any fellow teachers out there... WWYD... leaving job dilemma

[catinhell]

I am currently a class teacher doing a job share. my regular jobshare partner has been off on long term sick leave for the last year.

my head has just informed me that my job share partner will not be returning. she had implied that there may be a vacancy for a learning support teacher from sept, and we discussed this as a new role.

i was very pleased, as this is really what i'd like to do long term.

the following week she said that regrettably there would be no funding for this new post, after all.

the thing is, she now knows that long term, whole class teaching is something i want to move away from. yesterday she asked me to let her know my plans asap, as she'd like to advertise for a new job share for me, by easter, if poss.

i think that she has in the back of her mind the idea that i may not want to be there in sept, and wants to know if she's advertising for a full or part time post.

i quite understand this, but think its a bit unfair for her to expect me to make that sort of decision before i've had the opportunity to apply for anything else!

she didnt exactly spell out the question 'are you planning to leave?' - but i felt that it was implied.

i have 15 years service and am well respected at the school. i know that my head values me, but sometimes her people skills are a bit flat footed.

the thing is, i am pretty certain that i want to leave, but dont want to be forced in to handing in my notice this early, just so that she can put an advert in the paper!

what would you say to her?

Where are you expecting to move to?

well, i'm doing a dyslexia teaching qualification at the mo, and would ideally like to do learning support teaching.

dh is now in a much more stable position financialy than he has been recently, so we have discussed the possibilty of me doing supply/ 1:1 tuition/ volunteering in specialist school. just really want a change. BUT i want to let them know when i'm ready to decide. need a bit more thinking time, and want to wait for a few more adverts to appear...

Any positions that are not a class based teacher or a ht will be radically cut. Learning support will be decimated. Non teaching ahts will go.

Even if you get a position many schools are using carry forward to get them through 2011/12. The real cuts will be from 2012 onwards.

If you can risk having no job then go for it but if you need the money no way would i suggest to anyone leaving a class based job now.

I think she's being a bit unfair if she expects you to decide without having had the chance to look for or apply for any other posts!

In your shoes, I would say that she should be advertising for a job share partner for you. IF (big if), you see an amazing job and apply for it before the summer, well, she can either ask the new job share partner if he/ she wants to work full time, or advertise for a new person to share with them. That's not a big deal for the school, happens all the time.

But you should not feel forced out or manoeuvred - you've been there 15 years!

(By the way, supply can be great - I'm currently doing supply just in schools I have worked in in the past and it's great - currently covering a long term sick role part time. So you may want to do supply in your current school in the future.)

She shouldn't be on a job share. Are you a job share or 2 part time staff sharing a class?

Job share is not good. If they can't find anyone you will have to work full time.

gottakeepchanging. thanks for your post. i hear what you're saying and know i'd be taking a risk. i just feel that i couldnt face staying on and having to almost mentor a recently qualified new job share partner.

i 've had a very tough year, with lots of study, a big change in year group, a house move -to a new town, and a new (temp) job share partner.

i couldnt leave last summer due to dh's circs, but have kind of promised myself that i can leave at the end of the year, if thats whati still want to do.

i am not normally a risk taker, and dont want to be in a hopeless situatio job wise.

i have seen PPS cover advertised. this would be a possibility if learning support isnt realistic. i just dont want the responsibility for a class.

thanks also to woah for your advice

PPA not PPS

gotta, dont reaaly understand your point re jobshare... i work 0.6 and the other person 0.4. whats the differnce btween 2x part time and a jobshare??

A job share is where you split one role- sometimes interviewed together even. If one person leaves the other may have to cover, find another person or even go back full time or have to leave. 2 part time people work different hours on different contracts. The unions have good guidance on this. In reality it doestnt happen in teaching that the person has to go if the other part of the job share can't be found.

ISWYM. We have always considered it a job share, but with totally separate contracts. both happened to want to reduce hours from full time to part time.

ok, am shamelessly bumping this as it's very much on my mind...

what if I say " as you know, in the long term i'd like my career to take a slightly different direction, away from class teaching, so that i can pursue my other professional interests. however, i need a little more thinking time before deciding exactly what my plans as for september... especially as its still 'early days'as far as applying for another post is concerned."

