How Flexible Working Is Reshaping The Education Sector

What is flexible working in education?

In recent years, flexible working has become a standard across the workforce, and as we approach the October resignation deadline it’s important to remember that teachers expect flexibility too.

Research by the Department for Education’s Teaching Vacancies job site has revealed teacher attitudes to flexible working. Over 83% of teachers surveyed feel that improving work-life balance is one of the top benefits of flexible working, 72% of teachers believe flexible working promotes wellbeing and 52% of teachers associate flexible working with better retention. Overall, over 57% of teachers are more likely to apply for roles at schools which are flexible-friendly.

Flexible working is any work arrangement that allows employees to have greater control over their work schedules. For teachers, this can refer to remote working, flexible start and finish times, compressed hours, part-time roles and job-sharing.

Flexible working can help employees achieve a better work-life balance and increase job satisfaction. This is particularly important in education. We all know that it can be difficult to find and keep the best teachers. Flexibility helps schools to attract and retain a diverse and talented workforce by accommodating different needs and preferences.

New flexible working regulations came into effect on 6 April 2024, giving all employees – including teachers – the right to request flexible working arrangements from day one. Six months after the new regulations came into effect, flexible working is an important topic for both hiring schools and job-seeking teachers. 

Balancing teaching with doctoral studies

I am the Director of Education at Pioneer Educational Trust in Slough, one of the Department for Education’s Flexible Working Ambassador Trusts. For us, this means that we offer all staff the chance to work flexibly, irrespective of their role, through what we call our ‘flexible job design process’. We support colleagues at all levels to flex their roles without affecting their pay (unless they wish to reduce their hours) or impacting schools’ budgets.

I have personally benefited hugely from this offer. I work a full-time role with compressed hours, which has given me the space to pursue my other passions and interests. This has improved my wellbeing and opened up new opportunities – I am currently studying for an EdD in Leadership Development from University College London.

I am far from the only member of staff who has reaped these benefits, and I’m not even the only one pursuing doctoral study! A department head at one of our schools is also studying for a PhD, and other staff are working flexibly for everything from childcare to reduced commute time.

How flexible working affects our Trust

Being proactive about offering flexible working has made us a more attractive place to work. Potential staff know up front that we can offer a work-life balance that suits them. We advertise all our new roles on Teaching Vacancies, where we make clear that we are open to discussing flexible working requests at every stage. Flexible working has also allowed us to support teacher wellbeing – positively contributing to staff welfare, preventing burnout and allowing staff to deliver the best for our pupils.

Flexible working can bring numerous benefits to schools and Trusts, such as:

• Increased diversity of staff. Schools that advertise flexible working roles attract a wider net of talent at every stage of their lives and careers. As highlighted by DfE’s research, more than half of teachers are more likely to apply for flexible roles.
• Improving retention. Staff are more likely to stay in their roles for longer if their schools offer flexible working options. When staff circumstances change, their roles can change too. This helps to maintain a consistent and experienced workforce.
• Better work culture. Teachers feel supported by the Trust, creating a happier and healthier culture that benefits everyone, pupils and staff.
• Time and resources saved. Better retention and easier recruitment means that costs attributed to HR, recruitment and induction are lower. 

I would encourage schools and Trusts that are thinking of offering flexible working to list their vacancies on DfE’s free Teaching Vacancies job site. It has increased the exposure of our vacancies to job-seeking teachers and has made the process of recruitment a lot easier overall!

My advice for delivering flexible working

I would advise schools and leaders that want to offer flexible working to take a strategic view of implementation. It’s important to be proactive and think about how flexible working relates to the vision and values of the school and how flexible working may differ across roles.

Ensure that all aspects of the role have been carefully thought through so that there is total clarity between the teacher and the school. How will directed hours work? Will expectations in duties change? How should employees make flexible working requests?

Overall, flexible working has been nothing but advantageous for both staff and the Trust and I would highly encourage other Trusts to think about implementing it at their schools.

Using DfE’s Teaching Vacancies

DfE’s Teaching Vacancies site allows users to filter out roles based on criteria including location, job title, education phase and working pattern – resulting in a smoother application process for job-seeking teachers.

In addition to roles being advertised on the site, there are also a range of webinars and a toolkit of practical resources to help schools who are looking to implement flexible working.

If you’re a teacher looking for your next flexible role, or a school looking to reduce your recruitment costs and recruit excellent staff, visit: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk

Mark Pritchard is Director of Education at Pioneer Educational Trust.