Workload Charter
We passionately believe that every person should have the opportunity to “become the best version of the 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, the group of employees represent all job roles. Stakeholders from all levels including Headteachers, the Central Team, Directors and trade unions have supported with 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 well considered and based on solid rationale, full consultation and involvement of employees and union representatives.
Opportunities for working together to share best practice and resources between schools and phases, building internal and external networks that support excellence across the Trust.
The process to input or extract data should be as straightforward as possible and the impact on employee workload considered.
Assessment and feedback - All schools have a clear policy and monitor its implementation to ensure that the workload for Teaching staff (and Support staff where relevant) is reasonable.
Quality assurance processes - Professional development should be underpinned by a transparent QA process which is well understood and valued by all.
A commitment to review the report writing arrangement 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 our shared objectives and our 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 will continue to develop these as we grow.
Effective leaders set a good example, demonstrating how they balance the demands of work, ensuring that staff wellbeing and workload is a key consideration when making decisions. We have positive relationships with external partners and work closely with them at a Trust level and at an individual school level.
Those who attend school and work within the Trust feel safe, happy and are treated with respect. 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 own professional judgement when sending or accessing their emails. There is no expectation that emails received outside of working hours are to be responded to.
Employees have access to confidential counselling through a self-referral portal, access to occupational health and physiotherapy.
Recognising an increase in stress and anxiety within the education sector over the years, wellbeing has been identified as a strategic priority.
The development of this workload charter, the implementation of a professional staff engagement survey, identification of school level priorities and Trust level priorities will ensure that wellbeing of BCCET employees continues to be a priority. The Trust and school calendars are planned in advance, all meetings and deadlines carefully considered. Headteachers and Leaders will ensure that the calendar falls within the working time for all employees and that attendance at meetings is restricted to those who need to attend.
High quality professional development.
Professional development is informed by quality assurance programmes centered around developmental feedback, coaching and support. We ensure that all staff have access to bespoke high-quality feedback, coaching and CPD opportunities. As a Trust, we have high expectations and continue to strive for excellence. We believe that ‘getting better never stops’.
Employees receive both professional and personal CPD within our Trust, this will contribute to the development of healthy organisations where vulnerable trust sits at the heart.
Ensuring that we build high quality practitioners and leaders is essential for the future of education within our Trust and beyond. Succession planning and nurturing talent is a key strategy for developing the leaders of the future.