Part-time to full-time? Your experiences please.

[biggirlknickers]

Basically, I could really do with the money.

Currently 0.6 worked across 5 mornings.

Here is why this is a good set up:
I stay in school most afternoons doing unpaid PPA so I can pick up my own kids from school and not have to do work at home (I often do have to bring work home anyway but not too much) and I have the freedom to not stay if I want - which I occasionally use for appointments, meeting a friend or just because I feel like going home. I really appreciate this freedom.

Pros of going full-time:
Money would be much less tight. I’m tired of telling the children (and myself) that we can’t afford things. Also, the set up I have I only teach English and Maths. I don’t get to do any of the lovely topic / art / music stuff which I would enjoy having a go at. (I’m new to primary - formerly secondary English - so I’ve never done those other subjects before).

WWYD? How do you cope with full time? My own kids are 7 and 10 btw, not babies anymore.

I’d do it, and your career and pension will benefit massively.
Your children are old enough to cope, bar additional needs. I assume you already have it covered if they are ill when you’re working.
I love doing the whole curriculum, and the relationship you have with your class will change too. You won’t be left out of the communications loop either. If you’re already dealing with maths and English, that’s the bulk of marking and assessment already.

I never went back to FT. I worked 3 full days. I like the concept of not having to work at weekends. I prefer to cut my cloth with the money. Of course, it is all relative as to how much money / outgoings are.

I'm 0.6 but did full time for a half term last year to cover sickness. The end of term could not come quick enough! The house was a tip, we had no food and my weekends were trying to do work, wash and iron clothes yet spend time with my children (similar age to yours). For me it wasn't worth the money. Quality of life wins for me.

Have been in your situation and moved to full time.
It was a huge change in terms of work load and the impact it had on the family just really making life very stressful, wouldn't recommend it at all.

So it also seems to depend on how organised you are, and how useful your partner is at co-parenting.

How did I cope with full-time?
Supermarket online ordering, a menu for meals and planning ahead.
A partner who was responsible for the laundry, including ironing. He picked up the lion’s share during term, then I did more in the holidays.
Not feeling that the children had to be doing seven activities a week.
Left school at 5pm, then worked 11-1 am on planning and marking. Children with a mix of childminder, relatives and an after school activity.
Worked well for 20 years as a system.

11pm-1am?!

I'm full-time (secondary) - it's hard work but do-able. I'd prefer to be 4 days, but that's a whole other story.

My DH does all the cooking (batch cooks on a weekend, then we just re-heat it). My eldest DD does all the ironing (14 now, but has done since about age 10). I do the cleaning, but my standards aren't massively high! I mainly make sure the kitchen and bathroom are clean.

Hard parts for me are:

1. older DD does a lot of after school sports stuff, which she does of her own choice and loves it, so don't want to stop her, but ferrying around takes up a lot of time. DH does probably more than 50% of it, but even so. Fortunately, younger DD can't be arsed with much in the way of after-school activities (just brownies).
2. Tidying (as oppose to cleaning) - younger DD and DH are both very messy and just don't see untidiness, in fact, my DH has admitted that he likes a 'cluttered' house, whereas I don't. I'm trying to train my younger DD to tidy away after herself, but doing that is just as hard work as doing it myself. To be fair, the mess doesn't really matter, but I'd just prefer a tidier house.

It is stressful, but the thought of a week/2 weeks/6 weeks off always just around the corner keeps me going.

It’s the 11pm to 1am bit that puts me off 😳
Take my hat off to anyone who can hack that, but I’d be good for nothing.

It was easier and I got more done when everyone was asleep. That was when they were teenagers, they went to bed earlier when they were in primary.
5-6 hours sleep and buckets of tea is all I need, I know others are differently wired.

I won't do FT (currently 0.6) because I want a couple of hours with my DH each evening to sit and be with him. For us, it is really important to have time together. I cherish this time together over the extra money.

I've just agreed to up my hours to 0.8 from 0.6 (secondary) and after seeing my timetable, I'm hugely regretting it (have been having nightmares about it since I saw the timetable!). I really value the family time in the evenings and on weekends (work full days on my days off to ensure this).

If you are disciplined enough to work at school and can afford the childcare you'd require, go for it.

Why are you doing the PPA cover unpaid? Could you carry on as you are and be paid for the cover?

@mrszola I think OP means that she does her own PPA in the afternoons outside of directed time. I don’t think she’s covering other teachers.

I went from 0.6 to FT. I was a job share before and my job share went on mat leave so I covered full time. I was dreading It a bit but it's been fine; I've worked a lot less at home and the difference in pay is massive. It's changed the quality of our life for the better - we've more money to enjoy and I still get the holidays with my kids. DS was fine at full time nursery and DD was already in school.

@yoursworried good to hear a positive experience but can I ask about school runs. To me the big upside of 0.6 is being able to do drop off and pick up of school aged DC on 2 days a week. Is this not a big factor for other people or do you have family to rely on? To us, 5 days of wraparound care would be expensive and a bit exhausting for everyone.

Ah my DH does it - he adjusted his hours to start a bit later and finish a bit later so we didn't have to pay this. We take the financial hit on a childminder after school.

Also I chose a CM rather than an after school club as I felt it was less exhausting. There's only a handful of kids there and if they're tired they can watch tv, or if a bit more energy play with toys or go in the garden. It's just like they would at home so they don't get especially tired from it.

Understand the cost thing though- it does add up which is why we are glad that DH can drop off. My salary is that much higher though that it makes up for it - I went from 20k for 3 days to 38k for 5 heading up a small department - such a big pay rise that we've had a couple of holidays this year and just generally been more relaxed because for the first time ever we're not worrying about money. I think I will work full time for the foreseeable future now- the concept of a big paycut doesn't do it for me! My kids are younger than yours - 4 and 6 and I honestly think it's okay.

I also hate domestic tasks though like cleaning so would rather be at work and pay a cleaner! dh and I share the cooking and do quite a bit of batch cooking at weekends.

I would be very careful about changing. You probably have the ideal teaching job!

Planning history and art etc will rapidly get old once you are buckling under the workload.

I would stick as you are but consider doing some tutoring to up your income.

Good suggestion about tutoring to boost income if that’s a possibility.

Mornings only is the thin end of the wedge. Afternoons are more fun! I would stick to your current hours if you can though, full time teaching is not sustainable in most schools unless you have huge amounts of energy.