Quit teaching job without working notice (3months)

[autumnglo]

I am working as a teacher at the moment. I am in my mid 20s - I love the children, but the politics of the job are getting me down, and it's just very toxic in school at the moment post covid and with Ofsted looming. It's all making me reflect on my choices and I don't think it's the job for me anymore, it's ruining my personal life and starting to impact my mental health. I am not sleeping, I spend all weekend thinking about school work, dreading Monday and shopping/planning for work. I have had a few really successful years, but now I feel like my heart isn't in it anymore and it's beginning to show at work. I feel like I need to walk away now, asap, before things move downhill. It's been a good few years and it would be nice to leave on okay terms. It's just simply time for me to move on.

So my question... Usually I understand that you give a half terms notice? So I should give notice in before 31st October to leave after Christmas. This is making it difficult to apply for jobs as I would be looking at a January start date. However, I have not signed a contract of employment for the last two years (since my very first temporary NQT contract which has long since expired - I've since then completed another 12 months on a new temporary contract and started on a permanent contract)
Legally, where does this leave me? Would I be in breach of contract for giving less notice, when actually I have not signed a contract committing to anything since 2 temporary contracts have expired and I'm now on a new permanent contract.

I don't want to leave anyone in a difficult situation, and I wouldn't just walk out tomorrow, I am willing to give a few weeks. But I really do feel it's in everyone's best interests if it's not in over three months time.

I gave less than 2 months notice when I left teaching- about 5 weeks I think.

I did check beforehand and seem to recall that I found no evidence anyone had ever been sued by a LA for breach of contract!

Do what you need to do to look after yourself.

If you're on a permanent contract, you will be contractually bound to your notice period. I know you say you haven't signed a contract but did you sign anything at all, like an offer letter with amendment of terms? Regardless, whether you signed or not, you accepted a permanent contract knowing what the standard notice period was and imo, it would be grossly unprofessional to leave without giving notice properly. You'd be leaving your school and pupils in a difficult position. Why not talk to your Head and see if you can negotiate an earlier leaving date?

Are you primary or secondary?

Suggest looking on the fantastic FB group, Life after teaching - Exit the classroom and thrive. Lots of support and advice - you are not alone.

Couldn’t you just work the notice but make a real effort til the end to make sure you’re not bringing work home, finishing at a decent hour etc?

I’m regards to ofsted, i know it’s stressful but if it’s not being done already it won’t be done if they come in tomorrow so try not to stress too much. They’re just looking for honesty and not unreal expectations

A term’s notice is standard. Why don’t you talk to your head re being released early? It happened with 2 people in my school before the summer holiday. Do you want to teach elsewhere or leave teaching?

This would be exceptionally unusual in teaching. Everyone I know has always stuck to resignation dates (however frustrating they are!) It’s not a half term either. It can be up to six months if you miss the May 31 one!

Having said that, most head teachers would rather only pay a replacement rather than pay sick pay and cover, so if you approached it from an, “I’m ill, will you release me from my contract early?” angle you might have more success. Definitely don’t just try to hand in less notice without discussion though. You’ll be in breach of contract.

I would not do this to a school under the circumstances you describe. I know you are holding on to the fact that you never received an updated contract but would you have been happy if they hadn't progressed you through the pay scales or fired you with a week's notice? You expected them to adhere to the terms of the contract and should do the same imo.

Recruitment is tough at present and leaving at a non-standard time will make finding an immediate replacement very tough, and I assume you want a reference and at least the possibility of returning to teaching at some point in the future.

I don't know where you stand legally and I am sure someone will be along soon, but morally wrong imo and potentially damaging to you. You don't mention that they have mistreated you, so what hardship in sticking it out for a few extra weeks?

I've been let out of a teaching contract early before and know of others who have. The headteachers took the attitude that they only wanted staff who were happy to be there. If it pusses them off though, it could be reflected in any reference they provide.

Pisses*

You would be in breach of contract but they would be very unlikely to sue (though it’s still a possibility). If you definitely don’t need the reference you could risk it.

As others have said you may be able to negotiate leaving early, ask your union for advice.

There is more to it than I wish to share right now, but in summary I don't know how I will manage continuing to work in the current environment until January. I am not sure what will make leadership write a more damning reference - leaving a contract early or continuing to work somewhere with a strained relationship with leadership that is ruining my mental health. They aren't very happy with me since returning from summer as unfortunately my displays are not good enough. For those that have asked I am planning to leave teaching and find a new career, the school environment/culture just doesn't seem to be for me one bit and I am losing my confidence and self-esteem by the day. The fixation from leadership with Ofsted and the expectation to buy resources and be in the building for such long hours just isn't for me. I'm not blaming leadership as I've only worked in one school so couldn't tell you if they're good or not, but I will hold my hands up and say I'm not cut out for it. I want to work to live not live to work, and I need to put my own family first. It's disappointing for me, I really do love being with the children, but it's just not fair on anyone if I stay and I'm not committed.
For those suggesting to negotiate with SLT, any advice on what to say? I don't particularly want to over share with them how I feel about school as it will not benefit anyone at this point, I want to leave as smoothly (and quickly) as possible.

ED HR person here - I would suggest talking to HT and being as honest as possible. They need as much time as poss to recruit replacement so the more notice you can give the better. It would be a goodwill gesture to release you early from contract but they will be aware you could go off sick so may be willing to let you go early.

