Part timers - How much do you do on days off?

[LooksLikeImStuckHere]

I don't mean planning or marking, that is just part and parcel of the whole teaching malarkey! I mean things like moderation, staff meetings, insets - when they are on your days off.

Yesterday, I paid for childcare so I could attend a staff meeting (was basically told I had to be there) but I wasn't getting paid. I'm expected to go to moderation meetings on my days off, unpaid. HT said that it was just for a couple of hours and that every body had to do work when it wasn't their days.

Inset days I'm expected to be there, for free.

I work 0.4.

Am I being unrealistic about what I should and shouldn't be expected to do, or are they taking the piss a bit?

What do you do?

[padkin]

I don't physically go into school, ever, on the day I don't work, unless I'm paid. I've been asked to attend a couple of INSET days, which the Head paid me a supply rate for (I didn't ask, it was assumed and offered within the request that I attend).

Teachers pay and conditions are VERY clear that there should be no expectation that you attend on days you don't work. Of course you can, if they pay you, and you can do it voluntarily of your own accord without payment, should you so wish (people often choose to attend training that they think would be beneficial to their CPD,without payment, but that is completely your choice).

Are you in a state-maintained school or academy? If academy, then you may need to check your contract, as rules vary. And if not, are you in a Union, because they can explain the rules clearly to your Head?

[mrsmilesmatheson]

I'm 0.6 and am expected to do 60% of staff meetings and inset. If inset or courses are on my day off I claim supply rate for them.

The school definitely get more than 60% of a teacher out of me though. I'm subject leader for two areas, run booster classes, am head of phase and nqt mentor and get no extra pay for any of this.

I'm always willing to go the extra mile for the kids and for various reasons do the lions share of admin/report writing/assessment marking in my job share but draw the line at working for free on days off. I think my willingness gets me brownie points, otherwise things might be different.

[Iggi999]

I haven't read the thread but the short answer is nothing - no prep unless it's just before exam time/reports, no meetings, courses etc etc. A proportion of inset days as that's part of my actual contract (Scotland incidentally).
How many full time workers go to regular meetings and courses on a Saturday, or Sunday? This is the same.

[HexagonAlley]

As padkin said they absolutely cannot ask you to come in. Well they can ask but you don't have to.

It is so not the same as everyone having to do a bit extra. Like the pp said how many ft staff come in on Saturdays and Sundays. This is exactly the same. Tell them to do one and contact the union

[Iggi999]

Incidentally I'm going to a Saturday course next month, but that is entirely my choice!

[loveableshoulder]

I do the inset days that fall on my working days. (0.6) . If only two days do, I do a third day of my choosing, as it's my understanding I have to do 3 days. Often they ask me to do the others and pay me my daily rate.

I went to work for the first time the other day, for a meeting that only falls on a day off. I agreed because it's important career development for me. Before going, I made it clear that I wanted to be paid for my.travel.time too. I put in for two hours and was in the meeting for 25 minutes.

There is no pressure on me to come in on any days off.

[PickledPorcupine]

Can't add anything except that they are massively taking the piss!

[noblegiraffe]

I don't have any days off (0.6). I only do 3 out of 5 INSETs and I don't attend after school meetings on days when I have the afternoon off, unless they are curriculum team meetings as I want to go to them to stay in the loop. This is unpaid. I also have to attend parents evenings for all year groups that I teach, which is above 0.6.

[LooksLikeImStuckHere]

Thanks all, in my last school I would have thrown the union card pretty quickly. Problem is, new one (state, not academy) is a small school. Once a few people do more than is necessary, I think they expect everyone to.

I don't go to most of the staff meetings because they are on my day off (and am made to feel guilty for it), I've been to maybe 4 this year? All for free. I have done all inset days so far but have left at about 3 because I just don't see why I should have to stay. I'm made to feel uncomfortable when I say I can't stay until the end.

I've done first aid courses on days off because I think that's for my benefit. I always do parent consultations, even if on a day off because that is different.

I think I've done it so far because I have to leave at 4/4.15 for childcare reasons on the days I do work although they have always been fine with this. The work is always done but they often arrive earlier and stay later. Though given that I get paid only for hours children are in class when doing supply, I probably shouldn't feel guilty.

I don't always get my PPA which I never complain about as it's just one of those things that happen in a small school - not always enough staff.

I think it was just the attitude that pissed me off. The assumption that I'll do it, rather than being asked to do it. The comment that it's only for a few hours and that everyone has to do these things.

Now do I go in and say I've consulted the unions and make a point, possibly pissing off head in a v small school or just make up excuses so I can't go in on days off...?!

[Iggi999]

Does it have to be a choice between those two options? What if you just keep repeating, "that's not possible, I don't work on Wednesdays" (or whatever).
It's entirely their choice to hold all staff meetings on the same day!

[funchum8am]

Offer a compromise - hold meetings you want me at on my work days and I will arrange childcare so I can stay for them.

It is ridiculous that they are saying "everyone has to do it." Of course they don't, the FT staff don't come in on weekends!

