Would you take a pay cut in order to work in a job that was term time only?

[Linnet]

I have applied for a job in a school working in the office and it's term time only, which would be excellent as I'd have all the school holidays to spend with my dd's.

I've got an interview in a few weeks time which I'm a bit nervous about but will go to as nothing ventured nothing gained etc.

the only slight problem is that the job is 2 pay scales lower than the one that I'm on just now and the annual salary works out at roughly £300 less per year. I know it's not a huge loss of money and dh and I will cope ok with it if I get the job.

But I'm a bit worried, the pro's are that it's term time only and I'm quite excited about having a job where I don't have to work through all the school holidays but the con is that it's slightly less money and a lower pay scale. The pay scale increases every April so if I did get the job I'd start on the lower one and be back on the one I'm on now within about 18 months.

what do you think? if you were me and were offered the job would you take it?

[charliecat]

yes!

[apronstrings]

I would - surely childcare over the school hols must cost more than that!

Good Luck - hope you get offered it then you can decide

[Aimsmum]

Message withdrawn

[CristinaTheAstonishing]

Yes, sounds pretty good. The difference of £300 gross a year works out at £20 or so net a month.

[threebob]

It's not a lot less to get every school holiday off.

I'm self employed and always work out my pay as being so much a week for working 15 hours a week with 12 weeks paid holiday. Much more motivating, especially as the legal holiday in NZ is only 4 weeks.

[SherlockLGJ]

Yes

[iamapieceofcheesecake]

Definately. Sounds like you're on to a winner there.

[mancmum]

only 20 quid less each month to spend all that time with your kids... no brainer!

[SueW]

Yes. I did that but actually I didn't lose any money because for my previous job I had to drive 12 miles during rush hour which took approx 45 mins each way.

So taking into account my time at the rate I was being paid, petrol/car costs at 50p/mile (AA rate for running my car), the job at school means I am financially in about the same situation. Plus of course I am on-site for assemblies, sports day, etc.

[Blu]

Yes!

[CarlyP]

£300/yr is nothing. go for it. im going to try and do something like that when my boys got o school.

[zippitippitoes]

I thought you were talking thopusands of pounds..it's a no brainer go for it..

[Tortington]

gd no. that would mean being with my children and i dont particularly want to do that

[OppressedLiberalPinko]

lol venerable one. I have primary aged children and would definitely do it for a few years if at all financially viable, Linnet- sounds like best of all worlds to me. I'm the kind of person who likes to focus almost exclusively on whatever I'm doing- have a a quite "male" crapness at multitasking combined with flibbertigibbertness so I find it quite hard to organise all chopping and changing between work and family. I'd like a situation where I could have throw myself into work for a time limited period and not worry too much about whether I'm being a good parent during that time (though would as always do my best, natch) because I'd know that a break was coming up where I could spend lots of nice time with the kids.

[ladynade]

If offered the job I would take it in a heartbeat!! £300 is nothing - you wouldn't notice the loss

[saggarmakersbottomknocker]

Take it! £300 is nothing.

• I work term-time and have just started my almost 7 week holiday.

[SueW]

Ditto. I am 1.5 weeks into my 8.5 week holiday.

Love it

[KTeePee]

After tax the difference per month would be negligible so I would definitely go for it, especially if you think you will catch up in a year or two. Many people would be looking at more like a 50% cut to get anything remotely family friendly

[serenity]

Is that pro rata'd though?

[CountessDracula]

Is your current job full time? In which case if they don't pro rate the new salary you are actually getting a substantial pay rise!

[KBear]

I am looking to do exactly that. I work part-time in the City at the moment so I would expect about the same money to work full-time (term-time) locally. Small problem being there are no school secretary jobs going in my borough at the moment! Go for it!

[purpleprincess]

I am about to do the same but will be a lot less than £300 a year. I am going from 3 full day all year job to 3 mornings in a school on less money and less pay but think it will be worth it in the long run as will have no childcare in holidays or at all for DS when he is at school full time.

Good luck!

[purpleprincess]

However having said that I think we will struggle a bit so will have to look at our finances a bit - but I'm sure there are loads of threads on this somewhere on MN!!

[WideWebWitch]

If £300 was the only diff between term time only and full time I'd take it, definitely.