Impact9th March 2026

Stronger leaders, stronger schools: How Ark is working with HealthyMinds@Work to support our senior leaders

Children’s Mental Health Week recently shone a light on the growing pressures facing our children and young people – and the adults supporting them are under increasing strain too.

For senior school leaders, the pressure can be particularly intense. They carry a high burden of responsibility – ensuring strong outcomes while simultaneously supporting students, families and staff in their school community.

But with the right support, the role is profoundly rewarding, offering daily opportunities to shape futures, uplift young people, and strengthen entire communities.

Specialist wellbeing support

Ark has a range of support in place for pupils and staff to help them navigate the challenges of school life, including Place2Be for our students, and Place2Think as well as an employee assistance programme for our staff across the network.

As part of this, since 2020 we have worked in partnership with HealthyMinds@Work (HM@W) to provide specialist support for our senior leaders.

HM@W offers a combination of reflective supervision, psychodynamic coaching, leadership training and tailored workshops designed to help staff manage the pressures of leadership.

Their team of experienced psychotherapists and coaches work with headteachers, senior leaders, safeguarding leads, and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Coordinators (SENDCos), helping them cope with the complex emotional demands of school environments.

Support typically includes one‑to‑one coaching and reflective supervision for principals and headteachers, supporting them to think strategically in the midst of complex situations. Sessions are generally a 90‑minutes each half term, with flexibility built in to respond to emerging needs.

SENDCos and Designated Safeguarding Leads also benefit from both group and individual supervision sessions and workshops, designed specifically for the challenges of their roles.

High pressure role

Jo Wise, co-founder of HM@W, alongside Jacqueline Glynn and Leanne Hoffman, explains why this support really matters:

“Being a school senior leader is a highly pressured and emotional role. There is a real weight that comes with leading teams and supporting large numbers of students.

“We think of senior leaders as the emotional sponge of the school, absorbing the stress of all those around them – students, families, staff, the community. But the problem with a sponge is that it gets saturated. Our supervision sessions give leaders a chance to wring that sponge out, breathe and reset.

“As we are an external partner, we can create a neutral, pressure‑free, confidential space for senior leaders to explore their challenges, build resilience and strengthen relationships.

They describe how Principals use this space to reflect on the emotional toll of running their school and work in a safe environment to develop their leadership skills. “We help them understand their responses to difficult situations, improve their wellbeing and maintain their capacity to lead effectively in an increasingly demanding educational landscape.”

Bespoke sessions

This support has been invaluable for many leaders across the network, including Caz Brasenell, Executive Principal at Ark Kings Academy in Birmingham, who has been using the service for five years.

Caz said, “We get a lot of support from the central team and our regional directors, but the HM@W partnership makes a huge difference.

“The sessions are flexible around your calendar and are bespoke to where you are in your career, where your school is at, and what your most urgent needs are.”

Caz Brasenell and students at Ark Kings Academy

“I’ve always been given clear guidance and space to help me understand why people might react differently to situations and how to re‑script things. And that advice is always steeped in research – there’s rarely a session where I’m not recommended an article to read!

“The sessions let you leave work lighter. The things you might think are a massive issue, you can weigh up again. And something you thought was just you, you realise is not. It’s that reassurance that how you’re feeling is valid.

“When you’re in the thick of it as a principal, in this factory of decision‑making, that space and support gives you vital time to talk and get that invaluable understanding and resolution.”

Emergency support

Caz continued, “Our designated safeguarding leads also benefit enormously from the partnership and extra layer of support.

“If something big happens in the school, HM@W are there straight away with what they call their ‘emergency kit’ – meaning my DSLs don’t go home dwelling on difficult situations but can debrief and process while they’re still in school.

“I’ve spoken to other principals, and I know all the staff really value that investment in them – not only financially, but personally.”

Supervision and coaching

The impact is felt across the network. Sophie Bennett‑Acres, Principal at Ark Ayrton Primary Academy in Portsmouth, has also seen the benefits:

“There is an emotional responsibility in looking after pupils, families and staff — and there isn’t always time for yourself. Headteachers aren’t robots, and there can be a lot to carry.

“I’ve got a lot out of the supervision and coaching with HM@W. It helps you take on only what’s ‘yours’ and think about how to manage that. I’ve felt genuinely listened to and heard, and that makes a real difference.

“I’ve learned how to reflect on what’s going on for a pupil or parent, why they might be reacting the way they are, and how to adjust my approach.

“When my leadership team and I are supported, we can give better support to our staff. Happy teachers are the best teachers — and because we have that happy, supported team, we get great outcomes. Staff turnover at Ayrton is low, and we have the second‑highest results in Portsmouth.

“Children only get one shot at school, and we owe it to them to get it right. Being a head can be tough, but with strong support behind you, you can make a real difference.”