Articles
The work, aims and values of The MTPT Project are firmly based on available research pertinent to the issues that affect our community. In almost every case, the findings of the reports, articles and blogs below, are backed up by anecdotal evidence from our MaternityTeachers, PaternityTeachers and school leaders across the country. Use our Twitter account, Facebook page or contact us to share your stories.
Where we are finding gaps in current research, we are completing our own research, starting with our exploration of women aged 30-39 who have stayed in or left teaching. If you are interested in supporting us through your own academic study, please contact us to explain how you think your Undergraduate, Masters, PhD or other research links to The MTPT Project’s work.
Below is a collection of links, ranging from personal blogs to news articles to full blown academic research reports. We hope you enjoy reading them as part of your parental leave CPD, academic study, or simply to improve your understanding of the issues associated with parent teachers. If you think there are any articles or reports that are worth adding to this page, please get in touch with a link.
Teacher Retention and Recruitment
A very detailed report from the Policy Exchange on the causes of the teacher retention crisis, including the link between teacher shortages and maternity leave.
Short report from the University of Bristol focusing on the negative impact of high teacher turnover on student outcomes based on a study completed in New York City.
The long form of the above report, summarised by Bristol University investigating the impact of teacher turnover on student outcomes in New York City (2012).
A 2016 Schools Week article summarising the findings regarding teacher retention in the Schools Workforce Census.
The full 2016 Schools Workforce Census detailing the make up of the education workforce across the UK, including numbers entering, leaving and returning to the profession.
Evaluation of the Return to Teaching pilot programme
An evaluation of the relatively unsuccessful Return to Teaching pilot which ran from January to November 2016.
A cross-industry report about mothers returning to work after maternity leave.
A National Foundation for Educational Research article exploring the links between teacher engagement and teacher retention.
A SchoolsWeek article reporting on links between poor Ofsted gradings, teacher retention, low levels of recruitment and excessive use of supply teachers.
A 2002 report from The University of Liverpool exploring the reasons for teachers leaving the profession, or leaving their current schools. Lots of handy tables for data comparisons!
A 2015 NFER report on teachers leaving and returning to the profession, and their reasons for doing so.
A summary of two US based studies exploring the impact of high teacher turnover on schools and the indirect impact of this disruption on student outcomes.
Teacher Retention and Turnover Research Research Update 3
Is the Grass Greener Beyond Teaching
2017 NFER report on the destination of teachers leaving the profession.
Education Committee report on reasons behind the teacher recruitment and retention crisis and suggestions to tackle it.
A 2011 Sutton Trust report exploring the impact of classroom teaching on student outcomes. This report is essential to The MTPT Project’s hypothesis that making the effort to retain and recruit quality parent teachers is beneficial for student outcomes.
A National College report on barriers to returners to teaching and how schools can support them to help increase recruitment.
Schools Week article on the costs associated with recruitment for teaching posts.
Wellbeing
A TES article summarising research from the University of British Columbia and Leeds Beckett University regarding the impact of poor teacher wellbeing on students.
A SecEd article summarising the findings of Healthy Teachers, Higher Marks including an interview with Dr. Zofia Bajorek and Dame Carol Black.
A blog from the National Literacy Trust about the positive impact of early literacy on parent-child relationships, with a specific focus on parent wellbeing and premature babies.
Teacher Workload Survey
The DfE’s 2019 Workload survey, which includes information about working hours and working patterns amongst teachers and school leaders.
A very thorough literature review focusing on the link between teacher wellbeing and student outcomes.
A small-scale Australian study using the PERMA model to focus on positive wellbeing amongst teachers, and beginning to touch on its implications for staffing.
Summary of findings from a survey undertaken by the Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health in Schools at Leeds Beckett university regarding teacher mental health and its impact on teacher delivery and student outcomes.
Research from the Global City Leaders Project exploring the imapct of Generation X Headteachers and their focus on caring and wellbeing as a whole school leadership strategy.
