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Original poster

Teaching jobs - applying for f/t jobs when you want p/t

24 replies

Oovavu · 21/02/2009 13:00

When would you ask for this, if at all? It says on the council's website that you are entitled to ask for flexibility in any job you apply for (they can always say no I spose) but I was wondering...

If you state in your letter of application that you would like to work 0.6 or 0.8 and the post is f/t, and risk your application going straight in the bin?

You go for interview, try to 'prove your worth' during the process, presumably after teaching a lesson too, and if offered the job, ask for p/t then? That way at least they can measure you up against the other candidates and see if you're worth it...

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scienceteacher · 21/02/2009 21:16

I don't know the specific answers to your questions.

You have to look at the specific job and decide whether you would be able to do it or not, and then convince the school.

If they want a full time teacher, because that is the number of classes they have to cover, then they will want a full time teacher.

If you are not worried about your reputation with that particular school, then there is nothing to lose by applying.

My instinct would be to play my cards close to my chest and not be totally upfront about my wants.

Is it essential that you work part-time?

cornsilk · 21/02/2009 21:18

Do you know anyone that would apply for a F-T job with you as a job share?

janeite · 21/02/2009 21:19

I think you should ring in advance and mention it in the cover letter. It is really, really annoying when you need a full time member of staff and they don't tell you until the moment the job is offered that, by the way, they'd like to do part time. Of course, by then, you've lost the chance to offer it to somebody else who could have done full time.

I think honesty is the best policy here tbh.

Hassled · 21/02/2009 21:22

Have interviewed staff as a Governor and would be a bit taken aback if it was left to the interview stage before jobshare/PT was mentioned. I would put a covering letter in stating the hours you want, and if you're lucky someone else will be a good match - the application wouldn't go straight in the bin if it was strong.

tryingtobemarypoppins · 21/02/2009 21:24

Is it for primary or secondary?

cat64 · 21/02/2009 21:38

This reply has been deleted

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janeite · 21/02/2009 21:42

Not necessarily Cat. Often in secondary teaching at least, the job is offered whilst the candidates are still all there. One is taken away and offered the job and the others are told they were unsuccessful. At that point, to be told "Oh I want to do part time" is extremely frustrating (have been on panels where this has happened).

cat64 · 21/02/2009 21:44

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Original poster

Oovavu · 21/02/2009 21:46

secondary

Yes, would be p/t, but probably 0.8, which is what I'm on now. No prospects for subject promotion at present place which is what I want. Have decided that I need to have at least one day pw off for sanity and the dcs' sake.

Am very very frustrated that there seems to be very little flexibility for part-timers who also want to develop their careers. I think I've got a lot to offer but I really don't want to compromise the time I have with the dcs still so young.

Funnily enough opinion does seem to be divided - spoke to a (male) deputy head today who's a friend of mine and he said he wouldn't try to negotiate until my foot was in the door. Spose it also depends on the field.

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Original poster

Oovavu · 21/02/2009 21:52

interesting cat64. However, I have been in interviews before when they've been short-listing and have asked at this point "are you still interested in the job?"

At this point I would have thought it would be OK to state my intentions as they'd have already seen the lesson/informal interview/lunch etc and would have formed an opinion by then.

I must say I think my present Head would be open to an approach like this. But I've also been told not to bother applying for one or two f/t jobs when I rang to enquire about p/t hours. Think it very much depends on the attitude of the Head and/or interviewing governor/s.

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Original poster

Oovavu · 21/02/2009 21:53

sorry meant "have been asked" in my last post

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TheFallenMadonna · 21/02/2009 21:59

No responsibility positions for part timers in my school I'm afraid. In my subject (Science) you would probably get the job if you asked for part time, particularly if you could teach physics, but not if you were going for a TLR post.

tryingtobemarypoppins · 21/02/2009 22:01

Could you not go PT in your current school?

