About Me

I have previously been a Senior Leader in a large 11-18 school in West Sussex. As part of ​my role I had responsibility for the progress and wellbeing of Pupil Premium students. I ​completed my NPQSL on this area and was an SLE for my academy chain. I then became ​the mental health and wellbeing lead and realised that staff mental health support ​needed to be an important part of a school's culture. I wrote my book 'Supporting staff ​mental health in your school' to help to reduce the shame and stigma felt by staff who ​may be struggling with their mental health and to let them know they weren't alone. I left ​my teaching role in November 2022 to become a freelance trainer and consultant ​supporting schools to develop various aspects of their whole-school approach to ​mental health.

I have coached over 200 leaders through the DFE-approved SMHL Award and supported ​schools and colleges by writing bespoke training to meet the needs of their setting.



I am a fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching and have worked with them as a ​Leading Diversity Advisor for mental health. I have delivered webinars for ACAMH on ​various topics including supporting students who have experienced trauma. I deliver ​keynote lectures on all aspects of mental health in schools including both student ​and staff mental health. I have enjoyed delivering webinars for Thrive based on ​supporting colleagues with the menopause and supporting staff mental health and ​wellbeing. I also enjoy writing content for a range of educational CPD providers and ​journals. I currently work for West Sussex Mind delivering workshops for the ​community around mental health.

When I am not working, I enjoy sea-swimming, yoga, climbing and exploring new ​beaches in my campervan Audrey with my

wonderful whippet Luna.

Keynote & Workshop Themes

Staff mental health training

Supporting staff mental health in your school for leaders

Creating a staff wellbeing toolkit

Supporting colleagues with the menopause

Supporting colleagues who have experienced trauma

Understanding and preventing vicarious trauma

ITT provider and wellbeing training

ITT/ECT wellbeing toolkit and boundaries

ITT/ECT managing workload and the importance of rest

ITT wellbeing for mentors and tutors

Leadership of mental health

How governors can support a whole-school approach

to mental health

Auditing your school's mental health provision

Supporting children's mental health

Mental health training for LSA's/HLTA's

Student Mental Health Ambassador training

Supporting students with exam stress

Parent/carer's workshop on supporting their child's

mental health

Supporting students with EBSA

Supporting students who have experienced trauma


I can also create bespoke sessions for your setting's specific needs.




Supporting staff mental health





1. Supporting staff mental health in your school for leaders


















2. Staff wellbeing toolkit





Understanding the signs and behaviours of mental ill health

Having meaningful conversations about mental health

Reasonable adjustments for mental health





Further reading and external support services

Case Studies

Understanding when extra self-care might be needed

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and wellbeing

Physiological wellbeing.

Emotional wellbeing







Further reading and external support services

Wellbeing exercises

Wellbeing plans

3. Supporting colleagues with the menopause


















4. Supporting colleagues who have experienced trauma









What is the menopause and who experiences it?

The physical, emotional and behavioural impact of the

menopause.

Reasonable adjustments for the menopause.

Case studies/menopause policy example.

External support and further resources.

Understanding what trauma is

Understanding the signs and behaviours of PTSD

Having meaningful conversations about trauma.

Reasonable adjustments for staff with PTSD

Case Studies

Further reading and external support services

5. Understanding and preventing vicarious trauma in school staff

Understanding what vicarious trauma is and why it’s important to talk about now

Understanding how to recognise if you might be experiencing vicarious trauma

Further reading and external support services

Understanding how emotional boundaries can help to protect against vicarious trauma

Practical coping strategies and self-care which can protect against vicarious trauma

Supporting ITT/ECT wellbeing


1. ITT/ECT wellbeing toolkit and boundaries




















2. ITT/ECT managing workload and the importance of rest















3. ITT wellbeing for mentors and tutors










Understanding when extra self-care might be needed

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and wellbeing

Physiological wellbeing

Emotional wellbeing

Self-care audit

Managing workload techniques

The importance of the different types of rest

Looking for your first teaching role

Identifying which trainees may need support with

their mental health

Wellbeing exercises

The importance of boundaries

Having meaningful and supportive conversations

about mental health

Understanding what ‘reasonable adjustments’ could

be put into place to support staff mental health

Understanding the importance of emotional boundaries

for mentors/tutors

Leadership of

Mental Health











Understanding the practical ways that governors can support a

whole-school approach in their school


Learning where to go for further information and resources on

this topic

Understanding what a whole-school approach to mental health

is

What is a whole-school approach to mental health

Reflection exercises on each of the eight areas

Developing an action plan

Further resources

Supporting student

mental health

1.

Mental health training for LSA’s/HLTAs (3 hour session)


Considering how children’s mental health been affected by COVID

Supporting students who have experienced trauma

Supporting students with Emotionally-based school avoidance

Supporting students with Eating Disorders

Supporting students who Self Harm

Talking about mental health

Encouraging self-care

Further resources and external support services

2. Student mental health ambassador training


Understanding the signs and behaviours which may indicate that

someone is struggling with their mental health

Tools to support your own mental health



Looking at which websites/ support services you could suggest to

anyone who is struggling with their mental health.


