School leadership to retirement: how to prepare mentally and take care of yourself

About this resource

This guide offers practical advice for education leaders who are approaching retirement. It recognises that retirement is a significant life transition and that each person’s experience will be different.

The resource offers practical advice to help leaders think ahead and reflect on what retirement may mean for them personally and professionally. It explores how to care for emotional wellbeing during this change and how to adjust to a new routine or sense of identity once work comes to an end.

Using this resource

This resource is designed for: 

• education staff across all settings
• senior leaders and leadership teams
• mental health leads.

Learning outcomes

This resource addresses the following learning outcomes:

• Access and utilise tools, strategies and resources to support their own mental health so that they can look after themselves.
• Identify and utilise tools, strategies and resources to confidently engage staff to help promote and support their mental health and wellbeing.
• Share simple evidence-based strategies and exercises with staff and pupils/students to help them manage their mental health and develop their own coping strategies.