The best schools according to staff
What makes a school a great place to work?
By Dr Louise Parkes
Voice Project would like to congratulate SCEGGS Darlinghurst as the first school to achieve a Best Workplace Award in 2021. This prestigious award recognises exceptional workplaces across more than 40 industries, where staff give clear feedback that they feel supported and engaged.
SCEGGS is the third school to achieve this award, with St Andrew’s Cathedral School and Loreto Kirribilli being awarded in 2020. In each of these schools, more than 80% of staff responding to the Staff Voice Survey rated their workplace practices positively. The overall results of the surveys were also more than 10% above Voice Project’s industry benchmark for the independent school sector.
Head of School Jenny Allum receiving SCEGGS Darlinghurst Best Workplace Award
Overcoming challenges
We have previously written about the idiosyncrasies of working in a school environment, and it is useful to see how these exemplary schools are overcoming the common challenges faced within the sector. Independent schools tend to have highly engaged staff who believe in the purpose and values of their school, and take pride in student outcomes and school achievements. However, a common challenge is how to balance high performance expectations with support for staff wellbeing and work-life balance. Co-curricular activities can mean that many staff work a six-day week at minimum, and commitments may extend from the early morning until late evening. Unlike many other organisations, schools can find it difficult to provide flexible working conditions for teachers. Schools are also characterised by strong traditions of top-down decision-making, adding to the lack of control felt by staff. In addition, schools often do not have dedicated People and Culture leaders to implement professional systems that support career development for staff, such as transparent and fair recruitment and promotion practices or performance evaluation and feedback.
What award-winning schools do differently
We explored in detail what staff had to say about SCEGGS, Loreto Kirribilli and St Andrew’s Cathedral School. While each school has unique strengths, we also discovered common differentiators.
The survey questions on which they most significantly outperformed the rest of the sector included:
Senior leaders keep people informed, listen to staff and behave in a way that is consistent with the values of the school
The school is good at selecting the right people for the right jobs
The school celebrates success, recognises staff contributions and demonstrates confidence in staff
Staff performance is evaluated often enough, and staff are provided with clear guidelines for improvement
Change is handled well, and the school is good at learning from mistakes and successes
Staff are consulted before decisions that affect them are made, and they are encouraged to give feedback about things that concern them.
When asked to name the three best things about working at their schools, staff mentioned some positive aspects that are common across the sector such as great working relationships with colleagues, students and parents, and good opportunities for professional development.
However, they also cited some more unusual attributes:
Leadership
”executive are available for advice”
”encouragement from senior leaders”
“the leadership team are so supportive, fully able to speak about all areas of the school with accuracy and confidence”
“an approachable team of leaders who care about the staff”
“the feeling of being valued, understood and supported by the executive”Involvement and empowerment
“staff are trusted and listened to regarding any issues”
“I’m trusted as a staff member in decision making and instrumenting change”
“I feel valued and heard”
“the freedom I am given to make decisions”
“autonomy and trust in my ability to do my job and willingness to allow me to make changes to how things are done”Staff support, recognition and wellbeing
“the atmosphere is encouraging and supportive”
“staff wellbeing is of high importance”
“I feel confident enough to go ask for help”
“it is great to feel supported and also appreciated”
“the way staff are cared for and looked after”Inclusion and respect
“everyone behaves professionally”
“I feel included in the stages I work with”
“culture of positivity and inclusion”
“the acceptance and support of difference”
“a safe, respectful and happy place for all to be”.
Loreto Kirribilli achieved their award during the peak of COVID-19, and it was clear from staff responses that they were able to leverage their strengths at that time. They successfully transitioned to remote learning through swift technology implementation and training, and according to staff, “the changed strategies made due to coronavirus have been outstanding, supportive of staff and students and I have personally experienced calmness, clear direction, consultation and transparency during this time”. St Andrew’s Cathedral School also checked in with staff during COVID-19 to ensure additional support measures were effective. Feedback confirmed that staff felt well supported and able to continue supporting students.
The Best Workplace Award confirms what staff already know, and have shared with us in their own words via their engagement surveys:
“I love working at this school”
“This is an amazing place to work”
“I love my job, quite literally bound out of bed every day”
“This school is a joy to be part of”
“I can quite easily say this is the best school I have worked in”.
These results indicate that great schools have transparent and consultative leadership, inclusive cultures where it is safe to give and receive feedback, and staff are trusted but also held to account.
Congratulations to all the leaders, staff, parents and students whose contribution makes these schools such positive, empowering and supportive environments in which to work and learn.
Voice Project provides research-backed surveys that measure employee engagement, leadership capability and customer satisfaction. These state-of-the-art surveys help organisations get the best feedback to drive positive change. Voice Project works with organisations across the not-for profit, private and public sectors. Get in touch.