If you’re moving into another professional role, three month notice periods are not unusual, so resigning to leave by Christmas with a view to starting a new role in January wouldn’t put you at a disadvantage

Just go and talk to the headteacher, explain you are leaving teaching. They’ll have no reason to force you to work.

I once had an awful teaching job, I went to the ht on a Tuesday and she said I could go on the Friday (my next jobs were for 7yrs and then 6 yrs, it was just a bad fit for me).

As to what to say, I just said ‘I’m finding it very difficult and I’d like to leave’. She said ‘well if you don’t like it fine, go’. I asked ‘when?’ she said ‘Friday’.
Our only ever dialogue, in entirety!

I’ve been in a toxic school and it impacted on my mental health greatly. Well done for recognising that no job is worth sacrificing your health or happiness. You are absolutely doing the right thing by leaving and you will never look back. I would talk to the Head and explain you are resigning and you were wondering if there was any flexibility i.e. leaving at October half term instead of Christmas? You don’t need to get into why you want to leave. They’ll never admit it obviously but they know full well. People only leave without a job to go to for one reason.

The contract issue is a non-starter. You have got a contract with the school and you can't break it without consequences.

You have three options, as I see it:

1. Go and see your Headteacher, explain that you're very unhappy and in order to preserve your mental health, you are looking to leave the school. Ask them if there's any possibility to be released from your contract early given the circumstances. The Head may very well agree to this and allow you to leave at half term, as a Headteacher doesn't want an unhappy teacher who's not performing at their best in their school if they can help it.

1. Go to your GP and get signed off work due to stress. Hand in your notice at the same time. You can stay signed off until you have served your notice or use your inability to work due to illness as a negotiating tool to leave the school before the contracted notice term.

1. Hand your notice in now and stay until Christmas. You might find that you can cope once you've handed your notice in, as you will know there is an end in sight. This will also give you some time to start researching other jobs/careers ready to make your move in the new year.

Ultimately, you can't just walk out. If you do, you'll have burnt your bridges with the school, guaranteed a terrible reference for your next job, and created an awkward gap to explain in your CV. I know at the moment things feel impossible and you can't cope, but the act of handing in your notice will honestly transform how you feel. I worked in an independent school and was desperate to go but I had to give a whole term's notice, so I had to wait 4 months to leave. I thought it would be torture, but the moment I told my Head I was leaving, it was like a weight had been lifted. I had a great last term, doing my job and nothing more, enjoying being with the kids and ignoring all the crap. So my advice would be to go for option 1 - just go and have an honest conversation with your Head and see what happens. Even if they make you work your notice, I promise it won't be as bad as you think - there will be a light at the end of the tunnel rather than total darkness, as there is now, and that will get you through.

Good luck and well done on making the decision to leave. Many teachers want to, but are held back by fear of not knowing what else to do or not being able to equal their salary. Life on the other side is marvellous. I loved teaching - the actual act of it, in the classroom, with the kids - but I am loving not teaching far more!

@EnidSpyton Thank you. It is very scary and I will most likely have to take a pay cut, but better to do that now than when further up the payscale. Even now, it's almost midnight and I am up thinking/worrying about work as usual. I hope I feel a weight has been lifted too.
Do you mind me asking what sector you moved into once you quit?

Yes, you would breach your contract if you left before Christmas, unless the head agrees to release you earlier.

Either go and talk to the head, or write your letter of resignation, saying that you are resigning with effect from December 31st as required by your terms and conditions, but would be keen to discuss the possibility of leaving sooner if the school is able to replace you sooner.

If they know you're going anyway, then they may be happy to agree to release you as soon as they can find a replacement - and they might even have a good supply teacher around who would fit the bill. Moreover, if it looks like you may end up signed off ill, it then becomes actively in their interests to release you early: the choice would be between having a vacancy and needing to pay a supply, or having a teacher off ill and needing to pay you AND the supply.

Contact the Education Support charity and talk things over. In the mean time, make an appointment with your GP then write down what you want to tell your headteacher e.g. I feel as though my job is making me unwell so have made an appointment with my GP. I will be handing in my notice but wanted to let you know my intentions as soon as possible in case it might work for both of us if I were to be released from my contract early. Contact your union to talk through what you will say to your headteacher then make an appointment to see him/her. Take your crib sheet in with you.

Your update sounds so much like my story of my first school. I went to the doctors and he wrote me a letter saying the job was adversely affecting my mental health. I sent that with my own letter to the Head. Job done. Let me go, wished me well, probably hated me for it but I didn't care!

@fourminutestosavetheworld

I would not do this to a school under the circumstances you describe. I know you are holding on to the fact that you never received an updated contract but would you have been happy if they hadn't progressed you through the pay scales or fired you with a week's notice? You expected them to adhere to the terms of the contract and should do the same imo.

Recruitment is tough at present and leaving at a non-standard time will make finding an immediate replacement very tough, and I assume you want a reference and at least the possibility of returning to teaching at some point in the future.

I don't know where you stand legally and I am sure someone will be along soon, but morally wrong imo and potentially damaging to you. You don't mention that they have mistreated you, so what hardship in sticking it out for a few extra weeks?

I know a newly qualified that can’t get a job. Half of her class is like it.

@talktalkchat primary or secondary? If secondary, which subject (never any shortage of PE teachers it seems). It's really difficult to recruit secondary teachers for core subjects.

[quote Holskey]@talktalkchat primary or secondary? If secondary, which subject (never any shortage of PE teachers it seems). It's really difficult to recruit secondary teachers for core subjects.[/quote]
Primary.