Categories Updates

APRIL 2025 – Let’s Talk Menopause: Education Mutual’s 2025 Commitment

Menopause is a natural phase in a woman’s life, but its symptoms, such as hot flushes, memory lapses, and a loss of confidence, can significantly disrupt daily routines and make teaching particularly challenging. Government research highlights that many women feel menopause remains a taboo topic in the workplace. Some are unaware they are experiencing it, while others are reluctant to seek support due to fears of gender or age-related discrimination.

According to the UK Government’s School and College Voice 2024 report, a significant number of teaching staff feel that menopausal symptoms have negatively affected their ability to do their job. The most commonly reported issues include anxiety (61%), forgetfulness (60%), reduced concentration (58%), increased stress (56%), and a decline in confidence (52%). Despite these challenges, awareness of workplace support remains low: only 20% of respondents were aware of a menopause action plan at their school, while 23% said their school did not have one. Notably, just over half of teachers were unsure whether any plan existed at all.

Education Mutual offers a wide range of services aimed at supporting women through their individual journey through the menopause. On top of existing support, such as access to counselling, webinar training for employers and support for staff members and partners, new areas include:

  • A menopause Symptom Tracker where individuals can monitor and manage their menopause symptoms effectively, allowing users to track changes in their health, identify patterns, and access personalised advice to better navigate this life stage.
  • Our Guidance for Partners service is designed to help individuals navigate the changes that menopause can bring to a relationship. We provide compassionate advice on how to understand and respond to symptoms, while fostering empathy and open communication.
  • Refreshed webinar content and a new Perfect your Personal Journey workshop, which empowers individuals with practical guidance and personalised strategies to navigate
    their unique experiences.
  • A brand new Menopause Blog, providing a dedicated space offering valuable insights, tips, and personal stories related to menopause, all aiming to raise awareness, break stigmas, and provide support through expert advice.

To learn more about these menopause related services, please click this link for further detail: https://www.educationmutual.co.uk/service/menopause/

 

Sources used:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/menopause-and-workplace-productivity/menopause-and-workplace-productivity

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-and-college-voice-omnibus-surveys-for-2023-to-2024/school-and-college-voice-april-2024

Categories Updates

March 2025 – NEW SERVICE Staff Reputation Legal Protection

Education Mutual is excited to announce the launch of our new service, Staff Reputation Legal Protection, available to all member schools starting April 2025.

In recent years, incidents of online defamation and abusive comments targeting school staff have become increasingly prevalent. We’re expanding our protection to include legal support for defamation cases. The service aims to provide swift and effective assistance to staff facing damaging statements arising from their professional duties. This proactive intervention aims to resolve issues swiftly, preventing escalation and reducing the long-term impact on staff which came from the education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, who recently expressed her “concern about the volume of complaints and the degree to which that can take up staff time”. Her comments came after a Tes article revealed that more than eight in 10 school leaders had had an increase in complaints.

This development has gathered attention within the education sector, with publications like Schools Week, recognising our new initiative to support staff in combating online trolls. Our Chairman, Nick Hurn, highlighted in this article the necessity of the new service, stating that the rise in unfounded online accusations has led to a culture where individuals feel entitled to make baseless claims against staff performing their duties. He emphasised that educators should not endure such attacks without recourse, and that holding perpetrators accountable is essential and anticipates that this proactive approach will address the majority of such incidents, making individuals think twice about the potential consequences of their online actions.

For more information about this new service and how it can benefit your staff, please have a chat with us via Contact Us | Education Mutual

Categories Updates

March – School Business Leader Wellbeing Index 2025

We are pleased to announce that the 2025 edition of Education Mutual’s annual research report, the School Business Leader Wellbeing Index, is now available to read.

The report, now in its third year, uses the term “SBLs” to represent the collective contributions of School Business Leaders, School Business Managers, Human Resources, and Administrative staff who are crucial in ensuring the efficient operation of state-funded primary, secondary, and special schools in England and Wales. Education Mutual aims to spark positive change with the Index to extend our benefits to all working roles within the education sector. By prioritising wellbeing, you create an environment where staff can perform at their best, ultimately enhancing the quality of education.

New additions to the report for 2025:

  • Comparisons to 2024 edition data to highlight trends and shifts within the education sector.
  • Introduction of new insights such as Regional Wellbeing Patterns and Institution-Type Separation.
  • NEW FEATURED Useful Organisations.
  • NEW RESOURCE – Supporting Educators with Technology – Jigsaw24
  • Specific recommendations for SBLs, Schools & Trusts, and the Wider Education Community.

Feel free to download, print and share the full report here: https://www.educationmutual.co.uk/school-business-leader-wellbeing-index-2025/

Categories Updates

March 2025 – SBL WI 2025 – Webinar Launch

Education Mutual is excited to announce the launch of the 2025 edition of our annual research, the School Business Leader Wellbeing Index on Wednesday 5th March 2025. This report, now in its third year, highlights the significant contributions of School Business Leaders, School Business Managers, HR, and Administrative staff. These professionals play a vital role in the smooth functioning of state-funded primary, secondary, and special schools across England and Wales.

Join us for the webinar tomorrow (Wednesday 5th March 2025) at 2pm, hosted by Louise Levy, a former School Business Leader and current Board Member of Education Mutual. Louise will be joined by the below to discuss the key findings of the 2025 report and further raise the voice of the SBL community:

  • Angela and Saralouise – Education Mutual Member School Business Leaders
  • Nici Foote and Terri Stockton – Jigsaw24

This is a unique opportunity to gain valuable insights into the wellbeing and experiences of those in the sector and to explore how this year’s report can help inform future strategies. To be part of this insightful event, click here to sign up.

Categories Updates

February 2025 – New Services

Education Mutual is pleased to announce the launch of four new services as part of our expanded healthcare offering for 2025. These additions reflect our ongoing commitment to preventing staff absenteeism and ensuring a whole school/trust approach to health and wellbeing for our members.

We understand that the education sector is ever-changing, and with it, the challenges faced by staff—both in terms of their health and professional wellbeing. By continuously reviewing and enhancing our healthcare services, we strive to provide tailored solutions that address the unique demands of education professionals in challenging environments.

Our new services are:

  • Voice CareWith the right techniques and self-care habits, our new service ensures that your voice remains strong and reliable throughout your career.
  • Sleep TherapyThis service enables meaningful changes to boost personal health and professional performance, equipping your team with practical advice to improve sleep quality.
  • Staff Reputation Legal ProtectionThis service covers the initial legal costs to help you take swift and effective action on damaging statements made about you arising from your professional duties. For more information on Staff Reputation Legal Protection, you can read the full news article here.
  • Risk Management Protection -This service is designed specifically to reduce risk management overheads while ensuring the safety and wellbeing of students, staff, and visitors.

To explore all the new services in detail, click here to browse our updated healthcare brochure.

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