Reducing Stress in Staff and Pupils

Uncertainty is full of the unknown and the unpredictable, which easily makes us anxious. Ironically, excitement contains all the same qualities, but just the term ‘excitement’ creates a very different expectation. We have been living through a time of considerable uncertainty. That’s been one of the hardest aspects of the pandemic – coping with ‘not knowing’.

This conference will explore the science of uncertainty, which has shown that the human brain frequently experiences uncertainty as a threat, thereby setting off an anxiety-stress response within the body. Leaders within school environments can use this single insight to help in shaping policies and practices that help staff and pupils to feel safe. The more predictable the school environment feels, the more quickly everyone will relax, resulting in teachers who feel less pressured and pupils who are better able to focus and to learn.