Workload Charter
We passionately believe that every person should have the opportunity to “become the best version of themselves.” Working together in partnership we “can achieve great things.” Our Academies work collaboratively; we seek to achieve cohesion, but not uniformity. Every Academy is a unique community.
Our workload charter sets the tone for what we stand for as a Trust and sets out our commitment in relation to staff workload and wellbeing. This supports our overall mission of creating: Better Schools, Better Communities and Better Futures in Christ.
The workload charter has been developed by a committed group of employees from all current schools within the Trust, representing all job roles. Stakeholders from all levels — including Headteachers, the Central Team, Directors, and trade unions — have supported the development of this document.
Our workload charter is based on the following principles:
- The culture within our schools promotes vulnerable trust, leaders show compassion and actively foster a culture that aligns to our Gospel values.
- Our employees are provided with high-quality professional development which supports them to reach their true potential.
- The health, safety, and wellbeing of our employees is essential to building better schools, better communities and better futures in Christ.
- Our employees have a fair and reasonable workload.
We will continue to monitor and evaluate staff workload and wellbeing with the aim of being the employer of choice within the education sector.
Our employees have a fair and reasonable workload.
We have a commitment to directed time as set out in the STPACD for Teaching staff, and appropriate working hours for Leadership and Support staff.
Impact on staff workload is considered in the development of all new and revised policies. Policy development is based on solid rationale, full consultation, and involvement of employees and union representatives.
We promote opportunities for collaboration — sharing best practice and resources between schools and phases, and building internal and external networks that support excellence across the Trust.
Processes for data collection should be as straightforward as possible, always considering workload impact.
Each school has clear policies for assessment and feedback, ensuring the workload for all staff is reasonable.
Quality assurance is transparent and developmental, underpinned by professional dialogue and growth.
We are committed to reviewing report-writing systems across all schools within the Trust.
The culture within our schools promotes vulnerable trust, leaders show compassion and actively foster a culture that aligns to our Gospel values.
As a growing Trust, developing our culture is important to us. A family of schools inspired by Christ, we are committed to shared objectives and collective responsibility to deliver excellent education to all pupils.
Voices are heard and valued — all staff, pupils, parents and the wider communities we serve are encouraged to speak their truth. We have systems in place that support this across all stakeholders and continue to develop these as we grow.
Effective leaders set a good example, balancing the demands of work and ensuring that wellbeing is central to every decision. We maintain positive relationships with partners across the Trust and beyond.
Those who attend and work within our schools feel safe, happy, and respected. Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.
The health, safety and wellbeing of our employees is essential to building better schools, better communities and better futures in Christ.
We encourage all staff to use their professional judgement when sending or accessing emails. There is no expectation that emails received outside working hours must be answered.
Employees have access to confidential counselling, occupational health, and physiotherapy services.
Recognising increasing stress and anxiety across education, wellbeing has been identified as a strategic priority.
The workload charter, engagement surveys, and aligned priorities ensure that employee wellbeing remains central. Calendars are planned carefully so that meetings and deadlines remain within working hours and attendance expectations are fair.
High quality professional development.
Professional development is informed by robust quality assurance, centred around feedback, coaching, and support. All staff have access to bespoke CPD opportunities. We believe that “getting better never stops.”
Employees receive both professional and personal development within our Trust, contributing to a healthy organisation built on vulnerable trust.
We aim to build exceptional practitioners and leaders. Succession planning and talent nurturing are key to developing the educational leaders of tomorrow.