When we talk about the pressures facing school leaders, we usually focus on budgets, inspections, curriculum demands, or safeguarding. But there’s one issue that often goes unspoken: the challenge of managing support staff.
Support staff are vital to the smooth running of any school. They handle some of the most demanding duties: working with high-needs pupils, managing playground behaviour, and responding to incidents as they arise. Yet, they’re often the lowest paid, least trained, and most overlooked members of staff.
Over time, this mismatch between responsibility and recognition can create serious stress for support staff, and for the leaders who manage them.
Why it’s a problem
Many school leaders I work with say the same thing: managing support staff can be one of the most frustrating parts of the job. These team members are on the frontline every day, often working with challenging pupils and in high-pressure environments, yet frequently without the training, resources, or clarity they need to succeed.
When this support structure falters, issues escalate. Absences increase, morale dips, and the burden falls back onto teaching staff or SLT. It’s a cycle that can drain time, energy, and resources.
Three ways to reduce the strain
While some challenges like funding and pay scales are systemic, school leaders can make a real difference through three practical strategies:
1. Provide relevant training
Support staff are often thrown into complex situations without preparation. Behaviour incidents, emotional dysregulation, or conflict in the playground can escalate quickly if not handled well.
Investing in targeted CPD particularly in areas like behaviour management, de-escalation, and communication, can empower support staff to handle issues more confidently, reducing the number that end up on a leader’s desk.
Even short, in-house training sessions can have a big impact. Ask staff what skills they feel they need. This not only helps shape useful training but shows that their development is valued.
- Rethink duty allocation
Support staff are often placed in the most stressful parts of the school day: breaktimes, lunchtimes, transitions. These are also the times when incidents are most likely to happen.
Review how duties are allocated. Could roles be rotated to avoid burnout? Can less experienced staff be paired with mentors? Are expectations clear and achievable?
Making small adjustments can improve staff wellbeing, reduce frustration, and create a more consistent approach to behaviour across the school.
- Boost recognition and belonging
While increasing pay may be beyond your control, how staff are treated day to day is not. A culture of appreciation and inclusion makes a real difference.
- Recognise great work in briefings or newsletters.
- Include support staff in team meetings or training days.
- Celebrate successes -big or small – and make them feel part of the wider school vision.
When staff feel seen and valued, they’re more motivated, more consistent, and more likely to stay.
Final thoughts
Support staff are essential to the success of any school, but without the right support themselves, they can also become an unintentional pressure point for leadership.
By investing in training, improving role clarity, and showing genuine appreciation, school leaders can create a more balanced, less stressful working environment for everyone.
💬 Reflection: What practical steps could you take this term to better support your support staff and reduce leadership stress?
