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How to respond to flexible working requests

Learn how to respond to any flexible working request you receive. Understand what counts as flexible working, who can make a request and what to consider before you make a decision.

Last reviewed on 17 March 2025
School types: All•School phases: All•Ref: 5809
Contents
  1. What it is and who can request it 
  2. Share our template request form with staff   
  3. What to do when you receive a request
  4. Hold a trial period
  5. Know when you can refuse a request 
  6. Offer staff an appeals process 
  7. When staff can go to an employment tribunal
  8. Take a whole-school approach to flexible working

What it is and who can request it 

Flexible working can involve:

  • Job sharing
  • Working off-site (e.g. teachers carrying out planning, preparation and assessment (PPA) work from home)
  • Working part-time
  • Flexitime
  • Compressed hours (working full-time hours, over fewer days)
  • Annualised hours (working hours are spread or vary across the year)
  • Staggered hours 
  • Phased retirement

This is set out in the DfE's guidance on flexible working in schools (see the section 'Defining flexible working').

Flexible working can benefit your school by helping you to:

  • Retain experienced staff
  • Recruit from a wider pool of teachers
  • Improve staff wellbeing and work-life balance 

Statutory requests for flexible working

All employees have the right to make a statutory request for flexible working from day 1 of their employment.

This includes part-time workers, but not agency workers or self-employed contractors.

Non-statutory