January Brews: How we support colleagues through January

January can be a particularly tough month for those working in the sixth-form sector. The sultry days of enrolment can feel years rather than months ago and resolutions to exercise more and eat healthily run into the harsh reality of cold, dark morning commutes. At college, vocational students are sitting vital exams and many of their A level counterparts require support finalising coursework and addressing knowledge gaps highlighted by end of term exams. Taken altogether, this can make the start of the spring term a particularly challenging time to maintain the wellbeing of teachers and support staff; at St Francis Xavier Catholic Sixth Form College, we are acutely aware of this and have developed our wellbeing programme accordingly.

One of the most important means of supporting wellbeing is to foster a sense of community and find opportunities for members of staff to reinforce connections with their colleagues. At various points throughout the year, we run a Random Coffee Generator. Staff members are randomly paired and then tasked to find 15 minutes during the week to meet their partner for a cup of coffee and a chat. During the first half of the spring term, this initiative is timed to coincide with two national awareness campaigns.

Firstly, while Blue Monday may have been exposed as a marketing invention to sell more holidays, we mark the alternative milestone promoted by Samaritans: Brew Monday. During this week, all staff are given a postcard which they use to invite one of their colleagues into their office for a cuppa and a catch up. Similarly, to mark Mind’s Time to Talk Day in early February, the Random Coffee Generator is given another spin. Tips on starting difficult conversations are shared across the college, supported by a variety of puzzles and board games provided in the staff room to encourage people to make the most of break times. Feedback from participants is overwhelmingly positive, with both teachers and support staff welcoming the chance to connect with people outside of their regular teams and departments.

The first buds appearing on the trees herald the second dedicated staff wellbeing afternoon of the year. Activities on offer have included knitting, pilates, film club, mindfulness, football, staff choir and time playing with our college therapy dog: as far as possible, we try to make sure every element of the NHS's Five Ways to Wellbeing is addressed during each wellbeing afternoon. The chaplaincy also continues to play its vital role throughout the term, providing a calm haven for staff and students to reflect and recharge.

Of course, the wellbeing of our community is always a priority and consequently the St Francis Xavier wellbeing programme runs throughout the year, with seasonal adjustments (for instance, at the end of last term we kicked things into high gear with staff competitions on Christmas jumper day, a carol service, Christmas dinner, and the hotly contested Christmas quiz).That said, the undeniable pressures of January warrant special attention. With teachers and support staff everywhere doing so much to support their students at this point in the year, it is so important to acknowledge all this endeavour and give people space to pause and connect. We hope that you have some opportunity to do this over the next few weeks; remember, spring is just around the corner!

Tom Spindler is associate assistant principal at St Francis Xavier Sixth Form College in South London.