Get Ahead: prevent stress, support good mental health
As school communities settle back into routines, it’s a busy time planning for the year ahead.
No matter your role in education, employers have a legal duty to factor the prevention of work-related stress into risk assessments and work plans.
Why planning ahead helps
When we feel prepared and in control, we’re less likely to experience stress and more able to cope when unexpected challenges arise.
Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, employers have a legal duty to assess and manage risks to employee health, including work-related stress.
Make it routine
This academic year, make prevention of stress part of your planning routine. HSE’s Working Minds campaign helps prevent work-related stress and promotes good mental health at work.
Start with these practical steps:
- reach out and have conversations
- recognise the signs and causes of stress
- respond to any risks identified by agreeing action points
- reflect on the actions taken – have things improved?
- make it routine to check back in on how things are going
Key dates coming up
Awareness days can be used as a catalyst to start conversations about mental health. You may mark them for learners already, so be sure to include employees too.
- 15 September
Online Learning Day: register for free online learning for step-by-step advice, tools and templates
- 10 October
World Mental Health Day: this year’s theme is ‘Access to services: mental health in catastrophes and emergencies’
- 3 November
International Stress Awareness Week
Check in with colleagues, share resources with your team, and remember – looking after your own health helps you support others better.
We have more resources if you want further support:
- download our education talking toolkit for conversation starters and helpful tips
- find out more about the free resources available including templates, videos and training
- support and promote the campaign, download the materials to share with others
subscribe to the Working Minds ebulletin for latest information and ideas
Free webinar: Accident and Near -miss tool – 11th Sept 2.30pm
Join experts from the HSE and TSO for this free webinar and learn about our new tool Register for the ‘Accident and Near-miss Tool’ webinar
Published: 14 September 2025
