Leaving teaching 2021 unsure of timeline

[DDkitty369]

Hi everyone. I have only been secondary teaching UK for a couple of years but I know I already would like out. I have no regrets about my decisions up until now and have enjoyed the job, but I have never been out of education and I would like to go and get a taste of something else and another workplace environment.

The timeline for leaving is quite difficult though. To leave at the end of the summer term, which would be ideal, I’d need to hand my notice in by the end of May. However, I am only handing my notice in when I have a new job secured - a job I would not be able to start for a considerable amount of time it seems.

Could anyone help me:

1. Would I be able to start a new job, say the week after we break up - beginning of August, or do I have to stay ‘free’ over the holidays, even though I wont be working for the school?

1. Is it likely that a new workplace would be okay with accepting someone for a job role but they’d have to wait 3 months for said person to start?

1. Does anyone have any experience with this or know anyone who has been in this position? Would it be better for me to just wait until the winter term to leave instead, given that there’s only a 2 month wait October - January ?

Thanks.

I don't know the answers to your questions, but you could always register with a few agencies and do supply while sorting a new job. Then you could have an income but also be free to start straight away.

If you can afford it you would be better to leave at Easter and go on supply. You are then free to apply wherever you like and can also start a new job whenever the start date is.
It's always tricky because teaching notice periods are long.

I mean Easter next year. Or yeah hand in in September then go on supply as soon as you can after that

You can start a new job as soon as you finish in July. There's no law against taking a second job. For example, examiners etc. do extra work on top of their normal teaching job, some teachers take second jobs eg. tutoring. Just because the job you're going to do isn't education related (I assume) doesn't matter.

You could start as soon as you finished in July. No one is going to check. When handing in your notice, however, you need to make it clear that your resignation is effective 31st August so there is no issue with being paid in August.

Supply may well work for you as a stop-gap. You need to start registering with agencies now, however. You will need a DBS on the update service and this can take a good few weeks to come through. September can be quiet but you might get lucky.

In my 20 odds years in the job market prior to teaching, most notice was 4 weeks. Some senior roles require 12 weeks. All you can do is be honest about your availability - you can turn it into resilience and commitment that you are finishing the school year.

Hi all, thank you for your help and advice.

Moving forward, I’m going to apply for jobs with the hope that I can resign before the end of May and a new workplace would be willing to wait until the end of July... hopeful thinking yes.

Not prepared to resign without a job in place yet I think!!