Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, reaching the festive season can be an exhausting experience. Elizabeth Holmes explains why it's important to ensure staff return to work refreshed and stress-free. 'Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.' Dalai Lama The pressures at work and at...

The word ‘appraisal’ often conjures images of clipboards and awkward conversations. Alex Masters explores how this process can bring out the best in your teams. It’s the time of year for appraisals and, as part of their role, many SBMs carry these out for their school’s support staff. Indeed, these...

Making the transition from trainee to fully fledged teacher is exciting, challenging and, at times, daunting. Whether this is your first career or a change of career, being in charge of your own class(es) can feel so different from the relative cocoon of training. Optimus expert, Elizabeth Holmes,...

Looking to introduce mindfulness into your school? Elizabeth Holmes explains why there's potential in the idea, and how you can get started. After some time in the wilderness, mindfulness has recently enjoyed wide-scale exposure and drawn the attention of researchers keen to determine precisely how...