Teaching has been ranked as the best job for mums returning to work, according to a new survey by the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA).

Graham Holley, chief executive of the TDA, said: "Teaching is leading the way in offering a much more flexible way of working for mums returning to the workplace. Those returning to teaching are discovering that today's profession offers greater flexibility, better pay, and much more structured career development than even a few years ago."

HR was ranked sixth out of eleven in the league table, with almost half complaining of 'unfair' treatment in the sector, post return.

Teaching, which topped the poll, was closely followed by the catering, retail and leisure industries, with the legal profession coming in last.

As many as 83% of HR workers quizzed reported to be looking for a more flexible approach to work whilst, worryingly, only 45% of mums working in HR felt they were 'treated like an equal' on returning to work in the sector.

Just under a quarter of mothers working in HR felt they had sufficient opportunities to develop their careers.