By: Sarah Sarll,
Chief Financial Officer at Pioneer Educational Trust
Sarah Sarll, Chief Financial Officer at Pioneer
Educational Trust, shares how flexible working has boosted staff
wellbeing and retention while transforming school culture. Her
experience offers valuable insights for educational institutions
looking to modernise their working practices.
Evidence-Based Implementation
When we first considered implementing flexible working across our
Trust, we knew we needed compelling evidence to support such a
significant change. Research from the Department for Education's
Teaching Vacancies showed that:
• 83% of teachers view improved work-life balance as a top
benefit of flexible working.
• 72% of teachers believe it promotes wellbeing
• 52% associate flexible working with supporting staff retention
This data highlighted the significant impact that flexible
working can have on both wellbeing and staff retention, which, in
turn, improves school efficiency and overall performance.
Creating Inclusive Opportunities
We made the decision to open flexible working to all staff, not
just teachers. This inclusive approach has transformed our
recruitment process, allowing us to tap into talent pools we
couldn't reach before, enhancing operations both in classrooms
and support roles.
Flexible working is particularly appealing to recent graduates
who might otherwise consider other sectors.
Supporting Professional Growth
Flexible working fosters a supportive environment, especially for
staff with caregiving responsibilities or those pursuing further
education.
Many staff members use their flexible roles to study for master's
or PhD qualifications, upskilling without the need for additional
recruitment. This investment in professional development benefits
not only our staff but also our students, who gain from their
enhanced expertise.
Resource Management
The constant cycle of recruiting and training new teachers can
hinder school improvement. By offering flexible working policies,
we incentivise staff to stay and help them find the right working
pattern for their life stage.
Some staff only need flexible working temporarily to support
caring responsibilities. By being flexible, we retain top talent,
reducing the time and resources needed to recruit, train, and
induct new staff. This allows our leaders to focus on other key
areas of school transformation.
Flexible working arrangements, such as part-time roles,
job-sharing, remote working, and adjustable hours, can make roles
more attractive and manageable for highly skilled professionals
who might otherwise leave the profession due to inflexible work
conditions. This helps retain experienced staff and improves job
satisfaction, productivity, and loyalty to the Trust.
At Pioneer Educational Trust, we were spending approximately
£78,000 annually* on recruitment. This included recruitment
services, advertising costs, and agency fees (charges could run
from 20–30% of the annual salary*). Since implementing flexible
working, we've seen these costs decrease significantly.
We've learned that clear communication and proper training for
school leaders are essential. It's crucial to create a supportive
culture where flexible working is seen as a normal part of school
life, not an exception.
The role of Teaching Vacancies
I can't discuss our flexible working success without mentioning
Teaching Vacancies. This free Department for Education platform
has been instrumental in our recruitment strategy over the past
decade. It's helped us reach a wider pool of candidates while
significantly reducing our advertising costs.
Take action now
If you're a School Business Manager considering flexible working,
I strongly encourage you to take that step. The benefits we've
seen – from improved staff wellbeing to reduced recruitment costs
– have far outweighed any initial challenges.
Here's what you can do today:
• Visit Teaching Vacancies to list
your roles with flexible working options
• Review your current working patterns and identify opportunities
for flexibility
• Start conversations with your leadership team about
implementing flexible working policies
Creating a more flexible workplace isn't just about staff
satisfaction; it's about building a more resilient, efficient,
and sustainable education system for everyone.
*Figures supplied by Pioneer Educational Trust
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