Understanding the role of a student mental health ambassador

3. Supporting students with exam stress

To understand how to encourage students to be aware of their

mental health and wellbeing during stressful times.

To understand how to create and embed a student mental health

provision map to signpost various support options



To understand practical strategies to support students with their wellbeing and self-care.


To understand how to support students using active listening

techniques.

To consider which services/resources to signpost students to if

they are struggling with their mental health.

4. Supporting students with EBSA

What is EBSA?




Working with parents




Risk factors for EBSA



Talking to children about EBSA- Identifying and removing barriers


Supporting children to manage their wellbeing


Further support services/ resources


5. Parent/carer workshops on supporting their child’s mental health



Considering how children’s mental health been affected by COVID


Supporting students with Eating Disorders


Supporting students who have experienced trauma


Supporting students with Emotionally-based school avoidance


Supporting students who Self Harm


Talking about mental health


Encouraging self-care


Further resources and external support services



6. Supporting students who have experienced trauma

What is trauma?

How your school can provide a trauma-informed approach


How can it affect children?

How to spot trauma-based signs and behaviours in the classroom




Further reading/support services

Creating an emotional regulation toolkit for your students

Wellbeing Coaching Package for ITT Providers


I deliver an online or in-person wellbeing ‘toolkit’ session for your whole cohort ITT students to give them time and space to reflect on their current wellbeing. (If you have specific needs emerging in your cohort,

I can amend the session to take these into account).


As a follow-up, I provide a 45 minute one-to-one Zoom coaching session to your students. This will involve them booking a session via my Calendly and completing a pre-session short questionnaire. (the fee for this is £50 per session). During the session, I work with the trainee to create a bespoke wellbeing plan with be created to take into account existing commitments.


As a follow-up workshop for your cohort, I provide a session on managing workload, the importance of rest, and how to consider mental health and wellbeing when applying for their first role.







Supporting Staff Mental Health in Your School

My book Supporting Staff Mental Health in Your School provides steps to ensure that self-care and family time do not slip under the radar in the face of increasing pressure and limited resources. From providing adequate staff room facilities to ensuring that teachers can set clear boundaries around weekends and break times, these ideas create and foster a culture of openness around mental health and help teachers to re-discover their love of teaching. It contains case-studies and practical ideas to ensure schools can provide meaningful support for colleague who are struggling with mental ill-health.

To purchase a copy, head to:


www.amazon.co.uk/Supporting-Staff-Mental-Health



Client

Testimonials

Amy worked with my staff team on a series of workshops designed to improve staff wellbeing. She engaged with the school leadership to identify the aims, listening carefully so that the first workshop was in line with this. A subsequent survey of staff identified that some staff were still not convinced that this wasn’t just a tick box exercise, and others gave feedback requesting further training from Amy in specific areas. Amy’s second workshop addressed these needs and had really positive feedback.

Many members of staff said they had introduced tools Amy had given them, or revitalised and renewed their use of tools such as journaling as a result of the workshop. In our second staff well-being survey, the majority of staff felt that well-being was taken seriously by the school and engaged really positively with a follow up focus group.


As headteacher I feel a real shift in the willingness of staff to be engaged in the work of well-being and that we have permission and a language to be able to support each other safely.


Dr. Hildi Mitchell, Downs Infant School

Amy's presentation was really informative and the timing was perfect for the start of the new year. It can be a little overwhelming when you are trying to put those positive habits in place to support your own wellbeing and I loved the idea of a maintenance plan and also the tricky times plan. I will have to check out her book 😊


Beccy


Just a quick email to say a huge thank you for your contribution to the conference on Friday. It was great to have your session as part of the day. It was really well received, and the feedback was extremely positive.


We can't thank you enough and really appreciate you giving up your time to be part of it.


Lizzy, Edge Hill University

Sanctuary in Chichester was given a really great talk on Vicarious Trauma by Amy. She presented the topic very clearly and everyone who went thought it was useful.


Claudie Fleming, Sanctuary in Chichester

Amy delivered support and training for us on staff well-being and supporting the wellbeing of young people in school. Amy was also a huge support in helping me to develop a menopause policy which was taken on board by the trust I worked for at the time and to develop our staff wellbeing offer as a school. Staff found Amy’s training invaluable and engaging with many key elements that they were able to take on into their practice. I would highly recommend Amy.


Kelly Smith, Deputy Headteacher, Salford Virtual School

Amy is a dedicated proponent of mental health and wellbeing. In her work as a school leader and teacher, she always encouraged, supported and delivered practical training for staff and pupils. She made a very real difference to many pupils who found life's challenges often overwhelming. I am not surprised that Amy is now sharing her knowledge and influence even wider.


Yasmin Maskatiya, Education Consultant

Fees

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My fee for in-person training or keynote speaking is £400 per hour plus travel expenses per school.

I am based in Shoreham by Sea.



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My fee for online zoom training sessions is £300 per hour per school. MAT discounts available on request.

Get in Touch

To find out about my availability or

discuss your school’s or college's

specific training needs:





@amysayer2017@gmail.com



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07557980876

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www.linkedin.com/in/amysayer