Schools across England are enhancing maternity pay and promoting flexible work arrangements in an effort to curb the ongoing departure of female teachers in their 30s, a demographic pivotal to the education sector. Last year alone, over 9,000 women aged between 30 and 39 left state education, raising concerns of a significant loss of experienced professionals.
As part of a recruitment drive, the government recently announced funding for 6,500 new teaching positions, supported by a budgetary move to impose VAT on private school fees. However, educational leaders and charities caution that attracting new talent may fall short without addressing the underlying issues that drive experienced female teachers out of the profession. Many cite subpar maternity benefits, intense workloads, and the difficulty of balancing family responsibilities with teaching demands as core reasons for leaving.
In response, the Education Alliance academy trust, overseeing 10 schools in Hull and East Riding of Yorkshire, has taken a progressive step by offering teachers and support staff 18 weeks of full maternity pay and eight weeks at half pay, a significant improvement over the sector’s usual four weeks at full pay followed by a tapering scale. Additionally, the trust has introduced policies to ensure teachers can attend their own children’s important milestones, such as school plays and sports days—events that many educators often miss.
Jonny Uttley, CEO of the Education Alliance, highlighted the urgency of this initiative, emphasizing the importance of retaining experienced teachers by removing the “dilemma” of choosing between their careers and their families. “This issue has driven too many great teachers and leaders out of the profession,” he stated.
Uttley’s approach to accommodating flexible work requests, approving 98% of them, aligns with similar efforts by other academy trusts like PolyMAT and the Charter Schools Education Trust, as well as certain London boroughs. The commitment to offer paid leave for miscarriages and improved maternity packages mirrors recent efforts by the civil service and supermarket chains, which provide up to six months’ paid leave, setting a new standard that schools are beginning to adopt.
Emma Sheppard, founder of the Maternity Teacher Paternity Teacher Project, underscored the urgency of addressing retention, particularly among mid-career teachers. She cautioned that the government’s focus on hiring may neglect the importance of retaining seasoned educators, whose departure risks undermining school stability.
The Department for Education has acknowledged the significance of retaining quality teachers, stating a commitment to fostering an attractive teaching environment.