“I really loved my job, and I loved working full-time. I couldn’t have seen that changing before I had a family.”
After eight years in teaching, primary school teacher Alice Cole says that all changed with the arrival of her first child, Oliver, last May.
With Alice’s partner working shifts, Alice says a full-time return to work would have made her family time “non-existent”.
“Working flexibly now has given me that precious time with my son which I wouldn’t change for the world,” she says.
Alice returned to work three days a week at Oasis Academy Warndon in April and is on a flexible working arrangement for the next year, which means she can also take Oliver to regular baby group sessions.
She believes delivering more flexible working options for teachers – especially those who are new parents – is going to be key to addressing ongoing issues with recruitment and retention in the profession.
She wants all new parent teachers to be offered such flexibility, to allow them to “feel confident that taking that step forward in their personal life isn’t going to lead to a step back in their professional life”.
It’s an area of teaching the government is trying to improve as part of its pledge to recruit 6,500 new teachers.
Read more…. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgd3039zrro