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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

How much notice does a teacher have to work before they leave?

49 replies

PeterParkerSays · 22/05/2013 12:20

We've just had the introduction session for parents of children entering Reception in Septmeber. On the same day, the teacher of what will be DS's class has resigned. Cue a session with the headmaster saying "this is teacher for class X but they won't actually be here by September because we found out today that they're leaving".

We have settling in sessions arranged at the school in late June and July, when the children get to meet the other children in their class, but the teachers don't do home visits. Is it likely the new teacher will be in post for the end of June, so DS actually gets to meet his teacher before he starts in September?

TIA.

OP posts:

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DeWe · 22/05/2013 12:32

End of May is the last date for teachers who won't be back in September. They would have to work the term out, so the new teacher potentially won't be seeable until September.
Some schools will be able to arrange for the new teacher to come in for induction days, but that does depend on what the teacher is currently doing.

But if they didn't know until now, they can't get a current teacher for the beginning of September unless the current school is happy to work the notice out. So there is a higher chance of the new teacher being able to make time to come and see them before September.

caffeinated · 22/05/2013 12:32

A half term. So for teachers not continuing in their posts in September they have to hand in their resignation by Friday.

Original poster

PeterParkerSays · 22/05/2013 12:39

The date makes more sense then, but it's still crap. DS is at a nursery outside of our town so no-one there is going to his school. He knows 3 or 4 other kids all starting in Reception in September and they are all, without exception, in the other class (2 class instake).

I just wanted to try and prepare him a bit, but he's going into a school, when he only has the slightest grasp of what this entails (he's an only child and won't be 4 for a couple of months yet), will have no friends in his class, and there's now no teacher to introduce him to. We can't even get his uniform yet because that will be changing before September as well.

I've got the mums of DS's friends going "oh, I'm sure his new teacher will be really nice" but I'm sorry, however nice the current one is was her timing is rubbish.

I know all this isn't the school's fault but it presents a really poor first impression.

OP posts:

Lonecatwithkitten · 22/05/2013 12:44

It is down to individual contracts DD's school requires a full terms notice.

EduCated · 22/05/2013 12:46

It's understandable that your concerned, but it isn't the teachers fail either. She is allowed to change jobs.

Will the class have the new teacher or will there be a reshuffle so they get a teacher currently teaching a different year group?

Periwinkle007 · 22/05/2013 12:49

Hopefully the TA(s) won't be changing so they will be able to meet them at the settling in sessions?

Original poster

PeterParkerSays · 22/05/2013 12:49

No mention of a reshuffle (but I guess that could be because they'd known for about 12 hours at the time we were told). I'm presuming they'll get a new Reception teacher.

OP posts:

indyandlara · 22/05/2013 12:49

Teachers are allowed to change jobs though. No matter when they move on there will always be disruption or someone. I can't see how it paints a poor impression tbh. I have known lots of p1 inductions to happen without the teacher for the next session there .

indyandlara · 22/05/2013 12:50

To someone even.

TwasBrillig · 22/05/2013 12:51

When would you prefer a teacher to leave? People do get rather upset about a teacher leaving mid year, its usually seen to be more professional to leave at the end of a school year. End of term gives at least 3 months notice!

Teachers really are restricted as to when they can change jobs.

KingRollo · 22/05/2013 12:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

OldBeanbagz · 22/05/2013 12:55

I know its a shock but i'm sure your DS will be ok come September. He probably won't even remember what the teacher look liked by then (if he's anything like my DS).

Is he in Nursery at the same school? Is the teacher who's leaving one he knows already?

My DD had a similar problem when she was moving from Y3 to Y4. We'd met her new teachers (job share), she's spent a day in the class and it was a huge shock when one week before the start of term we got an email to say that there was a change of staff.

We were invited to meet the new one but my DD already had plans for the day so she didn't meet her until the first day of term.

OrangeLily · 22/05/2013 12:58

I hope this is your PFB because its rather daft.

Would you like a new teacher to leave their previous school and class in the June so that they get to meet your child? Who they won't even see until Sept?

They need to hang on until the holidays to finish their previous class and to clear out their classroom.

Bramshott · 22/05/2013 12:59

It's pretty standard and schools take this into account when they recruit, so many jobs will be being advertised/filled now.

What I don't get, is if teachers have to give 1/2 a terms notice - is it now too later for OPs school (and my DDs school too who are in the same situation) to recruit a teacher to start in September? How do schools get round this without having half a term of supply fairly regularly?

