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“78 per cent of teachers said they would likely leave the profession if they were offered a job in another sector which promised a better work-life balance. This polled higher than better pay (64 per cent) as reported in The Commission on Teacher Retention. 31 per cent of teachers reported their work-life balance was either bad or very bad.“

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Helping leaders and staff to find balance between work and well-being

Balance:ed supports education leaders and staff in renewing, nurturing, and growing positive emotions, resilience, and self-efficacy by actively removing the external noise and pressure created by unrealistic external demands. Bringing us back to doing what matters most for those who matter most and for you who matters THE most. Let’s work together bringing us back from something we must do to something we love to do.

We’re not shown how to balance and hold it all effectively, we’re just expected to. The world of education has changed from something we love to do to something we are expected to do above and beyond the reasons for entering the profession. Competing demands, a high stakes regulatory system, accountability upon accountability with little or no flexibility. No wonder we have a burnt-out profession on their knees and a recruitment and retention issue. There must be a different way to balance the expectations, regulation, legal frameworks, and our roles as professionals but most importantly people.

 

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‘Education Support is engaged in this complex problem for one simple reason: our mission is to support the wellbeing of the workforce. The attrition rate is a flashing red light amidst a range of data that point to poor wellbeing. In any job, poor wellbeing leads to less good outcomes. In this case, those “outcomes” are the academic, vocational, social and emotional development of our children and young people.’ (1970s working conditions in the 2020s: Modernising the professional lives of teachers for the 21st Century, June 2023)
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“The thing is, I think there are bigger issues that need to be dealt with… I could get paid more, but if I’ve still got a really heavy workload, then those things affect your job satisfaction, your stress levels, your mental health, and that’s just something I value more than the pay at the moment.” (ECT teacher focus group for commissioned report on teacher retention crisis) “

Why

Our school community deserves positive, and work satisfied leaders and teachers

  • We are facing a recruitment and retention crisis within education
  • Lowest rate of teacher trainees’ applications than in previous years
  • Unrealistic expectations and hoops to jump through by a regulation system that simply does not get it.
  • Mental health and physical health issues on the increase
  • A depleted and tired workforce constantly stretched by demands.
  • Low self-esteem and resilience
  • Highest rates of absence citing stress as a prominent factor
  • Ofsted focus on mental health and well-being.

Our offer

To restore faith by working with CEOs, senior leaders, teachers, and school staff to gain clarity, focus and resilience

Packages of support – bespoke packages can be created

Individual – leader, teacher, COG

  • 121 sessions on personal growth and self -efficacy based on practical activities to apply within your role.
  • Supervision
  • Building a whole school well-being strategy
  • Manifesto for your school
  • Deep focused reflective exercises to gain clarity and next steps.
  • Breathing techniques to calm the nervous system and clear brain fog.

Collective – whole school or MAT

  • Training for SLT teams
  • Whole school training
  • Bespoke retreats training days
  • MAT central mental health strategy
  • CEO training

Tribe – external events of like- minded educationalists

  • Monthly meet ups
  • Day retreats
  • Overnight retreats

National

  • B-ed fest
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Aims:
  • Increased self-esteem and self-efficacy
  • Lower absence rates
  • Lower staff turnover
  • Self-regulation and responsibility
  • Better relationships with colleagues, children, and young people
  • Improved behaviour management
  • Increase rate of positive to negative emotions
shaheen

Who

Shaheen Myers has over 22 years’ experience in inner-city schools and established a background in leading and supporting schools in challenging circumstances. Her exposure within the wider aspects of education has been both broad and diverse. She held headship and executive leadership roles in a large, culturally diverse Multi Academy Trust. Has trained as an Ofsted Inspector and is an experienced board member for 3 multi academy trusts. She was an experienced facilitator on the NPQ programmes and worked as a director for professional development for a large MAT. Shaheen has also mentored and coached new head teachers.

Shaheen has a wealth of experience across the sector and most recently in her role as Deputy Director for Education in a large local authority. This strategic role included all educational establishments, working with MATs and CEOs across a city on shared vision for education and outcomes. She worked closely with Department for Education, Ofsted, Elected Members, and other local authorities.

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Testimonials

We are looking to revamp and rejuvenate our performance management this year to make it more teacher led and to align with modern day teaching. Shaheen has been instrumental in supporting school with this process, making suggestions and delivering CPD for staff. We are excited to be developing a more self and collective responsibility towards the process where teachers support each other and make decisions about the training they need.

Kirklees

Headteacher

Wow! A very thought provoking and inspirational session, encouraging us to think about our priorities in life and how our many career choices can complement these. I wish I'd had the opportunity for such reflection 30+ years ago, life could have been very different!

Primary school Kirklees

Teacher

Whilst well-being has always been at the heart of the education of our children, it is only recently that it has become higher profile linked to the workload agenda for staff.  I gained a certificate for SMHL from the National College this year and it provided me with a good depth of knowledge about well-being linked to all stakeholders. The programme offered a comprehensive delve into the 8 strands of well-being and some guidance towards creating an action plan. I still felt I needed further direction, reflection time and support towards developing this further.  Balance:ed was the missing piece to this jigsaw.  

Whitechapel CofE Primary School

Deputy Head Teacher

We held an initial meeting to discuss the packages offered and Shaheen worked with us to see what this could look like for our school. The whole experience was bespoke and done with staff and that’s what makes it so different to anything else on the market. There isn’t a ‘one size fits all’ feeling. Everything that was discussed linked to what we wanted to develop within school. We are moving at a fast pace on our well-being journey now, thanks to the incredible work of balance:ed. We are creating action plans and policies, which are being developed alongside staff and pupils, giving everyone autonomy and efficacy. Balance:ed puts support and challenge at the heart of everything they do. We are using them for supervision for our SLT, as well as some further work on our performance management structure.  The involvement with Balance:ed has ensured we have the right level of challenge and support moving forward with our well-being strategy and other areas. Budgets are tight, but this work is essential.   The whole process is enabling us to move forward, having time for reflection, using the excellence of the high support and high challenge, which Balance:ed brings. I can not wait to see what the further holds for our wonderful team.   

Whitechapel CofE Primary School

Deputy Head Teacher

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