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08/03/24

Happy International Women's Day! Special thanks to Ms Harris and Mrs Tyson for the kind staff gift this morning. pic.twitter.com/c0ZE5YUeFt

01/03/24

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29/02/24

Student briefings this week have been about kindness pic.twitter.com/xvVPQuY7FA

29/02/24

Year 11s have paused during their heavy mock season and taken time to show their gratitude to staff who are going above and beyond. pic.twitter.com/7e18Lc7rOp

07/12/23

REMINDER: It is Christmas jumper day tomorrow!

20/11/23

Some of our members of staff supporting children in need. pic.twitter.com/W8znHeDYbK

17/11/23

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16/11/23

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15/11/23

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15/11/23

Odd sock day at HARI This is a national event marking the start of Anti-Bullying week. This event celebrates our differences and what makes us unique! pic.twitter.com/4cBXiNZwXC

13/11/23

Lest we forgetOur Riverside cadets laid wreaths to commemorate all who lost their lives whilst fighting for freedom pic.twitter.com/2H25FH2UYE

06/11/23

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06/11/23

Year 11 mock season begins; good luck! pic.twitter.com/Q62XCPV5ww

10/10/23

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09/10/23

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02/10/23

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02/10/23

All set up and ready to go for an English Walking Talking Mock with some AQA Examiners today. pic.twitter.com/EwWN9F8Ncl

18/08/23

Congratulations to our Class of 2023 on their results. Further details here: https://t.co/Wozbfu9OK0

18/08/23

That’s our Head Girl! Maria is going to University College London to study Statistics, Economics and Finance! 💶 Congratulations Maria from everyone at HARI ! 👌 pic.twitter.com/gIBa7gj4xW

18/08/23

Gap year for Bernardas 🥳 But those results will open a lot of doors when he’s ready! Congratulations from everyone at HARI! pic.twitter.com/IxEZqiTVym

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Team Wellbeing

"We want being part of the HARI team and The Harris Federation to be part of a life journey and to contribute to a sense of worth and personal growth."

Below you can find the entire contents of the 'Staff wellbeing policy 2021.'

If you are a member of staff please complete our Wellbeing Policy Consultation

The pdf version is downloadable from the bottom of this page 

Staff well-being policy

Principles

At Harris Academy Riverside we expect all adults to role model outstanding habits of behaviour and outstanding habits of learning. We also expect adults to act with kindness, compassion and empathy towards students and each other.

It is therefore incumbent on the academy to treat its staff with the same standards of care and respect.

According to the NEU’s 2017 workload survey, 81% of teachers considered leaving the profession in in the previous year due to workload. Additionally, a survey carried out by the BBC in 2015 found that 83% of teachers had experienced workplace stress.  

The COVID 19 pandemic has only increased such stresses and placed further strain on systems and processes.

Harris Academy Riverside is therefore committed to doing all it can to identify, highlight, monitor, assess, mitigate and minimise such stresses and to provide assistance to members of staff who may be suffering any kind of adverse effects on wellbeing.

The academy accepts the Health and Safety Executive definition of work-related stress as “the adverse reaction a person has to excessive pressure or other types of demand placed on them.” This is a clear distinction from what would be considered ‘reasonable pressures’ which stimulate and motivate employees and ‘stress’ where an individual feels they are unable to cope with ‘excessive pressures’ or demands placed upon them.  

Approach

In order to ensure that our approach to wellbeing is broad and comprehensive, the academy follows a model based on a legitimate and widely accepted models of workplace motivation; Maslow’s Heirarchy of Needs.

In consultation with staff, leaders and governors, the academy has developed five layers of wellbeing based on the five stages of Maslow’s pyramid;

  1. Fundamental basic needs
  2. Belonging
  3. Respect of others
  4. Self Esteem
  5. Self-actualisation

The academy aims to consider and improve wellbeing in each of these five layers as follows;

 

What we do:

Fundamental basic needs

 

We want members of the HARI team to have access to the basic things they need to feel comfortable and do their jobs; and when there is an issue, to  be able to get help.

