My Weekly Juggling Act - Being a Teacher to Other Children and a Mum to My Own

Why It Matters

If schools cannot provide realistic work‑life balance, rising attrition will undermine recruitment targets and student outcomes. Flexible policies are essential to keep experienced educators, particularly female teachers, in the classroom.

Key Takeaways

• 70% of teacher‑parents surveyed consider leaving teaching.
• Flexible‑working guidance updated to aid recruitment of 6,500 teachers.
• Full‑time teachers often work 2 extra hours daily on planning.
• Lack of flexibility pushes experienced teachers toward career change.
• Household support crucial; remote‑working spouse eases workload.

Pulse Analysis

The pressures facing teachers who are also parents have intensified in recent years, as illustrated by Dena Tickner’s daily routine. Beyond classroom responsibilities, educators must handle lesson planning, grading, and administrative duties that spill into evenings and weekends. A NASUWT poll reveals that seven‑in‑ten teacher‑parents have contemplated leaving the profession, underscoring a systemic mental‑load issue that extends far beyond individual time‑management challenges. This burnout risk is especially acute for women, who often shoulder the majority of household and caregiving tasks.

In response, the UK government has refreshed its flexible‑working guidance, targeting the recruitment of 6,500 new teachers. The policy encourages schools to accommodate part‑time schedules and remote‑working requests, aiming to make the profession more attractive to parents. However, implementation hurdles remain: schools must maintain adequate staffing levels throughout the day, and many lack the infrastructure to support staggered timetables. Consequently, teachers like Tickner find themselves stuck in a cycle of extended work hours, despite policy promises.

The broader implications are clear. High attrition rates threaten educational continuity and increase recruitment costs, while the loss of experienced female teachers narrows role‑model diversity for students. Sustainable solutions will require coordinated action—schools must adopt flexible roster models, invest in digital tools for remote lesson delivery, and recognize the unpaid mental labor teachers perform at home. By aligning policy with on‑the‑ground realities, the education sector can improve retention, enhance gender equity, and ultimately deliver better outcomes for learners.