Recruitment and retention are long-standing challenges in education that have been exacerbated by the shift to flexible and remote working in other sectors since the pandemic.
This shift, combined with the cost-of-living crisis, means that what used to be attractive working structures for teachers and support staff alike now do not look as enticing compared with jobs offering more flexibility, better pay - or both.
The answer, of course, is for education to become more flexible itself. However, pushback against flexible working in schools often comes down to it not being as straightforward as in other sectors, and therefore some believe it is impossible to make it work or it is too hard to implement.
According to a recent Department for Education report, 51 per cent of teachers and leaders surveyed disagreed that flexible working was compatible with teaching, 57 per cent thought it would affect career progression, 62 per cent of those not working flexibly said they would be uncomfortable requesting it and 51 per cent of those working flexibly said they would be uncomfortable asking for additional flexibility.
However, there are schools and trusts that are working to bring flexible-working options to their staff - as a recent Tes article underlined.
At Pioneer Educational Trust, we, too, are pushing for flexible working to become the norm and are proud that this work led us to be selected as one of the DfE’s first flexible-working ambassador schools.
Our flexible-working strategy is aligned with our core values to drive equality and invest intelligently in our people, and a big part of this is destigmatising the idea of flexible working in schools and making it a normal, viable option.
Making flexible working normal in schools
It starts with job adverts. We make it clear what flexible working options are readily available for each role, and that flexibility in all roles is open for discussion.
What’s more, we don’t prioritise flexible working for those with specific reasons for wanting it - whether you want flexibility due to caring responsibilities, pursuing a degree, needing a better work-life balance or desiring other pursuits, that’s your business. So we don’t ask.
Our priority is seeing what we can do to make flexible working work for you, your team, your school and the wider trust, in order to retain your experience, expertise and contribution to our collective mission.
Each academic year, staff have Autumn 1 to consider whether they may want to submit a flexible-working request, which would take effect the following academic year.
Staff speak to their line manager and headteacher in Autumn 2 to flag interest so initial conversations about feasibility and options can take place.
Formal requests are submitted in Spring 1, with option choices made in Spring 2. Timetables are devised in Summer 1 and 2, with final decisions communicated in Summer 2, ready for implementation that September.
For existing staff, while there may sometimes be urgency behind a request, in addition to statutory requests for flexible working, we generally stick to this scheduled flexible design process so requests can be thoroughly assessed, with impacts and necessary adjustments taken into account, and with time to ensure timetables can be flexed accordingly.
What flexible-working options are available?
Flexible options vary based on a balance of the needs of the individual and the school. There are three main elements that can be modified to make a role flexible, either as statutory requests or flexible job design requests:
- Where an individual works (ie, some or all work from home, even if as part of PPA time).
- When an individual works (ie, compressed hours working full-time over fewer days; flexitime around when to start and end work within agreed limits but inclusive of set core hours; annualised hours with a certain number of hours worked over the year but when those happen varies; or staggered hours, which differ start, finish and break times).
- How much an individual works (ie, job share, part-time or phased retirement).
Our leaders support this because of reduced recruitment, induction and training costs, thanks to better retention, plus the retention of institutional knowledge and experience from keeping people on board.
Across our trust, there is a wide range of flexible-working arrangements in place, from a headteacher who leaves early one day to collect their children from school, to a head of department working four days a week to complete their PhD.
We also have technicians working flexi-hours to better support the organisation of science practicals, and working-from-home arrangements for a timetabler.
Barriers to flexible working
This does not mean it is easy, however, and different roles have different barriers when a request comes in. Receptionists may not be able to work from home but exams officers might.
There may be more options for flexibility in senior leadership roles versus teaching assistant (TA) roles, but it is much better to have experienced TAs working part-time than continually reappointing full-time TAs. We work out what flexibility is possible and what types per role.
We think the data bears this out, with 88 per cent of flexible-working requests granted in full or in part - and, of those granted, 86 per cent were granted in full.
Staff involved cite benefits including completing study, reducing commuting time and improving work-life balance.
Clearly, then, we can make flexible working work for both schools and staff. It’s time to unpick stigmas around flexible working and encourage the idea that rather than it meaning people are giving less to their job, they’re probably giving more.
Antonia Spinks is CEO of Pioneer Educational Trust
