Wondering about doing NQT year part-time....any advice?

[RosieMBanks]

Just wondering if anyone can advise re doing the NQT induction period part-time? I am currently on a PGCE Primary course - loving the school experience but am finding the workload hard....as does everyone! Having blithely thought I would apply for full-time jobs I am having a rethink, partly due to some family issues, and also wondering if it would be better for family life. I just wondered how many schools would employ NQTs part-time...and also whether it really is better to try and get the NQT year over with asap? Any advice very welcome!

I'd suggest getting it over with. I really think you'd struggle to find a PT job anyway, tbh. IME PT Primary Teachers are in jobs that they had full time, and then asked for reduced hours.

I did my NQT year on a part-time basis, although it was secondary Maths, not primary. I wouldn't have been able to handle the full time work load. I really enjoyed my two part-time NQT years. I was able to prepare good lessons, mark the work thoroughly, enjoy my job and my family. However, I think I was very lucky to find a part-time job, as there weren't many around.

Maybe you could look for a job-share partner, and then the two of you could apply together, as a job-share pair. What about asking around in your PGCE class?

Good luck!

Well, it's possible, as we have an NQT who covers PPA in KS1 at the moment - 3 days a week I think, but we're a large school and so job opportunities are slightly better than smaller set-ups.
Worth a try...

Can't comment on the workload but fwiw we've seen quite a lot of PT primary positions adverised lately.

I did mine part-time, it was the only job going in my area, so I had to! It is quite a nice way of easing yourself into it, just be sure that you get all the NQT time that you're entitled to, I ended up not having any for weeks at a time, then I'd have two or three weeks in a row with a non-contact afternoon, which was a bit chaotic at times!

My daughter is currently doing her primary NQT year parttime- a maternity cover. Like Pinkgirl it was the only job available and is very local. She is finding it helpful to have the extra time, but does do some supply on other days. The school have been very supportive and she has had lots of INSET and NQT training as well as her extra PPA time - she is happy to do it on her non working days.

In theory I don't see why not, but as an employer I would have some reservations. NQTs need (and have rights) to certain levels of support and release and you would not complete your NQT "year" in a year if you are only working part time. So the school would need to provide that support for longer. You couldn't take on a responsibility until you have finished the NQT year and that may burden other staff. Much of being an NQT is getting used to school life and if you are out half the week I would worry what you are missing.
If money was not an issue (some schools need to employ an NQT to balance the books), all things being equal, I would favour a teacher who had completed their NQT year for a part time post. Job-sharing takes an additional skills set, and getting that under your belt as well as the professional class teacher role doesn't always work.
However, as more and more staff are going part time there may be more vacancies, so you may be lucky. But we normally appoint experienced part timers who are returning to work post baby, as there are plenty of excellent staff who are in that category. Sorry.
My suggestion would be, if you could possibly manage it, get the year done, then look for part time work.

I did my NQT year part time, as the 'other part' of a jobshare involving a more experienced teacher returning from maternity. It was the only job available..

Things to bear in mind:

• You need to make certain that you teach a good cross-section of subjects e.g. if you always teach PE on 'your' days but never teach ICT, then your experience will be unbalanced compared with someone who does the year full-time. Or if you do PPA cover, always in the afternoons, you may never teach Maths or Literacy - a problem when you come to look for your next job.
• You get expensive more quickly than you gain experience, as you go up a point on the pay scale each year even if you do not teach full time. So if you did a 50% part time job, taking 2 years to get your NQT, you would already be on the pay point typical for someone with 2 full years of experience despite only having been in the classroom for half that time. Again, this can count against you for the next job.

On the other hand, it was relatively easy for the school to give me my 'extra' NQT non-contact time without leaving the class without a teacher, as my jobshare partner was in class at that time.

Many thanks for all this feedback - it is really useful.

My advice would be to look for a FT NQT year and then go PT. It's quite hard if you are job sharing or doing PPA cover to get sufficient curriculum coverage unless the school is very, very flexible.