Any one help with a question about returning to part time teaching after mat leave

[geogteach]

Basically am on maternity leave from my 0.6 hod of geog job. Have decided to go back for the last half term to work my notice then quit.
Met with head yestaday, she is happy for me to do this but only has 1.5/2 days work, she says as I haven't had a timetable this academic year I don't have 0.6 to go back to. What I want to know is - is that correct, what is the impact on my enhanced maternity pay (main reason for going back), will that be based on the 3 days I worked last year or the 2 days I would do this year. She is a bit slippery so want to check my facts if you know what I mean.

[Lucycat]

Could be wrong here - but I thought you had to be offered the same job, pay, conditions, everything when you returned after mat leave? Could you contact your union rep who could find out exactly for you?

P.S I am an escaped Geog teacher too! shhh currently in disguise as a sahm!

[fisil]

I think she is wrong. I think she has to give you 0.6 days. She can fill in the time with supply I guess.

A colleague of mine worked the last two weeks in July and then 5 weeks after the holidays in September. Therefore she wasn't given a timetable at all, but used purely as supply. She was MPS though. Are you concerned about having the responsibilities? If not, this seems like your best option to go for!

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

Agree with Lucycat - my understanding is that after mat leave, you go back on exactly the same terms and conditions - not sure she's allowed to do what she is suggesting, but an not an expert.

Have you looked at the TES website - quite a lot of helpful info on there, and there's a "staffroom" where you can ask questions of other teachers.

[geogteach]

Thanks, she is not questioning the responsibility, aparently I can be hod on 1.5 days a week?! Will do further research, really am only doing it for the cash and the fact it is just 7 weeks work with 7 weeks paid hols which makes it worth it geography teaching doesn't run to 3 sets of nursery fees so i'm about to become a sahm too.

[fisil]

Can I be a bit cheaky here? I have an interview on Tuesday for a 0.6 job at a new school. I have been basically turned down at my school for part time work. As Tuesday is my due date it's not certain I'll make it. But I may go on applying for jobs - I'm not sure how resignation will work - will I have to do it by 31st May as normal, or can I let them know at any time that I have no plans to return (even though it's because I'm going to another school, not because I'm going to be a SAHM)?

[Lucycat]

Firstly good luck for Tues! Why have you been turned down for a job share? surely there is plenty of time for them to advertise this academic year for a 0.4 post? When it comes to resigning, when are you due to return to work after your mat leave? this should affect what you choose to tell your school about what you intend to do. If possible then stuff them!! you don't need to tell them that you are going to another school - unless you want them to provide a ref of course! you could be going to sail around the world for all they know - or care so it seems.

Anyway I'm not an expert just get annoyed with the sh*tty way that schools treat their staff grrrrr. dh is a teacher too can't you tell?

[fisil]

LC, I am currently head of a core dept. A colleague and I asked to go 80-20 on the job, and had a plan about how it would work. However, the head said that head of core dept cannot be a job share, full stop (didn't even go away to think about it!). The colleague has decided to be a SAHM, but is keeping them hanging! This job I'm going for is 2i/c which I wouldn't be prepared to do at my current school, firstly cos i want to get out of a place who treats you like that, and secondly because I know that it would be very hard to support the new HoD and not get sucked in to doing more than my job description!

I do need a ref, but so far have ticked the box saying I don't want them to contact my refs until I say so. Obviously I'm not going to let the head know what I'm thinking until I actually know that I'm going for an interview - and until I wake up on Tuesday morning with a baby still in my belly, I don't know! The fact that the new head is prepared to interview me for 0.6 for a job she advertised as 100% suggests that she will be open to understanding why I'm witholding my refs!

[Lucycat]

So I suppose it all hangs on Tuesday - so to speak! if you like the school, job, new staff etc then all well and good and you can tell your old head to shove her job.
Some heads have absolutely no man management skills - they lose excellent staff through not using a little give and take. What did your Union rep say about the refusal to let you do the HoD job on a share?
Do you have to go back to your current school to fulfill your mat pay?

[Bellie]

Geogteach - In my experience (used to be HR Manager) they have to offer you the same terms and conditions - e.g hours, level of responsibility and pay but not necessarily the exact same job (although probably hard to find an equivalent role to hod in a school??). Therefore offering you less hours on less pay is against mat employment law - if your union are not much help acas are brilliant on mat issues. Of course if she is offering the same pay for less hours probably not so much of an issue

[geogteach]

Thanks Bellie, not overly bothered about less days just want the additional mat pay have emailed union

[Moomin]

I was reading this today as am pg and will be taking mat leave from teaching in Sept. I beleive they are obliged to offer you an equiv or the same post, even if you reduce your hours, and on the same money UNLESS you have not returned to work within the allotted time for paid mat leave (6m-ish). If you return after this time you basically have to put up with what they can offer I think. That's in my LEA, though, may differ in another area but probably not by much.