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Whether you're a permanent teacher, supply teacher or student teacher, you'll find others in the same situation on our Staffroom forum.

nursery class teachers - how many hours do you work?

7 replies

Doraemon · 25/06/2015 19:10

I think there is a possibility that school might ask me to apply for a job that is coming up in our nursery class. I need to think about how the workload and pay would compare with the role(s) I'm doing at the moment - currently in school 8:15 to 3:45ish each day and only an hour or two work at home a week, but paid peanuts.
Can I ask any of you who teach nursery roughly how many hours you work outside of actual school hours, and how much of that is work that can't be done at home because it's meetings/setting up the environment/dashing to the supermarket to buy random resources etc etc. We have 2 nursery groups (morning and afternoon) of up to 20 children in each group, a lot of overlap in planning for the 2 groups but obviously 40 lots of tracking, reports etc, high level of SEND so extra paperwork/differentiation needed there as well.
thank you!

OP posts:
WinnieTheWilt · 25/06/2015 19:53

I am physically in 8 to 5 but that's a squeeze and I could be in a lot longer if I didn't have to pick up my own children. Work most eves and weekends. Busier at certain times of year (reports etc). Depends what you want out of the job - control of a class, or work-life balance. I am so tired right now I am practically hallucinating and we have 3 weeks to go! I used to have a role like yours, and I'd go back to it in a heartbeat. I think. Ask me again in September!

level3at6months · 25/06/2015 22:38

8.15 until about 5.30 here on average. Learning journals take up a lot of evening time, plus a couple of hours for planning on Sundays. I could spend much longer on stuff if school didn't close and I didn't have to collect my own DS.

rollonthesummer · 25/06/2015 22:43

Our nursery teachers seen to spend longer hours in school than any other year group! They teach two 3 hour sessions-(8.45-11.45 and 12.30-3.30) so hardly see anyone else at lunchtime because their lunch barely overlaps.

I think Learning Journeys are what takes up most of their time.

FabulousFudge · 25/06/2015 23:54

When I taught nursery, it was the hardest I've ever worked!

Doraemon · 27/06/2015 20:14

Thanks for the replies, really helpful to get an hour of how long people are physically in school for. The lunchtime thing I am used to - we have a complicated system of lunch cover which means at the moment I generally have my lunch at a different time to everyone else but I quite like the chance for a bit of peace to be honest :-) Nursery is exhausting in many ways, but I also work in other year groups and know that Foundation stage is where I feel most at home.
A big part of me would love to have my own class - it's been a long long time since I had a proper career-y type job and if I leave it much longer I suspect I will never have one again. In fact if I'm honest for me, personally, I would totally love to do it. It's just a question of how much the rest of the family would have to compromise to make it work. And whether they would actually offer me the job, obviously, I may be worrying about counting my hypothetical chickens before they're anywhere near hatching.....Blush

OP posts:
Doraemon · 27/06/2015 21:20

'an hour of how long people'????? an idea of how long, not an hour. Have obviously had too much wine.....

OP posts:
rollonthesummer · 28/06/2015 22:43

Why would they not offer you the job!? Don't put yourself down. Are you a teacher? Then you have as much right as anyone else to the job!

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