Jack Ribbons shares his thoughts on women’s progression into leadership and retaining female talent in schools
In a recent conversation with our Director, Jack Ribbons, we discussed women in education, particularly the challenges many teachers face when returning to work following maternity leave and how this can influence both retention and progression into senior leadership roles. Teaching is widely recognised as a female-dominated profession. However, the gender balance can look very different when you examine leadership positions within schools.
“In many schools, particularly in primary education, the majority of classroom teachers are women,” Jack explained. “However, when you look at senior leadership roles, the gender split begins to look quite different.”
National workforce data highlights this contrast. In England, around 75–76% of teachers are women, rising to over 85% in nursery and primary schools. Yet women remain less represented in senior leadership positions, particularly in secondary education, where women make up over 60% of the teaching workforce but hold only around 41% of headteacher roles.
Jack believes one factor that can influence this disparity is maternity leave and the natural pause it can create in a teacher’s career. “Many women take a year or more away from work when they have children,” he said. “If someone has multiple children, that could mean several years away from the profession while colleagues continue gaining experience and progressing.”
While Ribbons & Reeves is widely recognised for recruitment, the business also advocates for stronger retention within the sector. Another challenge can arise when teachers return to work following maternity leave. Some educators may wish to return part-time, but the traditional structure of schools can make flexible arrangements difficult.
“In primary schools, one class usually has one full-time teacher,” Jack explained. “If someone wants to return two or three days a week, schools can find it difficult to split that role effectively. Finding a high-quality teacher to cover the remaining days can often be the barrier.”
Research supports this challenge. Around 31% of female classroom teachers work part-time, yet only around 8% of headteachers do, highlighting how limited flexibility at senior level can restrict progression for those needing reduced hours.
The lack of flexible working options can also affect retention. Women aged 30–39 are one of the largest groups leaving the teaching profession, with many citing workload, family commitments and limited flexible working arrangements as key factors.
As a result, some experienced teachers decide not to return to education at all. This can lead to the profession losing talented educators who may otherwise have progressed into leadership roles later in their careers.
However, Jack believes the sector is gradually improving, with schools becoming more open to flexible working arrangements than they were a decade ago. “Schools are starting to recognise that supporting teachers through different life stages is important if we want to retain the best people in the profession,” he said.
Jack also highlighted the role that recruitment partners can play in supporting schools to make flexible arrangements work.
“At Ribbons & Reeves, we can help schools source complementary part-time permanent or fixed-term teachers,” he explained. “If schools give us the time to partner with them properly, we can find high-quality teachers to cover the remaining days. That means schools don’t have to rely on short-term supply staff, and pupils benefit from consistent, high-quality teaching across the entire week.” Supporting teachers through major life stages, Jack suggests, could play an important role in strengthening retention and enabling more women to progress into senior leadership roles across education.
Useful stats:
75–76% of teachers in England are women.
Over 85% of primary school teachers are female.
Women represent over 60% of secondary teachers but only around 41% of headteachers.
31% of female classroom teachers work part-time compared with just 8% of headteachers.
More than 9,000 women aged 30–39 left teaching in England in one recent year, often citing workload and family pressures.
56% of teachers who are mothers say lack of flexible or part-time working options contributes to leaving the profession.
