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Evaluating a Nine-Day Working Fortnight: Summary of Initial Fundings

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Evaluating a Nine-Day Working Fortnight: Summary of Initial Fundings
Language: English
Authors: John Higton, Sam Whittaker, Marie Gallagher, Sophie Renken, Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) (United Kingdom), IFF Research
Source: Education Endowment Foundation. 2025.
Availability: Education Endowment Foundation. 9th Floor Millbank Tower, Millbank, London, SW1P 4QP, UK. Tel: +44-207-802-1676; e-mail: info@eefoundation.org.uk; Web site: https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 20
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Reports - Research
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Working Hours, Faculty Workload, Staff Utilization, Administrator Attitudes, Teacher Attitudes, Teaching Experience, School Policy, Program Implementation, Institutional Autonomy, Educational Planning, Organizational Change
Geographic Terms: United Kingdom (England)
Abstract: This report examines the introduction of a policy of a nine-day working fortnight by Dixons Academies Trust in the 2024/2025 academic year. Dixons' ambition was to improve recruitment and retention of teachers and leaders. The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) commissioned Ambition Institute and IFF Research to evaluate this policy. This report summarises IFF's findings from longitudinal interviews with leaders and teachers from seven Dixons Academies Trust schools. The report shares early findings from two waves of interviews (Waves 1 and 2) with leaders and teachers at Dixons Academies Trust schools. The initial interviews explored initial reactions, planning, implementation models, and anticipated impacts. Follow-up interviews assessed early impacts, challenges, and potential changes to the policy. Recruitment for the study ensured coverage across different school phases, sizes, regions, and socio-economic backgrounds. The evaluation includes a scoping phase that assesses whether a causal impact study is feasible, focusing on costs, challenges, lessons learned, and perceived short-term impacts of implementing a nine-day working fortnight in schools, including effects on teacher well-being, absences, recruitment, retention, pupil learning, and any unintended outcomes. This evaluation is one of the EEF's 'School Choices' projects, which aim to measure the efficacy of school-level practices. [This report was co-produced by Ambition Institute.]
Abstractor: ERIC
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: ED680922
Database: ERIC
Description
Abstract:This report examines the introduction of a policy of a nine-day working fortnight by Dixons Academies Trust in the 2024/2025 academic year. Dixons' ambition was to improve recruitment and retention of teachers and leaders. The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) commissioned Ambition Institute and IFF Research to evaluate this policy. This report summarises IFF's findings from longitudinal interviews with leaders and teachers from seven Dixons Academies Trust schools. The report shares early findings from two waves of interviews (Waves 1 and 2) with leaders and teachers at Dixons Academies Trust schools. The initial interviews explored initial reactions, planning, implementation models, and anticipated impacts. Follow-up interviews assessed early impacts, challenges, and potential changes to the policy. Recruitment for the study ensured coverage across different school phases, sizes, regions, and socio-economic backgrounds. The evaluation includes a scoping phase that assesses whether a causal impact study is feasible, focusing on costs, challenges, lessons learned, and perceived short-term impacts of implementing a nine-day working fortnight in schools, including effects on teacher well-being, absences, recruitment, retention, pupil learning, and any unintended outcomes. This evaluation is one of the EEF's 'School Choices' projects, which aim to measure the efficacy of school-level practices. [This report was co-produced by Ambition Institute.]