Anyone given up a job they love for a job in a school and regretted it?

[MB34]

Currently I wfh - 4 hours a day. As long as I'm online a few hours during school time my boss is ok with me doing the other hours whenever I can. I love the work too, as the business is different to anything I've ever known.

It works well for our family as DH is a full time firedighter (4 on, 4 off shifts) and does on call too so can look after our toddler whilst being on call because I'm there working too (and can take time off if he gets a call). We have 3 children so in school hols we can do this too - my parents have the children for 4 hours on the days DH is in work.

Toddler is starting nursery 3 hours a day in September.

I've seen a job in a school that is 7 hours a day term time only, it's local (down the road from my son's school) and a 10 min drive from my house. It'd give us £5-600 extra a month which we could do with right now (we're stuggling since we're on a g&e fixed term rate which comes to an end this month and will double next month, going up even more in Oct)

Apart from the childcare issues (we may have to pay out some of the money for childcare but my parents have said they'd help out too) and me having to actually get up before 7 each day to be in work by 8am 😴, I'm torn over the flexibility aspect.

So, has anyone ever taken a school job and regretted it because you cannot take any time off during term time. In his job DH can't always get his main time off during school hols but would be able to stretch to 3.5 days if he takes time off call. Thinking too about emergencies/school trips/sports days/going to gigs (random I know but I follow a certain band and like to go to their gigs a lot).

Or any other downsides to working in a school?

Yes and I hated the lack of flexibility!! It really stressed me out like I had a wedding on a Thursday I couldn't go to, my daughter had a residential and I couldn't see her off, I hated it.

Routine orthodontist appointments for the teenager a nightmare to fit in.

I quit after six months and feel more free in a normal job, I can book in dates and times I can't work no issue.

I also had no time in the house without the kids to get house bits done as I was out the same hours as them.

Be careful, you might not be £600 a month better off when you think of how long your parents can do childcare for. I pay £12.50 for an after school club session, and £3 for breakfast club. If I had that three times it would not be worth going into work really.

Also, it's term time. I work term time and there are few months I actually work 4 weeks due to half terms and end term holidays.

School work is not flexible. I worked in one and left after 9 months (not just because of the lack of flexibility). I still work in education, but mainly from home and with flexibility for medical appointments, school related stuff for the kids.

I worked in schools for 20 years, you will not be working 7 hours a day but a lot more unpaid overtime if my experience is anything to go by.
How would that fit in with your childcare costs?

I wouldn’t. Could you look to up your current hours a bit?

I wouldn't. I worked in schools for 18 years (various roles) and there is no flexibility and lots of unpaid overtime. I now WFH full time and my work life balance is so much better.

The only good thing about working in a school is the holidays if you have a school age child who attends the school you're working in. There is no flexibility at all - you can't have a day off when you feel like it. Unless you've got a fantastic Head, you won't be able to attend sports days, nativities etc. You'll start early and finish late with no extra pay because it's expected of you. Add into that they're often pretty toxic places to work, I'd stay where you are. I escaped after 10 years to a 'normal' job and it's amazing in comparison.

I’d look for an alternative way to earn the extra £s & keep your flexible work too. Kids are so ill that first year at school bring every bug going home along with all the inset days etc.

What is the role?

I work in a school office part time and absolutely love it. I have primary age children and love being able to spend the school holidays with them

I've worked in schools, got flexibility & paid overtime, never missed sports days as you have rolling personal days, same rules for teachers. I think a lot depends on the school.

Put an application in and see what happens. Bear in mind that there will be a lot of competition and the job is likely to go to someone who already has school experience.

This is my worry, what if they drop dead (god forbid) the day after I take the job.

Wasn't the pay split equally over 12 months? That's what I've based the extra £600 a month on (so it'll be more if paid for weeks worked but not paid for holidays)

⬆️ that reply was to @Cheerybigbottom

@daisybrown37 can I ask what job you do please?

@Fairyliz what jobs did you do? This one is for Reception/Admin

@Mycatslife not really due to various reasons

The lack of flexibility in a school, particularly if you're f/t TTO is appalling and incredibly stressful.

I did it for 5 years during which time I went through a divorce and a period of caring for a seriously ill parent.

The stress of work expectations and lack of support and flexibility made it 100x worse and frankly I'd rather clean public yoilets than work in a school again.

@MermaidSwimmer I hear you on that. My toddler started part time nursery recently (to get him ready for school) - he's been home more than he's been in!

@felineweird it's Reception/Admin. That's what sways me - to be able to have the holidays off.

@chairz that's interesting. What do you think was different about your school? The other replies on here suggest there's very little flexibility

Our admin staff are often working during the holidays as well.

Thinking too about emergencies/school trips/sports days/going to gigs

I work in a school. Emergencies are nearly always covered by DH whose job is flexible.

School trips-do you mean helping on them? I never helped on my own children’s school trips if it was a working day. Sports Days-again, I never went if it was on a school day. Gigs? Can’t say I’ve been to many lately, but they won’t be during the school day, will they? Or do you mean a late night?

I'm an exams officer and it is so flexible I choose which days to work.

I was asked to change to another role more hours more pay, I turned it down for the benefit of the flexible approach.

@tiredanddangerous this is what I don't get. I found an job a year or so ago in a school (it was advertised via an agency) - called the agency to have a chat and the first question they asked was had I worked in a school before. How am I supposed to get experience in a school if no one will take you on if you've not had experince in a school?

Are you sure the figure quoted isn't pro-rata? My friend nearly fell for this.

I work for a company that provides HR services for schools. Was previously a HR Manager in a school.