Mental Health and Wellbeing
Our SCITT values all staff and trainee teachers across our SCITT 'family' and the contribution they make to teaching and nurturing children in our borough.
The scale of our SCITT affords a small, safe network of support to support trainees to manage the demands of the course and to work to the best of their abilities.
We are committed to protecting the health, safety and welfare of our trainees and staff, and to recognise the organisational and emotional challenges that are part of the intense ten month programme and which can impact physical and mental health and wellbeing.
We provide an open, inclusive and supportive culture which promotes awareness to personal wellbeing and self-care.
Our support during centre-based training blocks includes:
- Open door policy to talk about concerns as soon as they arise
- Focussed training across the year to support in managing workload and wellbeing
- Trainee Representative group to allow trainees to have their voice heard as part of our Teacher Training community
Our support during placement includes:
- Weekly School-Based Mentor meetings to support progress
- Online group calls with the SCITT Director to share experiences and maintain connection with the SCITT team
- A Placement Coordinator in each school, responsible for monitoring the wellbeing of trainee and mentor
- A SCITT Link Tutor who visits during placements to provide additional support, feedback and to serve as an advocate
- SCITT Alumni – Ex trainees in schools who are happy to help with any questions. They are an empathetic ear and have experienced the teacher training journey first-hand. Some may now be Mentors, leaders or even Headteachers!
- Access to additional support from the SCITT team for trainees facing particular challenges. We can make a range of adaptations to secure progress and success.
How is mental health and wellbeing addressed on the course?
Pastoral & Professional Sessions
- Being a Novice / Professional Expectations
- Receiving Feedback
- Managing Challenging Behaviours
- Organising and Managing Workload
- Mental Health and Wellbeing
At the start of the programme we work together to acknowledge the impact of our transition from experienced employee or undergraduate to a novice trainee. We identify the theory underpinning the typical challenges and explore common strategies to manage this change healthily. We then identify strategies to take ownership of our learning and the routine reflection and target setting involved in the programme.
In the spring we address the complexities of responding to challenging situations in the classroom, separate the personal from the professional. We also consider a range of strategies to build into our repertoire to address the demands of workload on our placements.
Teacher training is an incredibly demanding yet fantastically rewarding period of a teachers life. We acknowledge these challenges openly, share our experiences and build our confidence together.
At SCITT, we believe that developing healthy professional and personal 'habits' is just as important as developing your primary teaching pedagogy.
What mental health support can I access as a trainee at SCITT?
The Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
SCITT staff and trainees have access to the EAP which provides 24/7 expert advice and support to help with any issues that may be affecting mental health and wellbeing.
The EAP includes counselling and practical support and advice on both personal and work-related issues.
The EAP is run by Education Support, the only UK charity dedicated to improving the wellbeing and mental health of education staff in schools, colleges and universities. The support is available to anyone who works in schools about all kinds of issues including:
- Feeling overwhelmed
- Stressed or anxious
- Personal issues
- Financial information
- Issues of work-life balance
The Education Support Website also has a range of free to access resources to explore on a range of topics.
https://www.educationsupport.org.uk/
Which resources can help me maintain my wellbeing during the course?
The Calm App
This mental fitness app focuses on guiding you through facing life’s ups and down. This can be anything from managing stress and anxiety, helping you sleep better at night or guided meditation. Short guided meditations
The NHS Better Health: Every Mind Matters
The 5-question quiz is a great place to start, especially if you're not sure where to begin.
You'll get a personalised action plan with tips from mental health experts. You can also sign up for weekly emails, based on your plan.
https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/
Living Life to the Full
Living Life to the Full is a free library of online resources and courses that teach a range of life skills that aim to improve wellbeing and resilience throughout life. Whether living with a long-term condition, experiencing anxiety, low mood or stress, or are (or about to be) a new parent; Living Life to the Full has been created by experts in cognitive behavioural therapy.
