Headteachers believe the benefits of flexible working do outweigh the costs – but financial constraints could be a “hindrance” to schools improving their approaches, government research has found.
Under a commitment to help schools improve their flexible working, the Department for Education commissioned IFF research to look at the perceived costs and benefits by teachers and leaders.
A small sample of 40 schools offering some flexible approaches were interviewed, alongside a survey of about 600 schools in December 2021.
It found that leaders “generally” felt it helped “retain good staff and improved teacher wellbeing”, leading to better pupil outcomes.
