How common is part time in your school?

[TheCatsBathmat]

Asking because I'm being made to feel unreasonable for requesting a part-time contract. If granted it would be a job share situation, in primary.

I love teaching but I don't see how I can be effective at my job full-time and stay sane with small children to look after at home as well. So any tips from full-timers who are managing that effectively would also be welcome!

Part time is very common indeed at my secondary. I am currently 0.8 having moved recently from 0.6. I have also worked full time for short periods since the DC turned up (short contracts, supply etc)
I would be slightly careful with the job share part time idea. I am friendly with a number of primary teachers who have found that it’s a poisoned chalice unless the teacher you share with is utterly brilliant. Even if they are, don’t underestimate the sheer amount of time involved in shared planning/hand over. I shared a GCSE class with a truly gifted teacher last year. For 4 hours a week of teaching, the shared planning, handover and moderation of marking took us well over an hour per week. That hour plus was before any actual detailed planning, resourcing and marking - just the overview and direction of movement planning. The outcomes were good for the students but it was a huge drain on time.
Plus, pension. Shit show for part timers.
I could make some random suggestions on how to make full time work a bit better but prob best for you to outline your circumstances - single parent or two parents? Paid childcare or grandparents? Etc etc.

Thank you for your reply @likeafishneedsabike - that's helpful to know. It's common at my school too - nearly all staff with children under 10 are part time. I was a few years ago too, after DC1 (and under a more understanding head) and I found I did end up doing a bit extra, but nothing like as bad as you describe.

Unfortunately we are hundreds of miles from family and DH works long hours in the kind of job where PT just means doing the same job for less money. Childcare is wrap-around at school and I think the kids would crack if I added any more hours - evenings are already a nightmare.

I really relate to crackable children
Mine have always staged a mutiny if picked up after 5pm (and disapprove of after 4.30pm to be honest). A lot of this is hunger and dehydration - if I had to stay at work later then I would definitely book them in for dinner at Childminder’s. That’s probably a very good survival strategy for full time teacher parents - just adult evening meals to cobble together. Don’t suppose there is that option for you ie swap from after school club to childminder and them get fed there? It might or might not make a difference.

Everyone I know who works part time ends up basically working full time without the pay. Teaching is a job that fills the time vacuum, it isn't worth doing part time if you're a person who tends to go the extra mile.

Very common in my LA primary school but previous MAT had a policy of no job shares. It's a load of rubbish as all classes are covered at least an afternoon a week for PPA and often a day a week if class teacher is also SENCO or has extra leadership time so it's not like any class has the same teacher the whole time.

3/7 classes at my primary are job shares. On the whole it works very well - personally I think heads are daft to say no as you’re likely to get more out of 2 part timers than 1 burnt out full timer.

DH & I both teach so one of us going part time was really the only way to preserve some family time - otherwise we were just arguing over who worked which weekend day.

Everything crossed your head sees sense & agrees to you working part time.

Lots of interesting replies here, and plenty of food for thought. Thank you all!

I'm one of the only part time teachers at my school. I work 3 days. I think there's one other who does 4 days. Several TAs work 4 days and some of them do 3 days too.

Generally, my head is not very keen on part timers. Especially those on UPS like me. Although I was recruited before she took over, so 🤷

@likeafishneedsabike you seem like you have a fair bit of experience e so can I ask you or anyone else for advice? (Sorry @TheCatsBathmat got hijacking your thread):

I’m a part timer (0.6) but I might as well be full time as school expected me to attend the meetings and schedules in courses on my days off. I’ve been better this year as I keep saying no. I feel angry that I’m being taken advantage of (doing HOD job just on teacher salary), school keeps saying that as I’m UPS1 it is my job. There’s no HOD it’s basically myself who is in charge of whole curriculum). I feel they taking piss - are they?

Secondly I want to leave at Christmas but I don’t see any jobs. I saw a part time cover supervisor for half of what I’m earning now. I suppose the no make king snd planning snd having weekends back would be a bonus.