Category Archives: Updates

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

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.

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

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.