OrangeLily · 22/05/2013 13:02

Have also just seen 'the teachers don't do home visits' in your OP.... Just our interest... We're you expecting them to?

OrganixAddict · 22/05/2013 13:02

Dds school tends to move staff between year groups so the reception classes are generally taught by someone in the school & available to meet parents and children. For example, dds teacher interviewed for a reception post but worked first year as Y2 teacher and moved down within the school in his second year.

Lots of teachers like to get experience across age ranges (helps with career progression) so someone may well move internally. If not, try not to worry - if your DS feels you are stressed about it, he may feel he should be too.

caffeinated · 22/05/2013 13:03

When our second child was starting school and we went to the induction in July we were told by the head teacher that she was leaving at the end of term and her replacement was yet to be found. We all survived.

ArabellaBeaumaris · 22/05/2013 13:08

Sounds like the right time for a teacher to leave - she is seeing out the teaching year. When would you like her to leave?

Honestly OP it sounds like you are very anxious about your DC starting school - they will be fine. They all do it! Lots of DC turned up in my pfb class who hadn't been to the attached nursery, knew nobody, & they quickly settled.

BigBongTheory · 22/05/2013 13:08

They'll be able recruit unemployed teachers, an NQT or will fill a post temporarily until Xmas.

In rare cases someone might aaply and then negotiate an early exit from their current school.

Pozzled · 22/05/2013 13:10

Most teachers change jobs after the summer term as they prefer to see their current class through. If the reception teacher had left earlier, he/she would be disappointing a whole class of children who have probably built an excellent relationship with her.

However, I can see why you feel the way you do, there are lots of worries for children (and parents) about starting school and you want it to be as smooth as possible.

I would say try not to worry yet- the school haven't had a chance to make a plan yet, but thety will. Once they have decided who will take the class, they will try to organize a time to meet the teacher. Even if it's someone who is already in another post, most schools will be flexible enough to allow this.

The school can also take other measures- make sure the TAs and other adults are familiar to your child. There will also be a lot of settling in time in September.

TeamEdward · 22/05/2013 13:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Quenelle · 22/05/2013 13:25

OrangeLily my DS starts lower school in September and the children don't even go in for the first two weeks of the Autumn term because the teachers are doing home visits.

OP, I can understand why you're concerned if your son isn't familiar with the school or his new schoolmates at all. But in reality he probably won't even remember much about who he meets in June/July by the time he starts in early (or mid in our case) September. He will still benefit from visiting the school. Does his pre-school do any visits? DS's preschool manager has asked which schools all the children are going to so she can arrange to take them for visits over the next couple of months.

We are waiting for details of transition and the Intake Evening but the school won't publish any information until after this week's deadline for teachers to give notice.

adoptmama · 22/05/2013 13:27

How on earth can you consider it 'rubbish' of a teacher to hand in his or her notice and work that notice as required by their contract? Your child will still have their induction and the fact they will not be taught by the person who they have spent, at best, a few hours with 3 months before does not - to any normal person - create a 'bad impression' of the school. I think it is ridiculous of you to make an issue about someone leaving their job.

fedupwithdeployment · 22/05/2013 13:28

We had a problem with getting DS2 into the same school as DS1 (long story involving house moves and Lambeth being spectacularly crap)...to cut a long story short, we met his teacher the day before he started Reception. It was fine. If he had met her 2 months earlier i doubt he would have remembered. And as for settling in...well that was Day 1 Reception!

I would relax about it - a total non issue (assuming they get a decent teacher in place for Sept!)

DeWe · 22/05/2013 14:11

I think you're getting a hard time, and I'm sure lots of others would feel the same way, especially about pfb.
But it was bad wording on "poor impression", would it have been better if they hadn't told you and kept up a good impression?

However, I don't think it will make the slightest difference to your ds. He's unlikely in the time he will spend with the teacher before September, build up a good relationship. He might well not even recognise her if he met her in the street.It is more about how you feel.

Tell him it's really exciting because he has a new teacher that's coming especially to teach him and hasn't taught anyone else in the school before (probably) and you'll find he finds that very exciting, A lot is in how you present it to him.

Both dd2 and ds' reception teacher left in the first term to go on maternity leave. Just long enough for them to have built up a relationship with the children. Lots of the parents were really concerned. But both times the children welcomed and accepted the new teacher in, and very quickly were very happy and settled with them. Singing her praises they were.

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