Key Voices

This week we talk to Asma Maqsood-Shah, Principal at High Hazel’s Academy in Sheffield and part of United Learning Academy Trust, about how she overcame her doubts about introducing flexible working at her school and how creating a flexible culture contributed hugely to the school’s improvement journey. We discuss the initial issues the school faced, how they adopted flexible working and what some of the benefits have been.    We talk about:  Asma’s background and career to date The school’s history, context and issues with staff turnover, absence and morale Why Asma was initially concerned about encouraging flexible working amongst her staff  The importance of developing a rationale around flexible working and a proactive, rather than reactive, approach to flexible working requests How flexible working fitted into work the school was doing to improve alignment, engagement and leadership  Some of the challenges Asma and her team overcame around cost, articulating equity of access  The benefits and im