Teacher Returning to Work after Maternity Leave

[mrsjkerry]

Hi..

Looking for some advice, are there any teacher mums out there who have returned to work!?

I am due back in 6 weeks. I told my employer I'd be back full time but I've since decided I only want to work 4 days a week. I'm very very anxious about this to put it lightly.

I am only a teacher with no other leadership roles etc. Theoretically I am NQT+3 in September.

My main concerns are:

1. If a role came up, would my employer be less likely to promote me if I'm only working 4 days a week?
2. If I ever wanted to go back full time, are they likely to deny me?

I'm looking for others' experience/advice please!!

You need to put in a formal flexible working request ASAP. They must consider it, but don’t have to accept it - but it has to be for specific reasons (there is a list).

I don’t think there should be a problem with either of your questions, but it just depends on the school.

If you are primary, my tip would be to have Wednesday as your non working day, from a planning point of view.

Do you have a partner /year group teacher?

If you are secondary, remember that it might not work out as 4 days.

Have you actually spoken to them about working four days? They might not let you especially with only 6 weeks to go.

I went part time after mat leave (0.5 so I currently do 2.5 days but annoyingly spread over 4 days). It’s been the right choice for my family but not been great for my career as I feel stuck in a role I don’t really want to do (PPA cover) but I now feel unable to leave and get a better job as my experience from the last five years isn’t great on paper. I don’t have any choice in what I do, I have to fit in with what school wants. As I said, I’m still glad I went part time as it was right for my family and I have a great work/life balance which is so important - but I’m not really sure what’s going to happen with my career. I might end up leaving teaching in a few years. I’m not sure if they would even let me go full time again if I wanted to. It’s all out of my hands!

So I would just say think very carefully about your options and whatever role they’re offering you.

I am secondary and I haven't asked...I'm trying to consider all my options...

My advice would be to return full time for the rest of the summer term and see how you find it. It's only a few weeks and you'll get full time pay for the summer holidays. If you find it too much you could ask to go PT from September. It's not possible to answer your 2 questions because it depends entirely on the school and HT. For example, with tight budgets it might not be easy to move from .8 to full time in the future but again it would depend on the school.

1. If a role came up, would my employer be less likely to promote me if I'm only working 4 days a week?

Entirely possible. At my school you are not allowed to apply for promotions if you are part time.

You need to get your written part time request in sharpish, there are guidelines on the legal bits on the TES forums.

You have given them short notice so they may struggle to cover the other 0.2 and reject your application on that basis.

You may not get a full day off a week. The timetable may dictate that you just get a few extra free periods here and there. This is challenging for childcare.

I am a HOD at a secondary school and went back PT (I had a VERY understanding HT at the time). I ended up working all day Saturday clearing the work I 'missed' on my day-off so it had pros and cons.

They don't have to give you PT work esp as it can impact timetables with split-classes etc. Get the backing of your HOD and line managers as soon as possible. That way your HT and Governors will know you have work-support in place to facilitate the request. It may affect future promotions (although they can't say that openly) but it's a gamble you'll have to take...

1. Yes in my school
2. Depends on your subject and there needs for teachers. You can always apply for full time jobs else where.

You do need to ask for part time ASAP. Remember you only have a right to ask for part time and some schools are reluctant to allow part timers.

I went back part time as a secondary teacher. As we have a two time table I ended up paying for childcare for 4 days a week. I lost my classroom so I have no where to store my resources and I spend my time rushing from room to room with everything I need for the day and I have to coordinate the moving of folders and exercise books. I have missed key training and information eg new behaviour management policy. I have to do the same amount of detentions and duties as full time staff and production of resources/lessons. Part time can be tricky in a crap school.

Well it's more like 8 weeks, I'm returning 16 July for the last week of summer term before summer holidays. I had assumed it's not THAT late notice because it needn't take effect until the start of Autumn term.

By the sound of it it's not worth it at all, just to get an extra day with my baby and to save £200 a month.

Well I guess whether it’s late notice or not depends on when your school sorts their timetabling. I’m primary - by this point in the year my school has usually already planned which teachers are in which years groups etc so wouldn’t be able to accommodate a request for a class share for example. But maybe secondary is different.

I have heard before that 4 days is not much benefit because you often still get the same workload but for less money and just spend your day off working. Whereas 2/3 days can be better for balance.

I would be aiming to ask before 31st May resignation deadline so you give them notice for organising staffing and adjust your plans accordingly.

Is one more day a week with your baby worth it? It is to me.

You really need to put your request in ASAP. The timetabler could be well on the way to having done the timetable by now and they're working with the fact that they've got a full time member of staff from Sept. I'd say you've left it very late but all you can do is try.

I’m a secondary teacher who works part time (and has 3 kids - I went part time after the birth of my second). I had to give up my TLR as school would only allow people with no responsiblity to be part time.

I do think you’ve left it late though - out your request in ASAP because they need to sort out staffing before resignation date etc for timetables.

I considered going PT but on a 0.8 contract it would, in all likelihood, be spread over 5 days anyway so not much point in terms of childcare. I go back next month - my plan is to see how I get on with full time hours. I want to try for another baby in the next couple of years anyway so will probably keep FT until then and perhaps go PT after that if I find the home / work balance hard.