Lourier Primary School teachers are excited about their staff wellbeing programme

When I visited Lourier Primary School yesterday morning, the school was abuzz at 7h20. I was there to sign a few documents en route to the Circuit office. The documents became a side issue.  I walked straight into a random reflection of the amazing wellbeing programme for staff that Lourier Primary has introduced.

"Meeting on a Wednesday before school starts is one of the changes we made when we came back from the SMT Leadership Conference," said Rashida.

"We also went ten-pin bowling, said Venetia, the bubbly Foundation Phase Head, and shows me the picture of the staff at the ten pin bowling arena, mounted on the wall. Daniel and Abubaker arrived and the ten-pin bowling experience became the focus.

I think the four SMT members were flooded with memories of their staff outing. The entire staff - teachers, administrative and support staff-  went by bus to spend an afternoon having fun and building relationships.

"Another new development since the SMT conference is to focus on the wellbeing of ourselves and the whole staff", said Rashida. We realized we do not know one another. We need to spend time together  to build our relationships."

"It was so much fun", said Daniel, the Senior Phase Head. "I learned things about my colleagues that I never knew before."  After that fun activity, you can see colleagues are far more relaxed and bond easier than before."

"Yes," said Venetia, " we are caught up in all the schoolwork we have to do. The only time we seem to speak to one another is when we need something to be handed in or we want to remind our colleagues of something they need to do.  We are already planning our next fun activity that has been suggested by one of our colleagues.  We are "bonding" as Abubaker said. "


I love to hear these good news stories. Within fifteen minutes I was informed of two major relationship-building initiatives at Lourier Primary School. The Senior Management Team is strengthening their  own relational leadership and simultaneously, they are ensuring that they are building a culture of wellbeing for everybody at the school.


This is what is meant by caring deeply. If we have happy teachers, we will have a happy school.


Keep pushing the boundaries, guys. You are growing bigger and better!

Lourier Primary Staff at the Ten Pin Bowling arena

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