Can I hand in my notice via email?

[LemonRedwood]

Lots of reasons for this late decision (still umm-ing and ahh-ing about it as we speak) but I do officially have until Wednesday to hand in my notice. As we are now on half term is it OK to email my notice letter to the head? Will it still count if she doesn't read it until after half term?

Thanks.

[thebookeatinggirl]

Not sure of legalities, but certainly TES info says it's best to email, stating resignation date of May 31st, but to also hand deliver a letter to the school on or before the 31st, regardless of whether school office is open. This counts as within the correct dates.
Can you write an official resignation letter and pop it into school? Then email Head, explaining resignation, and stating that this has been done?

[MaisyPops]

Your head will already know you've got a new job surely?
So an email would be fine.

When I did my last resignation I sent an email with the letter attached (so it is date and time stamped prior to the deadline) and then handed the formal letter in on Monday.

[LemonRedwood]

MaisyPops I don't have a new job. This will blindside her a bit but with recent goings-on within the school I don't particularly care.

thebookeatinggirl It is certainly possible for me to deliver a letter into the school postbox by 31st. Do you think it is worth writing "Delivered on..." on the envelope just to be clear? Without wanting to sound big-headed, my resignation will not be good news for her.

[thebookeatinggirl]

Maisypops - it's not unusual these days for teachers to resign with no new job lined up to go to. I did it. The school I was teaching in gradually made it unsustainable for me to continue - workload, pressure etc so I decided to resign. My OH was earning well, and I was lucky to be in a situation where I could do it without a new job.

No idea what OP's situation is though.

[thebookeatinggirl]

Crossed posts!

Yes - write 'delivered by hand on May 31st' (or 30th, whatever) on the envelope, and on the letter head.

Hope you are ok. It's a horrible position to be in. But the relief I felt once it was done made up for the anxiety about what comes next.

[LemonRedwood]

Thank you thebookeatinggirl. I have been at my current school for over a decade and always viewed it as a school for life.

Recent events have made me seriously question the sustainability of working there though. Veering between a sense of relief at the thought of handing in my notice and crying at the thought of leaving the school I love(ed).

[LemonRedwood]

Just had a very long tearful discussion with DH who is 100% behind me in my decision to resign even though it will mean tightening our belts for a while.

Now that I've stopped crying - any suggestions on how to tactfully word a resignation letter? Been a while since I had to do this.

[MaisyPops]

I didn't realise you didn't have a job to go to OP.

If it helps, I've known about 6 colleagues do the same thing in the last 2 years. All to do with school pressures.

In terms of your resignation letter, don't use it as an opportunity to get things off your chest, do keep it calm.and polite and consider what you want work to say when a new place asks why you left.

So maybe something like:
Dear Head,
I am writing to you to formally resign my post of teacher of teapottery as of 31st August 2017.
Whilst this may be a shock, I feel it is the best decision for my family at this time due to personal reasons.
I would like to thank you for x y z.

[MaisyPops]

Deliver it by hand on 31st and email before (so it's date and tkme stamped) then with the letter attached and in the email state that a paper copy will be delivered to the school by 31st May.

[PotteringAlong]

Dear head

I am writing to resign my position of X at school Y with effect from August 31st 2017.

I would like to thank you for the opportunities I have had whilst I have worked here and would like to reassure you of my commitment to the school for the remainder of my employment.

Yours,

[thebookeatinggirl]

Totally agree with Maisypops and PotteringAlong.
Keep the letter short, polite and to the point, exactly as suggested, and add as attachment to the email.

I'm so sorry you're feeling like that, torn between a school you loved and moving on because it just isn't working for you anymore. Are there likely to be jobs in your area coming up after the half-term? Primary or Secondary? Do you even want to stay in teaching?

[LemonRedwood]

I have written the letter and the email but not sent yet. Kept it short and polite.

I also wrote a letter where I did get things off my chest but will tear that one up. It was very cathartic.

There is a job (one!) that has an application deadline of Monday 5th and interviews on 9th. The extremely short timescale (only advertised last week) and their current staff list makes me almost certain there's an internal candidate. I would have to have handed in my notice before applying and it would be risky.

Seems to be a toss-up between hanging on until there are more jobs in Jan or taking the risk and possibly ending up jobless and relying on supply work to pay the bills. Most schools around here are using TA cover rather than supply.

I'm primary. Have thought lots over the past year about getting out of teaching but don't know what else I could do.

[NotHotDogMum]

PotteringAlong's resignation letter is perfect.

Good luck it sounds as if you're making the right move.

[thebookeatinggirl]

There will be some jobs that come up after half term, because like you some people will resign over the holidays. And these jobs can only be applied for by NQTs, supply teachers and people like you.

For what it's worth I did supply for a term, which I actually really enjoyed, and ended up with 4 job offers from different schools I'd been in. Choose the one with the ethos I liked best (supply is good for that - you get to know schools properly, rather than just looking at the website and doing a quick visit), and found my mofo again.

Good luck in whatever you decide.

[thebookeatinggirl]

That'll be 'mojo'!

[Rainbowcolours1]

Hope you're not one of my staff!!