The academy provides;

 

  • Harris £1,500 salary enhancement for teaching staff;
  • generous teaching and contact load for class room staff;
  • free tea, coffee, milk and bottled water;
  • subsidised canteen food;
  • free ‘Just Because’ snacks and treats from time to time;
  • unlimited (no budget) access to stationery, resources, equipment and printing;
  • free access to all sports, arts and musical equipment including the fitness suite;
  • leave, at the discretion of The Principal, for life events (such as a child’s graduation or nativity play;)
  • access to the medical officer;
  • a brand new, well maintained and well-appointed building;
  • dedicated teacher allocated class rooms;
  • a COVID safe environment;
  • modern technology, Wi-Fi, access to laptops and Macs;
  • a resourced and modern staff room and staff work area;
  • Harris benefits* package including cycle scheme, ICT and season ticket loans and discounts at Tapi carpets;
  • Harris Wellbeing Cash Plan* which provides free 24/7 access to medical and mental health care:
  • Harris Employee Assistance Scheme* which provides free 24/7 access to advice on issues from family finance to stress, anxiety and bereavement and
  • a generous pension scheme.

 

* Why work for Harris Federation. Discover why you should join Harris Federation (harriscareers.org.uk)

Belonging

 

We want members of the HARI team to feel that they are part of the academy culture and ethos and part of a supportive and enriching team of colleagues.

The academy provides;

 

  • staff challenges and social events such as fitness training, trips and gatherings which provide opportunities to create bonds and bring people together,
  • INSET and other training, including The Orange Book which aims to ensure that everyone understands the culture and vision of the academy;
  • a robust and well thought out system of protocols and routines which create cohesion, calm and order;
  • regular subject area time for development of professional  and working relationships;
  • mentors and members of the ‘teaching and learning team’ who provide coaching and training to ensure that members of staff at all levels feel part of the academy’s development and success;
  • sharing of success stories;
  • ‘ABCD’ weekly award - ‘above and beyond the call of duty’ award for one member of staff each week voted for by peers;
  • supportive and regular line management meetings in which issues can be raised and problems discussed and which provide direct access to the senior leadership team for ideas, suggestions or areas of concern;
  • guaranteed places at the academy to children of the HARI team (who have been employed at the academy for at least 2 years)

Respect

 

We want staff to feel respected for their effort and professionalism and for that respect to be visible.

The academy provides;

 

  • a robust behaviour management system which provides staff with a safe, calm and orderly working environment and effective support in the event of poor or disrespectful behaviour;
  • the ‘HARI team’ award which is an SLT nominated award given half termly to one team for their contribution to the academy;
  • a system of TLR and responsibility payments which recognise professional responsibilities and achievements;
  • the Harris loyalty bonus scheme;
  • openness to rapid internal progression and promotion;
  • objective and open performance management process;
  • consultation processes in areas of impact such as marking policy, wellbeing policy, COVID plans and RSE policy;
  • open and honest communications by senior leaders about plans and developments;
  • a culture which respects diversity and inclusion.

Self-esteem

 

We want members of the HARI team to feel that they are doing a great job; not just because they have the respect of their peers, students and senior leaders but because they themselves feel it.

 The academy provides;

 

  • an outward looking and research based CPD program providing members of the HARI team with choices about career progression on a subject strand or whole academy level;
  • a variety of formal and informal routes to grow; bold and innovative development routes into teaching and senior leadership;
  • a culture of giving opportunities and chances;
  • supportive, non-contributory access to a raft of external courses at all levels from executive senior leadership to apprenticeships, via the Harris teaching schools;
  • an inspiring and coherent model which provides tangible benefits to the local community and its children;
  • ownership over the curriculum, teaching style and pedagogical method;

Self-actualisation 

 

We want being part of the HARI team and The Harris Federation to be part of a life journey and to contribute to a sense of worth and personal growth. 

