Why December is the time to look after more than frozen pipes.
December in a school is a strange month.
Half festive cheer, half organised chaos. The tree goes up, the lights come on — and then radiators decide they've had enough, the playground freezes solid, deliveries go missing, and everyone remembers a dozen “urgent” tasks they forgot in November.
For most staff, Christmas brings excitement.
For site teams, it often brings a double workload.
And here’s the truth many people don’t say out loud:
The toughest injuries in December aren’t physical — they’re psychological.
A cut hand? Easy. A cracked window? Annoying, but fixable. A colleague quietly drowning under pressure, additional financial worry leading up to Christmas, exhaustion or the emotional weight of the season?
That’s the real first-aid emergency… and the one our current systems don’t address.
Data from Education Support shows 78% of school staff experience symptoms of poor mental health, and winter is consistently one of the highest-pressure periods.
Not because people aren’t tough enough — site teams are the toughest people in the building — but because December throws everything at them:
And that’s before someone says, “Can you just…”
These pressures don’t always break people dramatically.
Most of the time, they nibble away quietly:
A normally chatty caretaker goes silent.
A technician forgets simple steps they’ve done a thousand times.
A site manager who never complains suddenly snaps at a tiny thing.
A colleague starts coming in earlier, leaving later, and taking zero breaks.
These are the psychological equivalent of a limp — subtle signs something needs attention.
Across the UK, a growing number of schools and trusts are quietly innovating — especially for the teams who keep their estate safe and functioning.
Not with grand speeches or expensive programmes, but with practical, human, winter-friendly interventions, including:
1. The 60-Second Reset
Some schools now place grounding or breathing cards in staff rooms and first-aid drawers — simple, NHS-approved techniques like the 4-7-8 breath or the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding method.
Quick. Cheap. Shockingly effective for moments of overwhelm.
2. The “Check-In Culture”
Leaders are being encouraged to make December the month where they ask twice:
“How are you doing?”
“Really, how are you doing?”
A caretaker who clears leaves at 6:30am will rarely volunteer they’re struggling — but they’ll answer honestly if someone genuinely asks.
3. The Morning Warm-Up
A few schools now run a five-minute “warm-up huddle” for site teams — part safety briefing, part morale boost, part chance to spot if someone looks exhausted, upset, or off-colour.
4. Winter Wellbeing Corners
Not therapy rooms — just a quiet space with soft lighting, a chair, a kettle, and a few grounding tools where someone can take a quick breather before heading back out into the cold.
5. Mental Health First Aiders for Support Staff
More trusts are training non-teaching staff — including estates teams — in Mental Health First Aid.
Not to be therapists, but to recognise distress and offer calm, practical first steps.
6. Seasonal Appreciation That Actually Lands
Some schools do “Wellbeing Wednesdays”: hot soup for site teams, bacon rolls, or a warm drink waiting at 7am.
One MAT writes personalised thank-you cards to every member of the estates team before Christmas.
These gestures matter more than most people realise.
7. Proactive Support
Trusts like Windsor Academy Trust openly promote their staff helplines, counselling access, and financial guidance right before Christmas — when stress peaks.
And they don’t wait for staff to ask; they drip-feed reminders to make support feel normal, not a last resort.
None of these ideas cost a fortune.
But they work. A “psychological plaster” isn’t a gimmick - it’s the small action that stops a crack turning into a break.
And in December, these things matter more than ever.
Because site teams hold the school together.
Sometimes quite literally.
Education Support – Teacher Wellbeing Index https://www.educationsupport.org.uk/resources/for-organisations/research/teacher-wellbeing-index/
MHFA England – Winter Wellbeing https://mhfaengland.org/mhfa-centre/blog/12-Days-of-Winter-Wellbeing-recap/
Department for Education – Education Staff Wellbeing Charter https://www.gov.uk/guidance/education-staff-wellbeing-charter
Anna Freud Centre – Staff Wellbeing Guidance https://www.annafreud.org/resources/schools-and-colleges/supporting-staff-wellbeing-in-schools/
Staffordshire County Council – Staff Wellbeing Resource PDF https://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/Education/Access-to-learning/Graduated-response-toolkit/School-toolkit/EPS-school-support-information-and-resources/Staff-wellbeing/Staff-Wellbeing-Resource-Mental-Health-Network-Meeting.pdf
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