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[LanguageasaFlower]

Hi all,
I'm currently an Assistant Head/Head of English. I've been back at work from maternity since September and my son is 10 months old.
He's not a great sleeper and I'm finding it very difficult. I'm averaging 12 hour days working and still I think I'm just doing a rubbish job of both mothering and teaching/leading.

I'm thinking of going back to being a classroom teacher all the time (I teach a 50% timetable now) I don't know whether I've forgotten how hard it is. I know it is hard, but it is all things I feel confident doing, whereas my current role has the added stress of being fairly new to me and I'm trying my best to learn the ropes whilst pretty sleep deprived!
For context, I've been teaching 13 years, I'm pretty happy and confident in the classroom, quick with marking and data and confident I can say no to things that are pointless.

So my question is, will I be any better off timewise if I teach full time and give up the HoD/SLT role? I do love the role, and the school, but I don't want to look back on my son's childhood and only remember me working.

[astuz]

I'm not sure it would be that much easier TBH. Would the school be open to the option of you keeping your responsibility post, but going down to 4 days? The pay might not be any different to going back to being a class teacher.

Or maybe even doing it as a job share?

Legally, all schools are SUPPOSED to be open to this kind of thing, but I know most of them aren't. I did work in one school though that did have part-time HoY etc., so just thought I'd put the idea out there in case you're in a school that's a bit more forward thinking.

[LanguageasaFlower]

@astuz yeah I have thought about that. I guess it might be possible next year, at the moment we are so short on English teachers I'm teaching 60% of year 11 after January as my second has got another job, the only day that I don't teach year 11 is the day we have SLT meeting. I'm worried about asking as the school and head have been so good to me, and the results aren't great so I feel like they need someone who can do the job 100%. Definitely worth a consider.

[MidiMitch]

I would say keep going. I was in a similar position when DS was 1 and toughed it out. He's now 6, I'm a DH in an all- through school and hoping to get a headship in a few years. I am glad I didn't give up on my career aspirations although it was definitely hard work.

[juliej00ls]

I did it was fabulous .... I have just stepped back up and if the balance doesn’t settle I would do it again. The advantages are as a good classrooom teacher you are responsible for you only. The disadvantage is teaching FT is more physically tiring.