The Department have told us they will put flexibility at the heart of the new recruitment and retention strategy. This should include the promotion of existing approaches to flexibility that have been proven to be successful such as job shares and part-time working. However, it is clear that the education sector faces unique challenges; these include the high degree of in-person working it requires; issues around timetabling; and the significant and ongoing problem of high workload. The Depar...

The Department have told us they will put flexibility at the heart of the new recruitment and retention strategy. This should include the promotion of existing approaches to flexibility that have been proven to be successful such as job shares and part-time working. However, it is clear that the education sector faces unique challenges; these include the high degree of in-person working it requires; issues around timetabling; and the significant and ongoing problem of high workload. The Department will need to find creative ways to address all of these if flexibility is to become a reality for teachers. Type: conclusion | Number: 52 | Paragraph: 215 | Response status: accepted Government response: Expanding and enabling flexible working is a priority for ensuring we can attract and retain the expert teachers our children need. Ministers have expressed support for flexible working, including through clarifying the position on Planning, Preparation, and Assessment time in the School Te