When can I hand my notice in?

[justpulledinalldirections]

I really need to leave my current teaching job. I've only been there since September. I don't think I can make it until the end of the year for a variety of reasons. Our half term holiday starts next Friday. Do I do it before that Friday (14th) or could I wait until the Friday after the holiday 28th Feb to leave st Easter? I'm kind of dreading it so want to put it off as long as possible really. I feel like once I hand my notice in I'll get a lot of negativity from staff. Help

I think you need to do it before the half term to leave at Easter.

Technically the date is the last day in February to leave the last day in April. However, as the Easter holidays fall before the end of April, it's usual to put the last day of the Easter holidays as your last day, then start work at your new job on the first day of the summer term.

However, if you have no job to go to, you should put the last date in April as your last day. Normally a finish at Easter can be negotiated, but the school would be within their rights to ask you to teach until April 30th. I'd you feel you can stay till then and don't have a new job to go to, it may be worth the extra little cash and it's only a couple of weeks after the holidays. If you feel you can't last until then, put the last day of the holidays as your last day (so you get the holiday pay) and speak to the head when handing in your notice and state what you've done. It should be fine.

Have you checked your contract? Some schools keep you on a probationary contract for the first year with a very short notice period.

Do it now. It is fairer on the school to allow them time to recruit before 28th feb so you’ll hopefully receive a less negative response. If they are negative at least you’ll know you did the right thing, morally.

Do it now, to be sure it’s received before the deadline. The leave date is 30th April, but there will probably be someone to take you role at the start of term.

I hope you've done it already but please give the school a decent chance of recruiting someone.