Hi, I would think it depends on how many learning support jobs are available in your area, and how likely you feel you are to get one in September. Does your school have much supply? You could always ask to be considered for any, just as a stop gap until you get a new job. Then at least you lose the extras that come with whole class teaching.

I agree, anyone in a non class-teaching position is going to be on shaky ground over the next few years, that is what is stopping me leaving or looking elsewhere atm. Clinging onto my job for grim life even though i am not enjoying it much!
So it depends whether you need to work or could afford to be out of work for a while.

I was under the impression that if you wanted to leave in September, you had to hand in your notice before Easter. So in theory, you would need to have something lined up in 2 weeks time, or you will be under contract until Christmas at the earliest. So really, your HT needs to advertise for a job share partner for you, unless you tell her otherwise in the next 2 weeks. Surely she can work that out for herself, so why hassle you?

If I am wrong about notice periods, then forgive and ignore me!

My advice is the that the school can't force you into any decision and don't let them.

keep looking but there is a due process here and they cannot pre-empt that in any way without heading into constructive dismissal territory.

that doesn't mean you should not be totally honest with them. I would explain all of this. They cannot expect more from you than that.

cupofteaplease, its next half term that is the final cut off for september.

Oh right MC, I always thought we had to give a whole term's notice!

no, half a term's notice but we can only leave at the end of a term!

I don't blame you for wanting to move away from class teaching. What about looking for a SENCo position? They are often only a few days a week. Or a Learning Support Teacher in a prep school- maybe a bit more 'cuts-proof' and there seem to be a good few of them in the TES.

Have you considered a special school? I love being able to focus of a few children as individuals.

thanks all.

financially i can afford to take a bit of a risk... we could manage for a while without me working, due to an improvementin dh's circs.

i hear what you are all saying about clinging on to your jobs but i felt very ready to leave this time last year. however, i was the main breadwinner then, and dh started a new job last june (so i missed the deadline for handing in notice last year.)i just feel ready to move on, and feel that i would have low morale if i stayed put just to be 'safe', jobwise.

i also have a theory that loads of jobs come up in june/ july for september, but not that many teachers are in a position to apply as its too late to hand in notice, so you have more liklihood of getting a job in june/ july, as there's less competition. did that make sense?

to sum up, i feel like taking a risk (not like me!) and leaving without a job to go to. BUT...i dont want to have my hand forced before i'm ready.

Never tell the head anything until it is all official and you have another post to go to. I did and bitterly regretted it (very long and painful story). Stay where you are and show your head every sign that you are staying forever!! If she quizzes you again you can just say you were weighing up options but you prefer to keep the status quo.

I repeat NEVER NEVER NEVER tell your head anything until it is all official and you have another post to go to.

Waiting for jobs to turn up after the half term deadline is a huge risk as you cannot control the quality of the jobs on offer. You could end up somewhere worse (better the devil you know).

Also someone mentioned cuts to support staff earlier..this is so true in my school. The range of non-teaching jobs is shrinking fast. (look at your own school and the job you thought you had!). This will push the competition for each job too.

You must try to secure where you will go to first unless you can guarentee that you will be financially ok for at least 6-8 months (beyond next christmas)...just incase your theory is wrong

I'd reiterate what other posters have said - don't say anything to your head unless it's done and dusted. And think very hard before you jump ship for the special needs one. It's going to be Special Educational Needs (SEN) and Additional Special Needs (AEN). So, a speech disorder will be SEN, a speech delay will be AEN. All bloody semantics of course, both types of need require alot of extra help. But the budgets are going to be cut to the bone ..... think hard.

Good luck BTW, hope it all works out! :)

A whole uni cohort is available to take those summer jobs!! And they'll all be cheaper than you!

candleshoe, that's true, but most NQTs won't be looking for a part time post... Am intrigued about your situation...

i kind of know that you are probably right, and that i am taking a risk. however, i do feel that i would be quite a strong candidate when applying for new jobs (deputy's view- not just mine ). plus, i feel really burnt out in my current role and have no motivation to stay.

despite what you have all said (very sensibly) i do feel excited about taking a bit of a risk.

financially, i could manage for a couple of terms without pay.

tbh, i am have seen lots of posts that interest me- some of them not even teaching- learning mentors, for instance. its just that they are all for a summer term start. thats why i want to 'free myself up', so that i can pounce on any available post.