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
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.
Wellbeing
Teacher Workload Survey
The DfE’s 2019 Workload survey, which includes information about working hours and working patterns amongst teachers and school leaders.
Leadership

Shared Parental Leave
Article from Better Life Lab about grandfather’s roles in supporting their daughters return to work by providing childcare, featuring on Slate.com. USA and global focus.
Telegraph article tracking the number of stay at home fathers since 2014.
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.
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.
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.
It’s time to change your strategy on hiring women
Article from Strategy Business about working conditions that attract more women back into the workplace after becoming parents.
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.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
Key facts on the global gender pay gap from UN Women.
Gender Pay Gap Calculator
A ‘fun’ tool from the Financial Times calculating the gender pay gap for your role in your industry.
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.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.
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.
Getting a Job: Is there a Motherhood Penalty?
A 2007 article from Harvard’s Kennedy School (Women and Public Policy Programme) exploring the evidence confirming the ‘motherhood penalty’.
Tackling the Motherhood Penalty
Blog from the Fawcett Society about strategies to tackle the ‘motherhood penalty’ across all sectors.The Gender Pay Gap is Largely Because of Motherhood
New York Times article about the differing impact of parenthood on pay and career progression. USA focus.
Power Maternity Leave
Returning to Work
Tips and Advice for Parental Leave
Maternity Discrimination
#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.