Original poster

Oovavu · 21/02/2009 22:04

I'm not expecting a TLR advertised for a p/t job but thought I would either get a non-TLR p/t job and work my way into more responsibility (which I've done twice before) or go for a 2nd in dept or TLR post maybe then ask for 0.8

In some schools there are plenty of part-timers doing TLRs. It's defo down to the attitude of the Head. At my last school the old head bent over backwards for me to keep my TLR after returning from maternity and going down to 0.6... and then the new Head told me not to bother applying for my old job when I did my 2nd maternity as he was adamant part-timers were a waste of time.

Quite a few p/t TLRs at my present school

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Original poster

Oovavu · 21/02/2009 22:05

tryingtobe - I am p/t but am really not happy at all there. Would get a good reference though and am on a TLR as well.

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roisin · 22/02/2009 05:10

Lots of SMT don't like part-timers at all, so if you do put it in your covering letter you do run a big risk of it going straight in the bin, unless it's a shortage subject or a difficult school/circumstances.
(Round here we've had loads of jobs in Eng/Maths/Science where the number of applicants has been either 0 and 1 )

But mentioning it anytime after shortlisting is also likely to put backs up.

Is it at all a possibility for you to apply to do ft for a year and then try and negotiate a reduction after a year or so?

happilyconfused · 22/02/2009 09:30

You would still be expected to cover all aspects of a TLR even if you went part-time -the TLR pay is pro-rata with you pay. Our part-time HoD has to attend all HoD meetings and do all HoD activity on a 0.7 TLR - she just works late three nights though. But our SLT do not like part-time HoDs or 2ics and it shows. We have no problem attracting applicants to the school and they would not like surprises at the interview.

Original poster

Oovavu · 22/02/2009 10:59

There's no one answer is there? But if there are so few applicants for jobs in key subjects you'd think they'd be more flexible maybe in their recruitment?

I'm not worried about the extra work with a TLR. I think I'd need to 'suss' out any school I applied to (in the county it wouldn't be hard to find someone who knows the school and Head fairly well through the network) and find out how they stood about part-timers. If there are some there already it figures that the Head has a flexible approach to family-friendly working conditions.

I could try out full-time for a year, but there's no guarantee of my request being granted at the end of it.

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violethill · 22/02/2009 12:37

As happily says, a lot depends on how successful the school is at attracting good quality applicants. When I am shortlisting and interviewing for a F/T post, tbh if there enough good applicants who want full time, then they will take priority over people who don't want F/T. Ultimately of course I want the best person for the job, and there have been a few occasions when I've gone for a part timer, but in all honesty, if the job is a full time post and I have the choice between two equally good candidates, one of whom will work F/T and one who is reluctant to, then the F/T would win hands down.

scienceteacher · 22/02/2009 12:55

If a school has a 6-day or 2-week timetable, and if you have to have the same day off each week, it would be virtually impossible to fit you in.

itchyandscratchy · 22/02/2009 15:22

Don't agree with that point, necessarily, scienceteacher as there are lots of part-timers at the school I work in, all with the same days off each week and all are accommodated with their days. IME timetables are usually finalised during the summer term when most appointments for the following Sept will have been made.

It means some classes are split, which is not always ideal, but we don't live in an ideal world and most Heads cope with this.

itchyandscratchy · 22/02/2009 15:23

Sorry - should have said we are on a 2 weeks timetable

LadyGlencoraPalliser · 22/02/2009 15:37

When we interview, at the end of the interview we tend to ask each candidate if they would be likely to take the job if we offered it. That would be the time to mention the .8 thing, rather than waiting for the offer.

itchyandscratchy · 22/02/2009 19:22

I suppose as well, even if the school couldn't accommodate the request at the time, you could also ask if it would be considered at a later date (next academic year)?

Also I think if the school is p/t-friendly, they wouldn't chuck the application in the bin, so if you did mention your request in the letter and you did get an interview, you know you'd be in with a good chance of it being considered...

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