In March 2023, Capita was awarded a new contract to deliver a programme of practical support to promote flexible working practices in Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs) and schools across England. As part of the programme, the Department for Education (DfE) has now appointed an additional five Flexible Working Ambassador Multi-Academy Trusts and Schools (FWAMS) to support school leaders to implement and embed flexible working in their schools.
The FWAMS will offer practical advice on overcoming common challenges such as timetabling and budgeting, as well as highlighting the importance of ‘flexible hiring’ and providing support on designing a flexible working policy. Bespoke support will be available to leaders in MATs, mainstream primary and secondary schools, special schools and alternative provision/pupil referral unit settings.
FWAMS will build on the work of a previous cohort of ambassadors appointed by the Department. Participants from the previous programme reported increased understanding of flexible working and feeling more equipped with the skills and knowledge to implement it.
The FWAMS appointed are:
School or trust |
Specialism/region |
|---|---|
|
Lapal Primary School of Hales Valley Trust |
East Midlands |
|
Aspire AP School of Aspire Schools Trust |
Alternative Provision/Pupil Referral Units |
|
Newport Girls’ High School of Newport Girls’ High School Academy Trust |
West Midlands |
|
Reach Academy Feltham of Reach Academy Trust |
High disadvantage [1]National FWAMS specialist |
|
The Halifax Academy of Impact Education Multi Academy Trust |
High disadvantage [1]National FWAMS specialist
( [1]high proportions of pupils eligible for the deprivation pupil premium) |
Capita will work with the ambassador MATs and schools to deliver support to schools and trusts to help implement flexible working practices. This includes a national programme of free workshops and webinars, with the programme launch taking place in the series of online events named Flex Fest on the 29th of September.
Webinar and resource topics will include, amongst others, implementing flexible working, promoting diversity in the workforce and co leadership and job sharing. These will be brought to life by best practice examples and case studies.
Jayne Thorpe, Capita said:
“We are delighted to launch this programme, funded by the Department for Education. It is inspiring to be involved in a programme that offers the education sector the support and guidance to make flexible working more accessible for all staff. We are excited to work alongside the appointed FWAMS to achieve this.”
Supporting schools to implement flexible working is a key pillar of the Department for Education (DfE)’s strategy to recruit new teachers and help retain the existing workforce, with the aim of modernising working conditions and offering a range of working patterns that better suit teachers and leaders, improve staff wellbeing, and create a more diverse teacher and leader workforce.
