded sector in 2022/23. Also, and just as alarming, data shows that 42% of qualified teachers left the profession within their first 10 years of teaching. This growing crisis doesn’t just deprive schools of valuable expertise and experience – it places immense pressure on the staff and teachers who stay and step in to fill the gaps.

Combined with rising costs and the unprecedented pressure on children’s services, staff shortages are placing an extraordinary strain on schools, limiting their ability to deliver the high-quality education that every child deserves.

How can we begin to address this crisis? At One Education, we believe the answer lies in prioritising staff wellbeing and promoting a healthy, happy workplace where everyone can thrive.

Why Wellbeing Matters

Research shows there are disturbingly high rates of stress, anxiety, depression and burnout in the education workforce, with 77% of staff reporting that they experience symptoms of poor mental health due to work. It is unsurprising, then, that teachers who were considering leaving the profession cited wellbeing as one of the primary factors.

To attract and retain the best talent for our schools, it’s important for teachers to feel valued, respected, and supported by their community. However, only 62% of education staff say that their organisation supports employees who suffer with mental health difficulties. 50% say that their organisation’s culture has a negative impact on their wellbeing, which, although is a slight increase from data in the previous year, remains a significant concern. For school leaders, addressing these challenges is essential not only for staff morale but also for the long-term success of their school.

Supporting and promoting wellbeing not only improves recruitment and retention but also boosts morale and productivity in the classroom. Investing in wellbeing is therefore more than just an investment in your staff – it’s an investment in the future of your pupils.

The Excellence for Wellbeing Award

Our Excellence for Staff Wellbeing Award is designed to celebrate schools who have built a culture of care in the workplace – where staff wellbeing is at the heart of every decision. Our assessment process reviews schools based on the following key enablers of staff wellbeing:

• Ethos and Culture: Does the school foster a positive, inclusive, and supportive environment for its staff? Is wellbeing embedded in the school’s values and everyday practices?
• Leadership and Management: Are leaders actively engaged in promoting staff wellbeing, providing support, and leading by example? Do managers have the skills and knowledge to adequately manage and support staff?
• Communication: Is there clear, open communication regarding decisions that may affect staff wellbeing, including policies, procedures, and feedback channels?
• Data: Is data on wellbeing gathered and used effectively to inform decision-making and improvements in the workplace? Are wellbeing interventions specific and targeted based on your schools staff data?
• Environment: Does the physical environment of the school support staff wellbeing, creating spaces where staff feel valued, respected, and motivated?

Once these areas have been reviewed, schools are awarded based on the level of commitment and progress they have made. Our awards include bronze, silver and gold – plus, our brand new platinum award.

Introducing Platinum

The Platinum Wellbeing Award is designed to celebrate schools who go above and beyond for staff wellbeing. It is for those who have already achieved our Gold Award, but continue to innovate, inspire, and make a lasting impact both internally and externally.

As part of the award programme, we will work closely with schools to share the latest knowledge, insights, and interventions in wellbeing, ensuring that their strategies remain responsive to emerging challenges and aligned with best practices.

Why work towards one of our Wellbeing Awards?

• Attract top talent and stand out as the employer of choice by showcasing your commitment to staff wellbeing.
• Celebrate your success with the official One Education Wellbeing Award Plaque, alongside our official logo to showcase on your stationary, website and marketing materials.
• Build a sustainable future for your school by creating a positive working environment that empowers staff to perform at their best.

Ready to take the next step?

In the face of recruitment and retention challenges, staff wellbeing has never been more important. Our Excellence for Staff Wellbeing Award ensures your school can continue to grow and nurture the talent within your team.

Get in touch today.

If, however you don’t feel quite ready to go for one of our awards, why not get in touch to see how we can support you in building your staff wellbeing strategy? Our experts will support and guide you to create and implement a 12 month staff wellbeing strategy for your establishment, thus, placing you in a strong position for one of our awards in the future.