Part time hours and school closures

[fakefawkes]

I am on a 60% contract and in normal circumstances have a Mon/Tues/Weds working pattern. We had quite a lot of staff having to self isolate because they were at risk before the schools officially closed which means that there aren't many of us available to be in school.

The online learning platform that we use has been really successful and the children are very engaged which is brilliant. The downside is that it is quite time consuming to send responses to all the work and messages coming in but it's fine, I'm really happy to spread my hours over the full week so I can keep in touch with the children and their parents.

Staff having to work from home are being really 'on it' and pinging our ninety bajillion emails and we've had video staff meetings plus tasks etc etc.

So far, I've only been in school one or two days per week and had the rest of the time working from home as this is proportional to what the full timers are being asked to do. After Easter, I have been rota-ed to be in three days a week but will still be expected to work from home and be flexible about staff meeting days. My job share was going on maternity leave after Easter anyway so she is not able to cover any of the rest of the organising work and responding.

I'm feeling really frustrated that I'm basically being asked to do the same as full timers but for less pay. I have three children and it would be helpful to use some of my off time to support them with their learning without having to dash off to answer emails (I know so many people are in this situation and I take my hat off to them, I'm just annoyed that I'm not being paid for it!).

I'm also doing a part time MA which has gone out of the window. It's all so annoying because on paper, I'm only being asked to do my hours but in reality I had done more that my contracted hours for this week before I even went into school today!

Is anyone else in this situation? How are schools treating your part time hours?

That doesn't sound fair. I'm 0.6 and have been in 50% of my days so far. That will continue over Easter and beyond. There's 2 of us in a job share though so setting and checking work is shared between us.

Just email to say that as you are on the rota to go in 3 days a week, you won't be working from home on the other two days. Suggest that somebody who is self-isolating and therefore not on the rota could be allocated to support your class with home learning.

3 days a week seems a lot to be on the rota though? How many kids have you got going in and how many staff to rota? Out of 440 we only have about 25 who need to go in, and it's not that many every day. We are on the rota 2 days a fortnight.

Thank you for your replies. It's tricky because no one else is on .6 at my school at the mo so I have nothing to compare it to- it's really helpful to hear how other schools are handling it.

The reason it is three full days is because they are giving everyone a two week block off. Mine is the actual Easter holidays and some people's break is the two weeks afterwards. I get that we need to do a bit more to cover each other but I'm on the rota for that exactly the same number of days as the full time people.

You're right, I need to just email and say nope. It just felt really pernickety in the current climate and I think a lot of people at my school feel like they are working less than they normally do but I'm caught up in this weird situations where I'm doing more!

I also know that my class won't get the response to their work if I don't do it because it will be one teacher covering 90 children. I feel bad for all those year 6s beavering away and not even getting a 'well done'.

I feel the same although I know I’m being unreasonable as I’m being asked to work far less than you. I’m a secondary teacher 60% usually. We have a three weekly rota in place so I need to go in next Wednesday and that’ll be the first time since March 20th. But I’m still expected to be setting work At home and answering student/parent/ staff emails all day every day.

Although I’m not actually doing that much work. It’s the same amount that all the other staff are doing but for 60% pay 🤷🏻‍♀️

So so glad it's not just me! To be fair, the previous two weeks I had done two days one and one the next so it's only after Easter that I have to do more it's just that it's not scaled the same as the full time.

It's not fair at all that you are being asked to be available every day if you're part time. It needs some clarification doesn't it?!

Sorry, I meant not just me feeling put because we're not technically working more than our hours but proportionally are being asked to do way more than full time.

Not happy that you guys are having to do it!

Ontop of it all I am starting at a new school after Easter and I don’t know what their current set up is, and I think this anxiety is playing into my feelings about my current work place!

I am also in the same position. I work a 0.8, but feel obligated to answer emails, check students work everyday therefore doing the same as the others but being paid less.

Have you raised this with your line manager? I know people are being expected to do more but this doesn’t seem right. Certainly a conversation should be had.

It's a smallish primary school so my line manager is technically my head of KS but in reality it's the head/deputy. I will raise it, I'm just trying to work out the best way of phrasing it without sounding like I'm just not a team player.

I spoke to one of the TAs yesterday in school and she said she's on the same days on the rota as the other TAs even though she normally only works mornings and they work full days. She was finding it hard because she's actually being asked to come in less so doesn't feel she can complain about it but again it's just that proportionally it's more.

What a minefield! I wouldn't want to be a head at this time!

It is a tricky situation, I understand why you’re having to think about the wording. I’m surprised they’re expecting you to be in 3 days a week after the holidays, it seems like an awful lot in comparison to other schools, particularly when you have three children.
Could you start by framing it as asking for clarification as to your part on the rota after the holidays? Asking if anyone will be supporting you/your class to make up for job share going on ML. If no one can, then explain it will be difficult for you to do 3 days on the rota at school and then set all the work/do your own class stuff in your own time, whilst trying to fulfil your personal caring responsibilities that you are committed to outside your 60% contract. I’d be thinking how much you’re prepared to do- I imagine you may have to be ready to work a bit extra unpaid but not a full week and certainly not 3 days a week on rota on top of setting and marking work.. Not sure what others think?

I’m part time and don’t normally work on a Wednesday. We had a departmental zoom meeting this Wednesday and when, at the end, it was suggested we do this each week I asked if it couldn’t be a different day as I don’t normally work Wednesdays. I’m the only part timer in my department and I think people just forget. They were happy to move to another day. No one questioned the request. Do you normally work 3 days a week? Could you say you have been happy to spread onto your non-working days to field responses to pupils but you are now asking how they are going to they are going to bring down your workload? If anyone had asked me why I wasn’t planning on working on a Wednesday I would have said that I chose part time hours for a reason and the school has been happy to pay me part time hours..

I quite like what @Cyberworrier put:

Asking if anyone will be supporting you/your class to make up for job share going on ML. If no one can, then explain it will be difficult for you to do 3 days on the rota at school and then set all the work/do your own class stuff in your own time, whilst trying to fulfil your personal caring responsibilities that you are committed to outside your 60% contract.

I particularly like the final part. Do remind them you have other responsibilities on top of your teaching. I'm surprised they don't already have maternity cover for your job share, though.

I actually think that reply is too suggestive of you just soldiering on and wanting a bit of help to cope. I think this one is more to the point
Just email to say that as you are on the rota to go in 3 days a week, you won't be working from home on the other two days
You might find they alter the rota if they want you to be doing the home-working.

Speak up. I raised my concerns to my hod and they were supportive. I'm also .6 and have made sure I've completed my work over 3 days and spent my 2 days off focusing on my daughter/ jobs around the house as normal.

Hi OP. It's awkward, but the only way to resolve this is to be direct like other posters have said. Send the email- say you'll not be able to work from home if you're in 3 days unfortunately as you're only 0.6. Be firm.

Good luck!

Ask whether they are going to offer you toil when this is over for the extra days you have worked.

That seems very unfair-have you raised it with your head yet?