In this Optimus wellbeing podcast, we look at why some schools see flexible working as a challenge, the potential benefits of allowing staff to work flexibly and advice on making it work in your school.
An increasing number of people are working flexibly. Amongst many other reasons, flexible working allows people to meet family commitments, have more time for personal obligations and have more control over their work-life balance.
Around 42% of women and 13% of men work part-time. However, these statistics are considerably lower for teachers, with only 8.6% of male and 26.4% of female teachers working part-time.
According to the DfE, 'This is not just a problem for equality in the teaching workforce, it is also a factor in attracting and keeping high quality teachers.' (DfE, Flexible working in schools)
In this episode, we'll be looking at:
Having some downtime really improved my efficiency and reduced my workload
Liz has worked in education for 20 years, as an accredited advanced skills teacher, pastoral and curriculum leader, SENCO and assistant headteacher. She has worked across both mainstream and independent sectors, and also the founder of Spotlight Education Support.
You've got to be innovative and think outside the box
Jonathan is the Principal of the Cognita owned, International School Zurich North.
He is a firm believer in a flexible approach to educational provision and has featured in the national press for pioneering a 10am start time for sixth form students at his previous school, North Bridge House.
Every situation is different. You need to listen to the needs of the person
Lucy is a secondary school teacher with experience in senior leadership roles. She is also a mother to small, sticky children and co-founder of Flexible Teacher Talent.
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