The Education and Training Foundation (ETF) commissioned Education Support in February 2019 to help them investigate the current levels of staff wellbeing in the post-14 workforce. The aims of the research were to identify and measure current levels of staff wellbeing in the sector; to identify specific groups of staff at different career stages who have the highest risk of poor wellbeing; and to understand the work-related and personal factors impacting on wellbeing.
A two-stage study was conducted. The first stage was an online survey to SET members which took place during the period 14 April to 14 May 2019. The survey incorporated the use of the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS) – a scale of 14 positively-worded items for assessing a population’s mental wellbeing. By participating in the survey, respondents also had the opportunity to register their interest in taking part in the focus groups, ie the second stage of the study. ETF contacted respondents and promoted the focus groups to its Local Network Groups, giving venues and times, which resulted in 60 members registering their interest to attend. Six focus groups were held in different parts of England in June 2019.