2 part time teaching jobs in 2 schools

[blackbettybramblejam]

Has anyone else done this?

My friend is a secondary languages teacher (PT) and she now also has contracts in two Primary schools as well, so actually works PT in 3 !

Yes, I have worked as many as three - one school 3 days a week and the other 2 one day each. I never knew if I was coming or going and don’t recommend it. I ended up agreeing to teach PHSE so I could do the full 5 days in one place. I find this easier.

Hmm I’m considering it but I’m worried it’ll eat me alive! On the other hand, nice to not be completely swallowed up by one school.

Yes, I've done it previously in 3 at once (14 years ago), then dropped to 1. I did one day in what is now my main school, one morning in another, and 2 mornings in a third. In the 1st & 3rd, I taught the same GCSE spec, so there was a lot of crossover. In the 2nd, I was filling in, but didn't enjoy it due to crap management and bullying by other members of staff. For the last 2.5 years I have been teaching 0.5 in a secondary and 0.3 in a primary.

It might be just my subject (Music) but it is really hard work. The big events happen at the same time in both schools, like carol services and end of term concerts and it's knackering. The actual teaching is ok and I have learned a lot but I am finishing at the primary school at the end of the academic year because I am finding it too much. When I took the primary school on, DH was working for himself on NMW. Now he has a well-paid job so I don't need to make up the finances and I'm putting my sanity first.

I think it makes sense if you are "dropping in, delivering, and going home", so, like in my friend's case where she delivers MFL as a specialist skill - might also work for something like music, art or PE which can be really difficult to deliver for non-specialists and Primary schools are delighted to have an expert come and take that weight from their shoulders with no expectation to be part of the school.
(I'm presuming Primary, sorry, if that is wrong)
However, I think if it were a class teacher 2 days at one school and a class teacher 3 days at another school, that would be pretty draining, tbh. All the stuff like report writing would be much easier for one class at one school than 2 x 1/2 a class at different schools with different ways of doing things.

There are obviously pros and cons, OP. The main issue you may need to contend with is things such as parent's evenings and expected attendance at events because ultimately, you can't be in two places at once and there can be overlap.

I did it for a couple of terms. I was working on a temporary contract in a really nice school. They were keen to take me on permanently but had no vacancies. I left it as late as I dare in the academic year, but no vacancy came up, so I took a part-time job at another nearby school. However, around June time, the nice school realised they needed someone for 1 day a week, from the September, so I did that as well as the part-time job in the other school - I did it purely to keep my foot in the door of the nice school. I wouldn't recommend it, but if needs must it is doable.

I was eventually offered a full-time permanent contract at the nice school, so dropped the other one as soon as I could - various members of staff at the second school were really funny with me about the fact that I worked in 2 schools. At least a couple of them said " are you sure you're allowed to do that" Err... yes... you pay me for a measly 2 days a week and now think you own my other 5 days as well? Fuck that. For those comments alone there was no way I was staying there.

Thank you all. Interesting insight!

Not me, but I had a colleague in a department several years ago who did 2 days at our school and 3 days in another. He hated it and didn't feel a proper part of either school. But it definitely happens.