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15 Tips For Creating a Positive School Ethos

Tried and Tested Ways to Create a Positive School Ethos and Culture

Education can be is a very stressful industry to work in. However for the many teachers who would not consider working anywhere else there are ways to make the job much less stressful. Creating a positive school ethos and atmosphere of your school, nursery, college can have a huge impact on staff wellbeing, retention and job satisfaction. Whilst there are many factors that influence this all staff and leaders can work towards this.

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A Positive culture can be described as:

  • Inspiration and happiness.
  • A Place where people like coming to work
  • A place where people show respect for each other
  • A place where people feel supported and listened
  • Students and families contribute – It is a school community, developing positive relationships with parents and carers can really help reduce areas of potential conflict.

Issues you may need to overcome to develop a positive ethos.

  • External factors, such as home life, political input
  • Low staff buy in to change
  • Entrenched culture and systems
A positive school culture can be desxcribed as inspiration and happiness. Ethos quote

How can you impact school culture

  • Lay out a vision for people to follow this could tie in with the school’s mission statement.
  • Engagement and communication with colleagues. Encourage people to talk to you about problems. Be ready to support but not take over.
  • Model positive attitude at all times.
  • Develop respect by practicing what you preach Show you empathise with any issues identified and foster discussion about solutions.
  • Challenge poor practice through good communication in a supportive non-judgemental way.
  • Maintain a positive attitude at all times – I know I have repeated myself but this really is key.

Advanced Strategies For Creating a Positive School Ethos:

  • Meeting in small groups to discuss ethos and current school climate.
  • Don’t do questionnaires, they are rarely engaged with meaningfully open to interpretation of questions and don’t reveal people’s underlying beliefs (which what you need to know to change culture)
  • Appreciation postcard/board. Praise good practice in an informal way to boost self-esteem and wellbeing of staff
  • Debriefing after every incident for staff, supportive and show support is available.

Fostering a Positive School Ethos: 6 Tried and True Strategies for UK Schools

Creating a nurturing school environment where students can thrive requires establishing a positive ethos. UK schools have used various proven methods over the years to develop a supportive culture. This section outlines key strategies for schools to build a positive ethos that benefits students, teachers, and the entire school community.

Promote Core Values

  • Work with staff, students, and parents to define core values like respect, responsibility, compassion.
  • Reinforce these values in policies, assemblies, lessons, signage.
  • Recognise students who demonstrate the values.

Encourage Collaboration

  • Create opportunities for staff and students to work together on projects, clubs, and in class.
  • Display and celebrate examples of teamwork and group achievements.

Celebrate Successes

  • Make praise, rewards, and recognition of accomplishments commonplace.
  • Highlight student achievements in assemblies, prize givings, newsletters.

Involve the School Community

  • Consult students, staff, parents, and governors regularly for input.
  • Act on feedback to improve school life.

Empower Student Voice

  • Facilitate student councils, leadership roles, surveys, and open door policies.
  • Give students agency to shape school life.

Promote Inclusivity

  • Reinforce respect and celebration of diversity in messages and policies.
  • Implement anti-bullying and discrimination initiatives.

Creating an inclusive, collaborative, and supportive environment allows students to feel safe, valued, and empowered – key ingredients for a positive ethos. By implementing such strategies, schools can help students thrive and reach their full potential.

How is your school culture? Speak to leadership about reviewing positive school ethos strategies.

15 Tips For Creating a Positive School Ethos - School leadership
15 Tips For Creating a Positive School Ethos

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