Department for Education - The Education Staff Wellbeing Charter

Who the charter is for: The charter is for all staff working in education settings in England.

This includes support staff and temporary staff.

All state funded schools and colleges, including maintained nursery schools, school-based nurseries, special schools and pupil referral units are invited to sign up to the charter voluntarily as a shared commitment to protect, promote and enhance the wellbeing of their staff. All other education institutions, such as universities, independent schools and early years providers, are free to make use of the principles and organisational commitments in the charter, but they cannot sign up. The charter was created with schools and colleges in mind, but the principles and organisational commitments will apply to most settings.

"The mental health and wellbeing of staff in education settings has always been important, but it is now more important than ever in the context of the pandemic and moving towards recovery.

I am immensely grateful for the work you do to educate children and young people and I thank you for your dedication to the profession. As Education Secretary, I want you to know that I will always be your champion. The creation of this charter is an excellent example of effective collaboration between the department and representatives from across the education sector, at a time when this was most needed. I am proud of what has been achieved.

This charter sets out commitments from this department, from Ofsted and employers working in education on actions to protect and promote the wellbeing of education staff. As signatories, we are accountable to those commitments. Everyone working in education has an important role to play in supporting their wellbeing and that of their colleagues. I encourage all schools and colleges to put wellbeing at the centre of everything you do and sign up to the charter."

Nadhim Zahawi
Secretary of State for Education
November 2021

To read the full charter, click here.