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Guidance

Flexible working in schools

Guidance for employers and staff who want to make arrangements for flexible working.

Updates to this page

From:
Department for Education
Published:
24 February 2017
Last updated:
25 August 2026
Show all updates

  1. Schools are now expected to have a flexible working policy in place. We have updated the guidance to reflect this.

  2. Updated to reflect the ending of the current FWAMS delivery programme on 31 March 2026 and the launch of a new retention programme from autumn 2026.

  3. Updated the following sections of this guidance: 'Overview' - added a line to make it clear that the guidance could also be helpful in early years and further education, 'Home or remote working' - included clarification about off-site PPA time, 'Implementing effective flexible working practices: training for school leaders' - included a webinar link and removed references to a previous programme, and 'Supporting returning to teaching' - removed references to National Tutoring Programme, as this is now closed.

  4. Flexible working in schools guidance updated to reflect legislative changes effective from 6 April 2024.

  5. 'Flexible working in schools' guidance will be updated in April 2024 to align with the new flexible working law when is comes into force.

  6. Changed 'Flexible working training' section to 'Implementing effective flexible working practices: training for senior leaders' and added links to webinars.

  7. Added information about flexible working training.

  8. Updated the definition of flexible working and the process for requesting flexible working, including a clearer distinction between statutory and non-statutory requests. Also updated information on the considerations for addressing potential challenges to implementing and requesting flexible working.

  9. Noted on the page and in the guidance that this advice will be reviewed before summer 2020.

  10. First published.

Applies to England

Documents

Flexible working in schools

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Non-statutory guidance to help employers develop and implement flexible working policies and to support employees who want to request flexible working in education settings. It draws on the latest evidence on flexible working, as well as good practice from education settings.

This guidance is for:

  • employers developing flexible working policies or processing flexible working requests, including:
    • headteachers
    • governors
    • chief executive officers
    • local governing bodies
    • trustees
  • school employees requesting flexible working
  • local authorities providing human resources advice to maintained schools about flexible working

Read our other resources on flexible working, including case studies.

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