I'm quitting teaching, I've decided, AIBU?

1. you need to speak to a GP next week to see if your plan of "going off sick" for three months is in any way viable.

2. if you enjoy teaching, then this plan burns all your bridges. There are (many!) things I struggle with in teaching, but the management is certainly not toxic at my school, and there's definitely no workplace bullying. Good teaching jobs exist.

Go back in September, it might not be as awful as you've built it up to be, new year fresh start and all that. Speak to your union about your concerns, and they'll give helpful (legal) advice and realistic options moving forwards.

Are you in a union? Feeling forced to leave due to bullying is constructive dismissal.

Don’t stay working somewhere that’s affecting you so badly if you can afford to leave. Life’s too short. Have you considered a different school?

I'm sorry to hear your school has ground you down.

I've worked in several schools. Only one of them was toxic. I went on stress leave 18th September and never went back. Handed in my notice in October to leave at Christmas. As I'd previously worked in 2 great schools, I knew there were other great schools out there. I got my confidence back by doing supply, then got appointed to a part time post in Feb half term. This school was a much better work place. I got my mojo back, ended up going full time again and have since moved on to another wonderful school.

There really are other workplaces out there which aren't as toxic. If you love working with the boys, it's worth giving others a go before you quit altogether imo.

All the best with your journey.

I was like this in Sept 2018, I resigned on the first inset day in September Worked through to Christmas and that was that.

When I got used to having my evenings and weekends back, free from marking and organising the next day's lessons, I could not return to teaching.

You don't have to answer this if it's too personal, but didn't you consider leaving before it got so bad?

I feel depressed and anxious every day and dread work. I feel physically sick walking to the school as I set up for the day and deal with the bullying and nastiness and that is the staff! Let alone managing the children. I can not mentally cope any longer.

Pretty sure that works !

This. (If the school can get supply staff - very unlikely in my area.) So the pupils may well be deprived of a proper teacher for months. That’s why people who want to resign have to give enough notice.

Obviously I can’t judge the OP's mental state, and I know this won’t be a popular view, but being unhappy is not the same thing as being mentally ill and justified in going off sick.

If she can convince her doctor she needs a sick note then it's an (unethical) option.

You don’t understand how things work in teaching.

As per our contracts we have to give a half term’s notice by a specific date. You can’t just hand your notice in whenever you like and skip off into the sunset after two weeks like in most office jobs.

To leave at October half term, the OP would have had to hand her notice in before the summer holiday. She’s missed that deadline so the next opportunity to leave is now not until Christmas. Would you like to be forced to keep working in a job that was making you ill for another four months? I don’t think so.

The OP has worked hard for years and paid her national insurance like everyone else so if she wants to take sick leave then she is bloody well entitled to. Stop trying to suggest she is doing something wrong.

What do you think she should do?

It sounds like your colleagues are the problem and not the actual job. So it would be better to apply for jobs while you are still employed. It's a shame these toxic bullies get into management. Once they are there alas there is no stopping them.

Thanks for your honesty.

Hand in your notice and go off sick until Christmas ! Paid !
Use that time to relax and look for a new job!

I left primary teaching 2 years ago and now work in children’s services and I’m so happy! The dread of Sunday night feeling sick, working all weekend and evenings and being physically and mentally drained is no longer . I earn less but my sanity is worth it !

Sick leave forms part of the pay package. Why should she not be able to pay her mortgage due to being bullied at work? Should she live on fresh air while she looks for another job?

Exactly what I did too. When you work somewhere for X amount of years, pour your heart and soul into it and spend all your own money on your classroom (I’ve spent thousands over the years) then yeah, if the job is making you ill you should 100% go off sick. That’s literally the point of sick pay. Whether you’re going back or not. The bottom line is you’re too unwell to work there.

I am aware of how teachers are paid.
I'm not 100% sure of exactly when notice is needed, however the issue is more not working the notice as opposed to specific dates.

i did it about 14 years ago aged 30 and with a 1 year old.

it was a scary decision but the right one, I’d never go back

Good luck xx

That would have been my suggestion assuming you have decent sick pay or other means of financial survival.

I am not a teacher but I have worked in schools - several for about 10 years in total.
My job was supporting HT/SLT with finance,HR,H&S, IT, etc.
It was horrendous. I have never known such a collection of bullying, spiteful, toxic troublemakers in all my professional career. Never seen anything that even comes close across public, private, third sector charities, entrepreneurs, family businesses, NOTHING.

And to everyone (correctly) saying a term notice period- IME they don’t really care, they’ll still snatch your hand off for your resignation and see it as a job well done bullying you out. Plus, if you’re an experienced (read expensive) teacher, it will be a saving for their bottom line so they’ll get a pat on the head from their governors too.

Sorry but in my experience, working for schools is poo 💐

No, I'm asking genuine questions.
If you speak to others who don't quite agree with you in the same manner as you're doing here then that's also quite telling.

Ok so obviously know nothing about how teachers are paid and when they are allowed to give notice so maybe just stop replying.

Are you suggesting she adds this to the list of things stressing her out?

The alternative is that OP hands in notice and quits immediately, no pay for not doing a job she isn't doing or planning to return to.
Unlike OP I do answer questions - no, I don't work in management. I wouldn't be suited to management.