Teacher Flexible Working Request

[Teachermum25]

How far in advance do you have to speak to your headteacher about returning to work after maternity leave on a part time basis? I’m debating a 0.6 or 0.8 return (I’m currently full time) but I don’t know when to bring this up! I have to let them know by the end of this month when I want my maternity leave to start and end, is that a good time?

Is it just at the headteachers discretion or will it go to HR too? My school is in an academy trust if that makes a difference. If she did say no, is there any way I can contest it or does that stand?

Thank you!

I’m a teacher in Scotland so might be different for me. I informed my authority and head teacher of when I intended to start to my mat leave. I talked to my head about wanting to go part time 0.6 but she told me to wait until I had the baby and decide then. I took my dd in when she was roughly 3/4 months and had a meeting about doing KIT days. I had to inform my authority of my return roughly no later than 8 weeks prior. It was then when I completed my flexible working form.

In your shoes I would speak to your head teacher and inform them of your thinking. This way it gives them a heads up and you can find out the right process for you.

You can find template letters for part time working requests on the union websites. There are rules around making requests in writing and timeframes for responses so make sure you do it properly.

The school is only allowed to reject your request for legitimate business reasons so if there are other part timers in the school ask them how it works with their timetable, some schools are more reasonable than others. I'd try to get the request in before the timetable has been written.