In induction weeks across the country, we tell our trainees that this profession is a marathon, not a sprint. This mindset is designed to support sustainability and longevity.
As Deputy Director of TKAT SCITT, I see the passion that new entrants bring to the classroom. But in my dual role as Director of Wellbeing for the Trust, I also see the precariousness of that passion.
Whereas a “sink or swim” mentality may once have pervaded teacher training, wellbeing must now be the bedrock of the curriculum if we are going to create a sustainable workforce for the future.
The landscape: Why we can’t ignore this
The current context is undeniably tough. The 2025 Education Support Teacher Wellbeing Index makes for sobering reading, showing little improvement in the sector’s outlook. With over three-quarters of all school staff feeling stressed and 40% saying that their organisation does not support their mental health and wellbeing, we are facing a perfect storm.
For trainees navigating the dual identity of learner and professional, this pressure is amplified. They are absorbing the shock of the classroom – managing complex behaviours and school
Dynamics – often without the protective armour of experience.
The regulatory environment has finally caught up with this reality. The new Ofsted ITE inspection framework has rightfully shifted the dial. Inspectors are no longer just looking at whether our trainees know the Core Content Framework; they are scrutinising how we create an inclusive culture where trainees feel valued, their needs are met and how we support them to reduce barriers to their learning and wellbeing.
From policy to practice: The TKAT SCITT approach
However, compliance is not our primary motivator and we don’t do this for Ofsted. We care about this because the “leaky bucket” of teacher retention is real. If we lose them in the training year, we lose a generation of talent.
At TKAT SCITT, we decided that wellbeing had to be woven into the structural fabric of our course. It is one thing to tell trainees to “look after themselves”; it is another to create the conditions that allow them to do so.
Here is how we turn that philosophy into practice:
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We don’t just talk about wellbeing; we teach It
We treat wellbeing as a core subject, just like behaviour management or pedagogy.
Through our partnership with Action Your Potential, we deliver a bespoke curriculum based on the specific, predictable pressure points of the academic year. We run sessions on themes like “Coping with Stress” in October – when the novelty wears off and fatigue sets in – and “Dark Days, Difficult Thoughts and Building Hope” in January.
This curriculum is tailored annually based on a detailed picture of the cohort’s needs, gathered through questionnaires and pen portraits during induction. Crucially, we accredit this knowledge. Every trainee leaves our programme with a Mental Health Aware certificate from MHFA England. This signals to them, and their future employers, that emotional literacy is a professional competency, not a soft skill.
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A graduated approach to support
We take a graduated approach, starting with universal entitlement. Every trainee receives a termly 1:1 pastoral meeting with their Programme Lead and has access to regular wellbeing drop-in sessions.
They can also opt in to an eight-week mindfulness programme – the Mindfulness in Schools Project’s (MISP) .b Foundations. Feedback has been positive, with trainees reporting improved resilience and the ability to manage challenging situations in the moment rather than ruminating afterwards.
Structurally, we are aware of times when SCITT deadlines may collide with peak demands in
placement schools and competing PGCE deadlines. We introduced specific “study days” to take trainees out of school during heavy assignment periods, and we swap out SCITT assignments for PGCE work where appropriate to prevent overload. By smoothing out the peaks, we give trainees the headspace to focus on their teaching.
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Targeted support: No ‘one-size-fits-all’
Beyond the universal offer, we provide targeted support, knowing that a blanket approach often misses those who need us most. We have established specific support networks, including drop-in groups for our neurodiverse trainees and specialised sessions such as “Training to Teach as a Parent”.
Our team isn’t just sympathetic; we are qualified. All Programme Leads and wider SCITT staff are trained Mental Health First Aiders. This gives us the confidence to offer support, whether that means co-producing a Wellbeing Action Plan, creating Reasonable Adjustment Passports, or referring trainees to counselling or our Action Your Potential coaches.
Furthermore, with J9 accreditation some members of our team are trained to recognise domestic abuse and respond safely to disclosures, opening the door to safety and support.
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Upskilling the network
Support cannot just come from the centre; it must be lived in the placement schools.
We have expanded our mentor training to go beyond the mechanics of teaching, including specific modules on “Providing Effective Pastoral Care”, “Mental Health Skills for Managers”, and “Supporting Neurodiverse Trainees”.
This empowers our school-based mentors to spot the subtle early warning signs of poor wellbeing – and act on them – before they spiral.
A call to the profession
Our goal is not for our trainees to merely “survive” their training year. Survival is a low bar. We want them to thrive, finishing the year energised and ready to embrace life as an Early Career Teacher. Looking after the wellbeing of our trainees is not shielding them from the realities of teaching; it is a strategic investment in the future of our schools. So, let’s return to the marathon analogy. If we are asking them to go the distance, we must ensure we have given them the right shoes, the right training plan, the right fuel, and a team cheering them on from the sidelines.
Rachel Ward is Deputy Director of TKAT SCITT, and Director of Wellbeing at TKAT.
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