Forest Bridge School

As a public sector SEND provider operating within one of the most challenging workforce landscapes in education, Forest Bridge School faced a barrage of challenges: national recruitment shortages, the increasing complexity of pupil need and the emotional intensity for staff of specialist provision were all putting pressure on employee wellbeing, leadership capacity and organisational resilience. 

In 2023, multiple wellbeing audits, climate surveys, staff forums and exit feedback identified uneven leadership confidence, limited clarity around progression, recruitment misalignment and an increasing wellbeing risk within the organisation, highlighting that a major shift in the people strategy was urgently needed. Without intervention, the evidence indicated rising risk of leadership burnout, reduced workforce stability and compromised service continuity for vulnerable pupils and families. 

The initiative, described by the judges as “incredibly strong and principles led”, therefore aimed to move the organisation from reactive workforce management to a preventive, evidence-based and principles-led people strategy.  

Staff surveys, wellbeing forums and facilitated discussions ensured priorities were grounded in lived experience and secured early buy-in across the organisation, and recruitment practices were redesigned to be explicitly values led without large-scale additional cost. Job design, assessment and appointment decisions were aligned to organisational values, and a coaching based interview element was introduced. 

Leadership capability was developed through coaching, mentoring and psychometric insight, and leadership support was embedded within existing structures. New leaders received tailored induction, while ongoing mentoring and coaching supported consistent leadership behaviour and increased confidence. At the culmination of coaching, each leader received a personalised ‘leadership superpower’. As the internal model matured, it was extended through sector-wide leadership workshops. 

As a result, leadership scores rose from 6.8 to 8.2 in staff surveys, and recruitment outcomes improved, including increased application volumes for priority roles. Retention stability strengthened in key roles, and participation in wellbeing forums and surveys increased over time. 

What the team achieved “perfectly captures the spirit of the public sector and SME category”, the judges said, praising how they “recognised the need for change and shifted the people approach from a reactive one to a more proactive, principles-led, evidence-based strategic approach, making processes more effective, driving engagement further and creating a coaching culture among the teams”.