Under the leadership of CEO, Antonia Spinks, Pioneer Educational Trust has embarked on a transformative journey to embed flexible working practices across the organisation. Recognising the vital role of flexibility in attracting and retaining top talent, Antonia has been a driving force behind this initiative, skillfully navigating the complexities of implementing what represents such a significant change within the education sector. This case study highlights the trust’s path toward embracing flexibility and offers useful practice for trust leaders to learn from; it highlights the innovative strategies and successes that have enriched the working lives of staff and delivered wide-ranging benefits to the trust as a whole.
The journey towards embracing flexible working across Pioneer Learning Trust began in 2019 with the results of an annual staff engagement survey, where staff expressed a clear desire for greater workplace flexibility. This reflects trends and findings across the wider economy that increasingly demonstrate flexible working as a key factor in employees’ decisions to join – and stay with – an organisation.
Yet in education, this is far from simple – at least at first. Antonia explains, “initially, it wasn’t entirely clear how flexible working would translate within school settings, given the inherently public-facing nature of the work. However, we saw it as a challenge worth taking on—and we rose to the occasion.” In early 2020 the trust engaged in a Department for Education (DfE) and their Flexible Teacher Talent (FTT) programme, which proved a useful start in challenging preconceptions and mindsets around flexible working, and attitudes around the potential barriers. The trust’s leadership began to see the potential benefits of adopting more flexible working practices, not just for staff well-being but also for organisational efficiency and effectiveness.
“initially, it wasn’t entirely clear how flexible working would translate within school settings, given the inherently public-facing nature of the work. However, we saw it as a challenge worth taking on”
Following this, Antonia and her team engaged in their own research, engaging with industry experts and organisations such as Mandy Coalter and Maternity Teacher Paternity Teacher (MTPT) Project, who provided further insights into how flexible working could be implemented in educational settings. A particularly resonant finding came from a parliamentary paper by the Women and Equalities Committee, which highlighted the critical role of flexible working in addressing the gender pay gap. This insight aligned perfectly with the trust’s values, particularly its commitment to driving equality.