An article from the Association of American Medical Colleges making the link between applying Martin Seligman’s PERMA model to avoid absences, burnout and staff retention issues related poor wellbeing and mental health.
Leadership
Research conducted by NASUWT in 2010 exploring experiences of women in school leadership positions.
A summary of Dr. Kay Fuller’s research into the disproportional representation of female secondary headteachers, completed in partnership with the University of Nottingham, the Economic and Social Research Council and WomenEd.
SchoolsWeek article from Carol Jones on the impact of the ‘motherhood penalty’ on women in leadership positions in education.
An article by Jayshree Thakore & Natalie Tyndall, aspiring Headteachers at Barham Primary School, exploring the practicalities of co-headship positions.
A National College for School Leadership report (2006) about the impact of effective school leaders on student outcomes.
A 2004 report from the National College of School Leadership exploring barriers faced by female school leaders.
A 2017 report collated by Society Search and Leaders Plus offering top tips for supporting and retaining charity sector CEOs who decide to start families.
Shared Parental Leave
Practical advice from #SPLash – an advice sharing network set up by Maternity Action, YESSLaw, Working Families and Cloisters.
Amazing infographic from the World Policy Center comparing parental leave allowances across the world.
CIPD article summarising statistics related to shared parental leave and the reasons for relatively low uptake in the first year that it has been offered.
Information and examples from the UK government regarding shared parental leave entitlements.
The full CIPD report on maternity, paternity and shared parental leave policies at different organisations.
An article from Working Mums summarising the research of Dr. Katherine Twamley at the University of London, researching the impact of shared parental leave.
Family Friendly Working Conditions
Managing pregnancy and maternity in the workplace
Detailed legal guidance and best practice on pregnancy, maternity leave and the return to work from the Equality and Human Rights Commission, including downloadable resources.
Flexible working: Putting our pupils at the heart of our flexible working policy
Fairly thorough outline of the flexible working practices implemented by the Hearts Academy Trust with concrete examples. This DfE blog makes the case for flexible working having a positive impact on student outcomes.
Flexible Teacher Retention and Turnover Research
A 2017 report from the NFER exploring patterns behind teacher retention and turnover, including factors linked to part time and flexible working.
Flexible Working: The Experiences of Teachers
A 2016 report from NASUWT exploring the current attitudes to flexible working in schools, and the consequences of such attitudes.
Top Employers for Working Families
Benchmark Summary Report
A summary of the common family friendly practices and policies of Working Families UK’s winning businesses, 2017.
Fathers ‘afraid to ask for flexible working’
A BBC article on research from the Women and Equality Committee into cultural attitudes to requests for flexible working from fathers.
The 2016 doctorate thesis of Dr. Emma Kell (@thosethatcan) which ‘explores the influence of parenthood on teacher identity; the challenges involved in combining the roles of teacher and parent, and the benefits of being a teacher-parent’.
Guardian article reporting on the introduction of onsite childcare by big private firms such as Goldman Sachs and gNappies.
NUT Parental Leave
Helpful guidance documents for schools and teachers from the NUT regarding legalities, policies and best practice surrounding parental leave.
Top Employers for Working Families
A list of the 2017 winners of the Working Families UK awards, including descriptions of different policies and practices that make these companies such family-friendly places to work.
Flexible Working Policy
Example of a school Flexible Working Policy from Holy Trinity CofE Primary School, Richmond. Did you know that it has been a legal requirement for schools to have a flexible working policy since 2014?
Flexible Working and Work Life Balance
Detailed guidance from ACAS regarding ways to implement flexible and part time working in your organisation, including the potential benefits and challenges of different arrangements.
Job sharing in the teaching profession
1994 MPhil thesis from June Smedley.
What is the difference between Part-time and Jobshare?
Blog from Sara Horsfall, founder and CEO of Ginibee, an organisation that supports businesses in finding jobshare solutions.
Flexible working in schools
Official government guidance and case studies on how to make flexible working an option for you and your school.
