Teacher wellbeing has dropped to its lowest since 2019, according to the 2025 Teacher Wellbeing Index.

The survey, conducted by the charity Education Support, paints a concerning picture: 76 per cent of education staff report feeling stressed, and 36 per cent are at risk of probable clinical depression.

One of the most striking findings is that nearly half (49 per cent) believe their working environment negatively impacts their mental health and wellbeing, while 40 per cent say they need more support from their school.

These figures highlight that wellbeing is not just an individual issue, but is deeply connected to the workplace environment and leadership practices. The findings should, therefore, be a call to action for school leaders.

We believe that one of the most important roles of school leadership is to create a working environment where teacher wellbeing is supported and staff feel genuinely valued and respected. But how can headteachers nurture such an environment?

Our research suggests that this begins with a mindset shift: support must be seen as a moral responsibility. Practical strategies exist, but their success depends on thoughtful reflection, adaptation and careful implementation in your context.

Drawing on our recent work with several headteachers, we recommend the following steps.

Be mindful of teachers’ time

Protecting teachers’ time is essential for their wellbeing, so safeguard their existing planning, preparation and assessment (PPA) time, as well as any other non-contact times.

In addition, consider whether there are ways for you to extend the amount of PPA time you offer. Could leaders use half a day to take on some of the duties typically assigned to teachers, to help reduce demands on their time?

Avoid introducing new initiatives or school-wide improvement projects during busy periods, such as when teachers are marking mock exams or other assessments.

At the beginning of each academic year, review whole-school practices and systems of working and get rid of anything that may be diverting teachers’ time away from supporting students’ learning.

Communicate any changes to teachers and actively seek and respond to their feedback.

Display affective-ness

It is essential to show empathy and respect for teachers by considering them as individuals and being flexible and understanding in meeting their needs.

Work on being friendly and approachable to help teachers feel comfortable in your presence.

Ensure you are available so staff can seek your help, and check in on them in ways that are not perceived as monitoring.

Identify those who are struggling with personal and professional issues and plan morale-boosting activities. Offer constructive criticism and advice and encourage their perseverance.

During lesson observations, focus not only on the “mechanics” of teaching and areas for improvement, but also on recognising and celebrating the individual teacher’s achievements.

Offer recognition and rewards

Create opportunities for teachers to engage in school activities that interest them. When feasible, offer financial recognition or rewards for this, and facilitate their progression through the pay scale.

Publicly acknowledge teachers, presenting badges or awards for years of service, and consider rewarding outstanding project outcomes with an afternoon off - or even a whole day off.

Encourage students to express their gratitude to teachers, and send your own cards to teachers, as well as highlighting staff achievements in letters to parents.

Communicate effectively and enable teachers’ voice

Develop a culture of open discussion, where teachers feel heard and valued. Engage in regular informal conversations in which you share your vision for the school and ask staff for their perspectives.

Take responsibility for creating a space where teachers can express their opinions without fear of reprisal.

Use staff surveys to capture their thoughts and share the findings - including action plans, to be reviewed at a specified point - with the whole school community.

Motivate teachers

Talk with teachers to understand their interests and what motivates them, and assign them to roles or projects that align with their interests. Provide support for them to develop the necessary skills to complete these.

Support may include creating a bank of freely available continued professional development (CPD) opportunities offered by universities and organisations, and signposting these to staff.

Treat teachers as professionals

Show respect for teachers by acknowledging their professional expertise as intellectuals, not just technicians. For example, talk openly with them about instructional practices, seeking their advice and opinions on classroom strategies; trust them to undertake their assigned tasks without needing to be micromanaged; and involve them in decision-making processes - especially those relating to teaching and learning.

In addition to providing opportunities and funding for CPD, encourage teachers to share the knowledge and best practices gained from that CPD during staff meetings.

Facilitate leadership opportunities

Encourage teachers into middle leadership positions, and implement distributed leadership. This approach involves sharing responsibilities among multiple individuals or teams within the school.

Teachers from all levels of the school should be urged to take on leadership roles based on their skills and areas of interest, ensuring a diverse and capable leadership team.

Promote teacher collaboration

Create opportunities for connections between teachers by scheduling regular collaborative sessions.

Ensure that these focus on exchanging information to support teachers’ own growth and improvement, not just on the needs of the school and students.

Mark Minott is a lecturer in teacher education at the University of Hull. Angel Urbina-Garcia is assistant professor of early childhood and a director of postgraduate taught programmes at the University of Hull. Linda Enow is a senior lecturer in education and multi-professional practice at Birmingham Newman University

You can now get the UK’s most-trusted source of education news in a mobile app. Get Tes magazine on iOS and on Android