The Julian TSH is delighted to commit to ongoing support for parent-colleagues.

The programme was well-structured, insightful and helped me to reflect on myself, where I am at and where I would like to be in all different areas of my life. It has given me the confidence to dream big!

Primary Class Teacher, Winter Parental Leave group coaching cohort, 2024-25

Colleagues on a period of parental leave, returning to work or balancing their school commitments with young children will continue to benefit from fully-funded support next academic year thanks to an ongoing partnership between the Julian TSH and The MTPT Project.

This partnership will give state school colleagues fully-funded access to The MTPT Project’s Cradle to Classroom programme of transition support – three coaching and workshop offers designed to support them as they navigate their parenting journey:

• Group coaching during the parental leave period
• Return to Work workshops
• Group coaching (Sustain and Grow) for colleagues back at work with children aged 5 or younger.

What’s more, physics teachers and English Association members working in state schools can benefit from a further block of 1:1 coaching as part of additional partnerships with The Ogden Trust and English Association.

Recent research from TeacherTapp highlighted a number of ongoing challenges associated with taking a period of maternity, adoption or shared parental leave: confusion over legal entitlements during this period, challenges around flexible working and leadership roles, barriers to progression and feeling ‘forgotten’ or ‘like a spare part’ when returning after time out.

It’s no wonder, then, that women aged 30-39 make up the largest group of teachers to leave the profession every year with The MTPT Project and New Britain Project’s Missing Mothers report finding that motherhood had a lot to do with this attrition.

The Julian TSH recognises the importance of supporting colleagues over this key period where more than 67% of teachers become parents. We want colleagues in our region to know how valuable they are to our schools, and to feel empowered to design careers that fit in with their new family lives.

The workshop was very helpful and reassuring to me. It exceeded my expectations, thank you.

Secondary ECT, February 2025 Return to Work workshop

The Cradle to Classroom programme is designed to specifically address the challenges faced by colleagues at different stages of their parenting journeys. The coaching and workshops are positive, empowering and offer participants the tools to fully enjoy both their personal and professional lives.

Since 2023, more than 700 colleagues across the country have attended one or more of the Cradle to Classroom programmes, including 40 participants based in the East of England. We look forward to supporting even more new parents next academic year.

Upcoming dates for all three programmes in The MTPT Project’s 2025-26 Cradle to Classroom programme are available on Eventbrite.