The academy provides;

 

  • flexible working to allow for family, outside interests and projects and cultural or religious development;
  • the freedom to create impact; backing and encouragement to implement ideas and projects within the HARI culture;
  • support for life projects such as ‘Masters’ qualifications and degrees;
  • membership of one of the most respected academy trusts which contributes to the lives of disadvantaged students across London;
  • an opportunity to be part of an academy and a project which inspires its community.

 

Workload

The academy recognises that there are many factors in a traditional secondary environment which can cause undue workload, stress and anxiety; the academy works to organise itself and actively to find innovative ways to reduce undue workload, as follows;

Members of the senior leadership team relieve the traditional workload of teachers by carrying out the following tasks;

  • creating and maintaining whole academy and subject displays in corridors and in class rooms;
  • quality assuring, editing and working with subject planners on schemes of work and prep;
  • making pastoral and behaviour calls to parents;
  • analysing data;
  • producing, processing and publishing parent reports;
  • handling all subject and whole academy budgets;
  • designing seating plans;
  • stocking class rooms with stationery and exercise books;
  • creating models and templates for planners to follow and
  • writing initial plans and resources for new or extra-curricular initiatives such as RSE curriculum, student briefings and safeguarding briefings.

Other ways in which the academy attempts to reduce undue workload are;

  • publishing deadlines and requirements well in advance;
  • encouraging collaborative planning;
  • restricting the collection of assessment data to twice per year;
  • maintaining a marking policy which does not require marking to be carried out outside of timetabled lesson times (except in respect of external assessments and in year 11 and 13;)
  • maintaining a policy where no homework needs to be set or marked (except in years 11 and 13; )
  • reducing the need for duties by employing a dedicated non-teaching pastoral team and restricting requests to carry out duties to class room staff who are under teaching load and
  • maintaining a policy of rare unplanned cover.

Authorities

The academy believes that this policy meets and goes beyond the recommendations of the publication by the Department for Education in conjunction with education unions including the NEU, and OFSTED as update in July 2020 ‘Reducing school workload’ in its three main areas of focus;

  • marking,
  • planning and resources and
  • data management

Roles and responsibilities:

All members of the HARI team

All members of the HARI team are responsible for considering staff wellbeing at the forefront of their daily thinking, their planning and their execution of daily duties including

  • treating everyone with respect and kindness;
  • looking after the environment;
  • maintaining a positive atmosphere;
  • taking part as a team member and
  • following routines and expectations.

In particular, all adults in the academy have a responsibility to raise potential wellbeing issues to their line managers with openness and honesty and without delay.

Senior Leadership Team

All members of the senior leadership team are responsible for highlighting, discussing, monitoring and dealing with issues of staff wellbeing through their roles as line mangers.

Staff Wellbeing Lead:

Miss S. Harris, Assistant Principal, is the Staff Wellbeing Lead and Mental Health First Aider.

The Staff Wellbeing Lead is responsible for the operational implementation of this policy;

  • promoting and ensuring that members of the HARI team are aware of and have access to the resources outlined in this policy;
  • collecting, monitoring, and responding to feedback and consultation on this policy and its provisions;
  • reporting to the senior leadership team on matters of staff wellbeing arising from new developments, initiatives or research and
  • maintaining a research and evidence based response to the changing climate of staff wellbeing and the needs of the HARI team;

Governor Responsibility:

Mr. T. Moore is the Staff Wellbeing governor and is responsible for;

  • monitoring the workload of the Principal;
  • monitoring the workload of the Senior Leadership team;
  • receiving any concerns from members of staff where the employee prefers not to inform a member of the senior leadership team or the Principal;
  • ensuring that the academy has the resources needed;
  • reviewing this policy in conjunction with the Principal and
  • ensuring that other academy policies do not contradict the aims of the wellbeing policy.

Consultation

The staff wellbeing policy will be subject to consultation with all members of the HARI team from time to time and prior to each annual review.

The consultation will be arranged by the Staff Wellbeing Lead and its findings reported to The Principal prior to the annual review.

 

 

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