Let's Talk About Flex with Emma Turner

"We want “flexible living” not flexible working. We want people to live really well; to be healthy and happy and feel like they can contribute."

Emma Turner has been in primary teaching for 23 years, during which time she has worked as a classroom teacher in multiple schools and in many different leadership roles including forming one of the UK's first all-female co-headships.

In this episode, we explore three main themes - flexible working, doing leadership differently, and 'Being More Toddler' (also the title of her first book.)

In this practical (and at times funny!) episode, Emma shares:

• How she has always worked flexibly, not just when she became a Co-Head (and how you can too)
• How to approach flexible working as both an employer and an employee
• Why change feels like '3 steps forward, 2 steps back' at times
• A simple and practical questions to ask when thinking of flexible working
• The biggest barrier to flex
• What the Department for Education is doing to support flexibility
• Why she really can't stand the term "flexible working"!
• How to think about your life in the profession, from graduate to retirement (around the age of 87!)
• Why it's so important to be yourself as a leader and stop pretending that you’re something you’re not
• The skills she observed in her toddlers, that directly translate to school leadership
• And so many more pearls of wisdom from her career as a senior leader and a mother of three young children.

You can connect with Emma

On Twitter @Emma_Turner75 

You can find her books Let's talk about Flex and Be More Toddler or where all great books are sold.

Other mentions in this podcast are

DfE Flexible Schools Ambassador program

TES Business Manager of the Year - Louise Barber

Chartered College of Teaching

WomenEd

Flex Teacher Talent

Rae Snape

Dan Edwards

Sam Strickland

NewEd Leaders

NewEdEvents

Mind the Gap

Tom Sherrington 

Jonny Uttley

John Tomsett

Bennie Kara

Halil Tamgumus 

Abby Bayford - Letter to my NQT Self

Connect with Maria

On Twitter @Mariabrosnan

On LinkedIn Maria Brosnan

On Instagram @pursuitwellbeing

Find out more about our 5-step Wellbeing Action Plan for teachers online course.

And Maria's book, The Pursuit of Sleep for teachers, is available now.