Contact with employer during maternity leave and return to work
Guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission regarding communicating between employer and employees during maternity leave.
Is Teaching Compatible with Parenthood?
Statistics from an October 2017 TeacherTapp survey revealing the number of parent teachers in the UK workforce.
Flexible Working and Schools
Balanced advice from Employment Law Firm Spearing Waite regarding flexible working arrangements. Covers both instances where employers can refuse flexible working requests, and how they can adopt a ‘let’s see if we can’ attitude.
Swedish MEP takes her baby to work in European Parliament chamber
Independent article about the need for child-friendly workplaces.
Flexible working: provision and uptake
A CIPD report focusing on the private sector, exploring the uptake, advantages and disadvantages of flexible working arrangements.
A brief article from People Management magazine offering top tips for managing expectant and new mothers over their maternity leave period.
Advertise all jobs with flexible working to tackle pay gap
A Guardian article on the recommendations of the Equality and Human Rights Commision’s recommendation to provide flexible working arrangements for all employees, and improved paternity leave packages to reduce the gender, ethnicity and disability pay gap.
Job sharing: the career experiences of women primary teachers
1998 Doctorate thesis from Carolyne McDaid.
Teachers need flexible working to stop women leaving profession, says thinktank
Guardian article summarising the 2016 Policy Exchange findings (above) and pushing for more flexible working arrangements in schools.
The Pay Gap
A Guardian article on the 12 milestones in a woman’s life that result in the gender pay gap.
Key facts on the global gender pay gap from UN Women.
The 2017 DfE findings on the gender pay gap in education and governmental initiatives designed to support its continued reduction.
The Fatherhood Bonus and The Motherhood Penalty: Parenthood and the Gender Gap in Pay
A 2014 American PhD study by Michelle J. Budig exploring the links between the gender pay gap, fatherhood and motherhood, coining the term ‘the fatherhood bonus’.
The Gender Pay Gap
An NEU blog summarising a number of pieces of research into the gender pay gap in education.
The Gender Pay Gap
Full 2016 IFS report on the gender pay gap available for download.
Gender Pay Gap Calculator
A ‘fun’ tool from the Financial Times calculating the gender pay gap for your role in your industry.
Pay and Progression for September 2017
A 2017 NEU members survey of pay and progression for the whole teacher workforce, which includes some interesting insight into mothers penalised because of the absence of maternity leave. Full survey.
Tackling the Motherhood Penalty
Blog from the Fawcett Society about strategies to tackle the ‘motherhood penalty’ across all sectors.
The Motherhood Pay Penalty
2016 report from the Trades Union Council and the Institute for Public Policy Research regarding the ‘motherhood penalty’ across all sectors.
Power Maternity Leave
Article from The Talented Ladies Club on June Angelides, founder of Mums in Technology.
Forbes article exploring the pros and cons of the ‘power maternity leave’.
Stylist Magazine showcases the stories of four mothers who started their own businesses whilst on maternity leave.
Career Addicts article on the advantages and disadvantages of the ‘power maternity leave’.
Stylist Magazine showcases the stories of four mothers who started their own businesses whilst on maternity leave.
The Evening Standards shares the stories of three entrepreneurs who started their businesses whilst on maternity leave.
Returning to Work
A brief BBC article on the benefits of mothers returning to work after maternity leave.
Unburdened Return from Parental Leave
Tips from HR company, Sumtotal about how employers and employees can ensure a comfortable transition back to work after parental leave.
Tips and Advice for Parental Leave
Tips on maximising on time and energy whilst on parental leave from networking organisation, Every Woman.
Advice on requesting and using KIT days from Maternity Action.
Official government guidance on KIT days.
Maternity Discrimination
A 2016 report into mothers’ and employers’ experiences of maternity leave.
#WomenEd: A Movement for Women Leaders in Education
A 2019 research report from Dr. Jill Berry and Dr. Kay Fuller about the impact of the #WomenEd network with significant findings regarding pregnancy and maternity discrimination in the education system.