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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To be annoyed about change of wkg days

21 replies

furious27 · 07/05/2010 09:42

I go back to work after mat leave on Wednesday 26th May.

I am a teacher and work part time. Last year was my first year part time and I worked mon, tues and wed.

Well anyway I have organised very complicated childcare for when I go back in a couple of works. My parents, mother in law, nursery and dh taking annual leave to look after the 2 kids.

The head has just called me and said matter of facty that my days are mon, thurs and fri.

I told him I worked mon, tues and wed and he said 'oh no the timetable changes every year'!!!

So I have to sort out childcare again with a couple of weeks to go.

I am so annoyed - I didnt think to ask about my days as I assumed it would be the same - cant believe they have only told me so late on that is not the case.

OP posts:

echt · 07/05/2010 10:09

Post this on the TES Pay and Conditions, and you should get some advice.

Original poster

furious27 · 07/05/2010 10:19

Also should point that in this phone call he also said days might change again in Sept so childcare situation a nightmare.

OP posts:

somewhereinlondon · 07/05/2010 10:27

Can sympathise with you furious27.
Part-time teaching is great but a nightmare as everything changes each year. I am waiting for the sept timetable to start sorting childcare and sports activities etc.

Can you talk to your head and see if staying the same days is possible.

Primary or secondary?

Original poster

furious27 · 07/05/2010 10:40

Secondary - so it is not just my school then?

OP posts:

Original poster

furious27 · 07/05/2010 10:44

The actaul days he has given me - mon, thurs, fri I prefer if he could say those are my days from sept too.

I really think changing the childcare I have arranged only to have to do it again in for sept - is unreasoanable.

OP posts:

somewhereinlondon · 07/05/2010 16:38

Agree with you furious, the head probably won't though.
You would like though that they would have more chance of keeping the mon/thur/fri combination you would do in may if they know well before timetabling starts.
Are you in a large department? does that offer any flexibility?

No not just your school, maybe post in secondary education and see if any other part-timers might be able to help.

thehat · 07/05/2010 17:05

This is very normal. They don't even have to offer you full days off eg. a .8 post might not have a day off but 2 half days.

scurryfunge · 07/05/2010 17:08

This is one of the reasons why I left teaching. I was on a part time timetable but having to work a few hours everyday, straddling child care sessions. I had to pay full time child care for a part time wage.

DumpyOldWoman · 07/05/2010 17:10

Did it not occur to you to check before you made childcare arrangements? I think some of your fury should be you kicking yourself. Surely you realise that school timetables get adjusted?

NoahAndTheWhale · 07/05/2010 17:16

I would have assumed the timetable would change tbh.

My mum taught part time, doing a silly amount of timetable (0.1 I think although maybe 0.2) and she frequently taught on 4 different days.

I would have checked the timetable before arranging childcare - each year there will be differences.

ScreaminEagle · 07/05/2010 17:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

SE13Mummy · 07/05/2010 18:10

When you changed to part-time last year did you get it in writing that you would be changing to 0.6 or to working on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays? There is a difference between the two and if it's the latter then I imagine that would could be taken as being contractual.

I am a teacher who works 4 days (primary) and my husband is a secondary teacher who also works four days. Both of us have signed contracts that state the specific days that we work e.g. "employed at 0.8, to work Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday".

My advice would be to check any e-mails/letters etc. you've received with regard to going part-time to see if the Head has stated anywhere that your days will be Mon-Weds. If so you may be able to reasonably argue that you believed this to be a permanent arrangement.

Aside from posting on TES I'd also contact your union.

mnistooaddictive · 07/05/2010 18:24

YABU Are you secondary or primary? If you are secondary then I can't believe you didn't realise this would happen. You must be an NQT. The timetable changes every year with when your frees are etc and so do days off. It is one of the difficulties of being a part time teacher. If you have 3 whole days teaching and 2 whole days off then you are one of the lucky ones. It is very common for it to end up being half days etc. If you check your contract it will say 0.6fte and no defined days off. TBH you are lucky if you know which days off you will have the following year by June which makes childcare arrangements tricky.

RubysReturn · 07/05/2010 18:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

clam · 07/05/2010 18:48

I'm part-time, 0.6, employed to work 3 days a week. Which days those are are at the Head's discretion (primary). Fortunately, there's always been negotiatation, consultation and compromise, but I know that for secondary colleagues it's not the same. How could it be? They can't possibly be expected to organise a very complex timetable around your needs. Not to mention all the other part-timers. The only way it might work is if you were an official job-share, in which case you could haggle with your partner as to who works which days.
Sorry, but YABU.

LadyIsabella · 07/05/2010 19:06

YABU, although I sympathise as I have had this problem for the past 4 years! Just be grateful that you have 3 full days. We have a 2 week timetable and I work different days on the 2 weeks (meaning very expensive nursery bills) and have my 0.6 spread out over 4 days per week. I have complained every year but unfortunately the timetable comes first.

somewhereinlondon · 07/05/2010 19:21

I forgot about two half days I used to teach on different days and not even a morning or afternoon, smack bang in the middle. So childcare was for the whole day

Original poster

furious27 · 08/05/2010 19:43

Hi - no taught for 15 years!! But only part time for a year before 2nd mat leave.

Anyway spoke to union who agreed it was unfair and I could insisit on orginal days.Especially since in the letter I sent him months ago about my return to work date he replied to and arranged to see me on my first day back - which was a wednesday - a day I now do not work!!!

Anyway I have spent him an email saying i will change to the new days but it is not viable to change it again in september - so waiting to hear. Union said though they will challenge it for me if he does not agree.

OP posts:

Original poster

furious27 · 08/05/2010 19:50

Hi - no taught for 15 years!! But only part time for a year before 2nd mat leave.

OP posts:

Original poster

furious27 · 08/05/2010 19:53

God Lady Isabella that is a nightmare - I would be demented - can you not comaplin to the union? I found my rep really helpful - but then our school is in a constant state of discourse - the rep is in vitually weekly representing someone or complaining about something.

OP posts:

boystimestwo · 10/05/2010 14:15

15+ years - you think that would account for something. Good luck, glad the union were able to back you up a bit.

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