4 days or 5?

[mumnosbest]

My maternity leave is nearly over so i'll be returning to work as a primary teacher ( dd will be 1yr). Ive arranged to return to 4 days so that i can use the 5th day for a little work and some 1-2-1 time with dd while other 2 dcs are at school. All was fine untill... My dream job has come up at another school. Its more money, less stress, nicer school, less take home work BUT its 5 days, no chance of 4 days. WWYD?

1. 4 days in current school.
2. 5 days in new school.
3. wait as another job maybe coming up next year but would kick myself if it didn't

It's your dream job. GO FOR IT.

5 days & get a cleaner

I would go for it. As you are a teacher, you have, what, about 13 weeks of holiday a year? That's about 8 weeks more than your average office job -effectively enough days for full time to equate to four days in an office job. So you are getting a fair bit of time, just in blocks.

Does the new job mean many after school commitments?

My mum was full time as a teacher (although admittedly I was 4 when she started back) and I always felt I had loads more time with her than some others with working mums. She fixed her time so she got home really early too (and did shit loads when we were in bed).

thanks. lots of positive replies. i was already dreading going back and leaving dd. with my older 2 i worked part-time and was looking forward to a day of just me and her. the new job would be less commitment after school as children are transported in/out so no after school activities.

The after school thing is good. What time do classes finish and would you have much of a commute? My mum worked very close, so used to get home by 4/4.30 most days (as I said, she did a lot once we were in bed) and 3 hours with her in the evenings before bed was lovely.

i'd be done by 4 and both schools are a few minutes walk away.

Sounds great!

How would you be done by 4? No courses, parents evenings, staff meetings, planning meetings, after school clubs to run??

She's answered about after school clubs. I am assuming the other stuff is 'from time to time' and not what she'd consider her normal day. Bit like any of us stay later than 'standard' some days.

I'm a primary teacher and just can't imagine leaving by 4 anything other than occasionally. It may be different in other schools but I'm sure in most schools you would have a weekly staff meeting (ours is 3.30-5/5.30) plus team planning. Don't want to sound diffficult but it's best to be realistic before making a choice.

its an SEN school (sorry should have said), im currently mainstream but have done both. yes they have a staff meeting once a week but so does my current school. same goes for extra meetings, parents evenings etc. theres extra paperwork per child but far less children. the classroom staff help tidy and with displays and setting up so when the childten go there's not that much of the practical stuff to do. as someone said ^thread im thinking of an average day.

*children

Dream job