[guilianna]

I only went in on my days off if I wanted to. I was pressured to go in a lot more than I did and it was difficult to refuse. I was paid for the few meetings I did agree to attend. Later things changed and i volunteered to go in and help out with outings etc but I made it clear I was there on a voluntary basis.
Recently everyone has been told to go in on a Saturday to run a school fete and I am refusing that too, I'm afraid.

[guilianna]

I am full time now - but what's the point of being part time and doing a full week?

[BrianButterfield]

I work three full days. I only go to INSET if it's on a day I work. I only need to go to 60% of staff meetings but as they are in the main on days I work I go to them all, which sort of balances out the INSET thing. Parents evenings are on a day I don't work so I discussed with HoD that if I can come without difficulty, I will, but if not it's fine for me to feed back to parents in a different way at a time of my choosing. (DH is a FT teacher and our PEs often clash...)

I never go into school on a day off apart from the parents evenings and have never been asked or expected to.

[teacher54321]

I work three days in a private primary school. If inset falls on my day off I either claim for it or take another day off in lieu at a mutually convenient time. I arrange parents evenings to suit me (they have to be one evening on a certain week each term so I pick the day). I always claim if I go in on my days off. I don't claim for all the extra evenings I do for concerts/festivals etc. that is part and parcel of teaching music...!

[leccybill]

I work three days. I don't ever go in on my days off, nor have I ever been asked to.
I go in for parents evenings though. They always fall on my day off but not worth making a fuss as I wouldn't want to miss them anyway.

In theory, you could have another job on your days off. Could you say you care for someone or do other work on those days? I did actually used to care for MIL on my day off but never needed to use it as an excuse luckily.

[smugmumofboys]

I do 0.6 and am off on a Monday, which is the day my school has meetings.

I haven't been to one all year and haven't been asked to.

[LooksLikeImStuckHere]

I work two full days. The rest of the time I care for DS (3). He is in nursery one of the mornings I don't work, everything else I have to find childcare for. I have grandparents who are usually willing to help out, luckily.

They are paying me for a course that is half a day, on my day off, because I asked (and implied I wouldn't go if they didn't). Wouldn't get it for a few hours and because others do it, they expect me to. No insets are ever on my working days. Never been offered money or time in lieu. Others in the same boat are happy to do them, which puts me in a really awkward place!

Many of the staff are part time and so meetings have been arranged for when most people are in. If I ask them to change to when I'm in, two other people would have to come in on their day off.

Generally, I'm really happy there but it does irk me that I'm often expected to work on my days off. I think I will go down your route iggi, 'I don't work those days' on repeat.

guilianna I've always hated that 'come to PTA stuff at the weekend, it's for the good of the school' attitude. If I volunteer then that's one thing. I would be refusing to do that too!

[LooksLikeImStuckHere]

Thank you all for your responses, it's good to know I'm not expecting too much

[loveableshoulder]

I might add that I deliberately chose my three days to make sure I don't miss important meetings or parents' Eve - and made this clear to SLT.

I have also been on a couple of paid-for courses on days off, which I haven't expected to get paid for - I am benefitting, after all.

I also did a project last year which added 25 hours of work to my feb-March half term. They wouldn't let me take the kids out of lessons so it was all in my/our spare time. When I protested they offered to pay me but I declined as I didn't feel comfortable taking money for the experience - which was very interesting to me. I believe it helped my reputation in school, and I've since been paid for going to dd's sports day, which is usually expected to be unpaid (I didn't ask to be paid).

Your school sound a bit rubbish - but they aren't all like that.

[Tollygunge]

This takes the piss- paying for childcare so you can work on a day off?! My answe would be no, you can't find child care. I do occasionally go into school on my day off, but only when I choose to do so and ask the Head. I am then paid daily supply rate. However, people who have said that because they are 0.8 they only do 80% of meetings/ parents eves seem to have a good deal. We do everything if we work that day, so because my day off is Tuesday there are nit usually meetings on this day but on the days I do work there are parents evenings and meetings so I have to attend all of them. If my day off was weds- when we have parents eve- I wouldn't be expected to go. This to me seems a grossly unfair way of doing things but we've consulted Union and apparently nowt we can do. On my days off I will occasionally send some emails/ mark some folders but generally I refuse to go anything. Schools get a really good deal from part timers.

[Iggi999]

One issue is that a lot of part time staff are able to easily adjust their schedules - either as they don't have dcs (part-time due to winding down for retirement) or they have helpful family living locally. This makes the people (like me) who have zero family or even friends at home who could mind the dcs seem very uncooperative, when we simply have nowhere to leave the children.

[LooksLikeImStuckHere]

Tolly I think much of teaching part time can be unfair. I have a friend who also works part time so receives the same pay I do. Except because she just does PPA, she never has to plan, attend meetings or do parent consultations. Guess it's just luck really.

I'm am going to be more hard line with HT from now on. I'm just going to say I can't get childcare unless I pay for it (and therefore don't want to work for free) and in the meantime, talk to union so I am certain of my position. At that point I will ask for a meeting to clarify my position.

I agree Iggi, other part timers at my school either are winding down for retirement or have older children and are gearing up to return full time. They give up their free time for free so makes me look grabby.

[guilianna]

It's not grabby, it's professional!
V glad you said that about the Saturday, so far I am the only one refusing so it's a little awkward.

[guilianna]