Staff Wellbeing

Across the Bushey St James Trust we have been working hard to prioritise flexibility for our employees to support greater work life balance. Our ambition is for teachers and associate staff to be afforded some of the flexibility that might be available in other sectors of the workplace, including a flexible approach to part time working and offering additional benefits for all. We always make every effort to:

• limit the number of meetings that our staff are in
• look to use technology, where possible, to reduce teachers’ workload
• keep written reports to parents light-touch
• survey staff annually to get honest opinions on how to improve the school and staff wellbeing
• offer four bespoke morning or afternoon CPD sessions as well as 5 high quality INSET days per year

There are a multitude of great Core Wellbeing Benefits to joining the Bushey St James Trust. These include:

• an occasional day off for all staff in the Autumn Term
• a confidential Employee Assistance Programme for staff to access 24 hours per day
• free access to the Body Mind Soul Gym
• heavily subsidised childcare at the Little Gems Nursery
• a tax efficient ‘bike to work’ scheme
• a two-day Annual Conference
• varied leadership opportunities
• non-contact time in excess of the statutory specified 10% PPA
• a genuine annual Staff Wellbeing Day
• opportunity to deliver parents evenings remotely
• a new staffroom with speciality complimentary drinks
• regular wellbeing gestures and activities offered throughout the year
• a designated Professional Learning Area
• a cohesive CPD programme for all staff
• access to a school-based Mental Health First Aider
• a positive culture and a genuine open-door policy
• regularly published high quality resources to share best practice and recognise staff
• a Staff Suggestion Box regularly reviewed by leaders
• a streamlined staff calendar with generous contingency time
• regular staff celebrations and INSET days with high quality food offer

Further information about staff benefits is available on our Trust Website: Benefits of Joining the BSJT

For additional information please also read the Staff Wellbeing Charter: Staff Wellbeing Charter

Besides the Core Wellbeing Benefits outlined above, from September 2024 we are also intending to offer all staff each year the choice of one of the following additional benefits: