Working 4 days a week

[Myusername2015]

Hi; I’m after advice I’m returning next month after maternity to work as a teaching head of year. As the school is so strapped for cash I think they would look favourably on a flexible working request of 4 days a week instead of full time. We could afford for me to do this but I’m quite certain they wouldn’t pay anyone else as a head of year for that day a week off..I imagine slt would firefight and I’d have to pick up on my return.

Have any teachers that have gone down to 4 days a week have any advice? Would you do it again or do you think you end up doing a full time job anyway just with less pay?

Are you sure that they would let you keep your TLR if you went part time? My school wouldn’t have a part time head of year.

Part time does cut down on lessons and planning as far as teaching goes but you can end up majority shares of split classes where you still do reports/parents evening/marking.

I was a full time teacher with TLR (primary though). No problem keeping the tlr when I returned 3 days per week but I relinquished it voluntarily after a term as there was no way i could keep up with the extra responsibilities. No one was employed to cover my extra duties on the other two days.

My tlr maternity cover was 4 days a week so I’m hoping they’d consider it. Don’t think they’d allow less than 4 days. Good point about the split on classes

It works well in terms of planning, work/life balance etc, but is frustrating as really the only bit of your job that will be 0.8 is the teaching. All the pastoral head of year stuff will still be your responsibility but you’ll only get paid for 80% of it. I’d still rather be part time, but it’s wirth considering how much that will annoy you.

I'm 0.6 and it's fantastic. The weekend starts at 3.30 on a Wednesday!