Schools should close early on a Friday

In most professions you don't just work your contracted hours though?

I always assumed that was the difference between a "career" and a "job". I dont know anyone in my (big) family who just works their set hours and only one (my sister) is a teacher

This might be a really stupid question, but why don't teachers just all work to their contract? Presumably it states your hours of work? So if your contracted 8-5 or 45hrs a week or whatever, once you hit that you stop, if you don't have time for planning because you had to cover a class, then it doesn't get done and you teach what you like.

I can't think of any other job where every member of staff seems to be expected to work evenings a weekends without pay. So what happens if you all stop? They can't sack you all since there's such a teacher shortage.

Maybe I'm being too simplistic? But surely it would help put a stop to half the crap expected by the government/offstead?

As a teacher I would love this idea. Perhaps a 1.30pm finish after lunch.

But then, my TAs work extremely hard and are paid extremely poorly, so I wouldn’t want them put upon.

I think it’s just one of those nice ideas, a lovely day dream, but probably not practical.

Edited to add, as far as PPA is concerned, if I am asked to help out, I’ll usually say yes, unless I’m very busy. However, I have no problem saying ‘unfortunately I’m not available and I require my PPA today’. Schools cannot force you to give up that time and if they are, speak to your union rep.

Yes! Most people do regularly work extra hours evenings and weekends. This whole “but we have to work longer than 9-3” drives me nuts. I can’t think of anyone that works that doesn’t go well beyond their contracted hours, which in my case are 9-6.

I do, however, think teachers should be paid more.

I find it astonishing how many teachers don't realise it is normal in most professional careers to do a lot of long days /evening and weekend working or get calls when on holiday.

Do lots of teachers marry other teachers /non professionals?

My sister is a teacher and is well aware she has way better work life balance than her husband, who works many weekends to meet deadlines.for his work (public sector, similar salary to her).

God this thread is so depressing. I can’t believe how lucky we are with our school. We actually already do two longer days , so all children learn something like 8/9 weeks more maths and English over their time years 7-11. Not a single hint of reducing time, but giving more within the same funding envelope. It IS doable. But it seems so many schools are getting it wrong.

Yes, I think that's very normal in professional jobs.

You’re right sorry I was looking at outdated info - it’s 27.5k. I’m not sure why teachers think they should get paid over 5k more than nurses and social workers, who work just many hours but 12 months of the year!

This is according to gov.uk not “where I am” - I haven’t done a survey of social workers in my area!

social workers earn 27k and they don’t get all the (apparently unpaid!) holidays.

Where the hell are you, newly qualified social workers where I am start on £34-37k.

I don't know where you've got your information on nurses salaries from but they do not earn £22k, unless they are part time. Starting point of band 5 for a nurse is £28k

Oh my god really? We’re getting ourselves tied up in knots about life guarding..

if we must, your grandson is temping. He will attract a higher temp salary than if he was full time. I very much doubt the full time role would offer him 50 hour weeks. If it did, it would be one of a very few roles in that company.
His temp salary is reflective of the fact that he likely won’t have holiday pay, sick pay, pension payments, private health etc etc. A seasonal, temporary, low skilled, scarce job is NOT relevant to the conversation about teachers’ renumeration. I worked in factories to earn money before going to university. I was temping and earning way above NMW. The full time members of staff earned far less pro rata. Please stop.

The Friday lunchtime closing has a big impact where I live in Scotland, mostly on women of course, as they are the ones doing the childcare. For SAHM or those with relatives nearby, it's fine. For the rest, it can affect their job search and their earnings. Our school had a Friday afterschool club, but then of course you get kids not wanting to be there because they are stuck in school while many of their friends have left.

I'm sure I'll get responses from the "school is not childcare" brigade, but that's my view as a parent.

I think so. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t!

I don't understand why you think lifeguarding is so seasonal. Mist lifeguard jobs are in indoor pools which are open 7 days a week, and for 6 of those days are probably open 8-8 if not longer.

I said feeling valued AND earning a good salary should be enough to motivate people!

Few of us feel valued. A good salary is a subjective thing but I'm a single parent with no support from my ex. As a teacher, I was always eligible for tax credits. So it's not a good salary, is it?

Because you said the senior lifeguard runs training courses etc etc. That’s a level (or many) up from a gap year student sitting on a step ladder watching people in a pool that he only took a week to train for. He’s also taken 30 years to earn more money.

Yes there are lots of lifeguard roles around the country, but we’re hardly talking teacher numbers are we!

Teachers don’t earn NMW so salary level is irrelevant.

That’s a childish question and you know it!

So you agree that salary level comes into it?

It isn't seasonal, he could stay on fulltime, his boss would like him to. Why do you think he'd earn more when he's worked 30 years when earlier you said GS would never earn more if he stayed in the job.

There are roles for senior lifeguards, lifeguards go on to be pool managers, trainers, manage leisure centres. GS has seriously considered it and considered adding swimming teacher to increase his earnings. There are pools all round the country, leisure centres, gyms like David Lloyds, hotels.

That’s a reach! No one is talking about paying anyone NMW in those jobs, teaching or otherwise! I said feeling valued AND earning a good salary should be enough to motivate people!

Why don't you do it? If it is so great it seems odd that you don't.

So we should pay doctors NMW? Nurses? Police Officers? What do you do? Do you care if you make enough to have a home, food etc or is job satisfaction enough?

My neighbour is fed up of the pressure and the workload, she has young kids and would like some quality time with them.

My friend who works in the PRU teaches very small groups and has another teacher or TA with her, maybe that reduces prep and admin.

Why do you think teachers finish early? Earlier than what?