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Original poster

Giving notice (in a school)

27 replies

PippyRose · 16/07/2018 14:05

Hi

I work in a school. For personal reasons (too long to go into), I could really do with leaving my job. I've been there fours years.

We break up tomorrow and I would hand my notice in but I probably wouldn't get paid for the whole summer and I think it would go down like a lead balloon with management.

How cheeky/unprofessional would it be to hand in my notice first day back? I would give the full notice (1 month) but I know that it's generally the done thing to hand notice in to leave just before the end of a term. Would I run the risk of annoying people and not getting a decent reference? I don't want to burn any bridges or cause problems for them but I know I have to get out of there for my own sanity!

Thanks

OP posts:
Original poster
PippyRose · 16/07/2018 14:06

Just for clarification, I mean handing my notice in on the first day back after the summer holidays.

OP posts:
Baumederose · 16/07/2018 14:08

Are you a teacher or support?

Original poster
PippyRose · 16/07/2018 14:08

Support.

OP posts:
Original poster
PippyRose · 16/07/2018 14:09

But my job is very niche and I think they will struggle to fill my role in just a month.

OP posts:
Baumederose · 16/07/2018 14:10

Legally fine.
It's morally up to you...

It also depends on your contract around being paid notice etc. So check that first before doing anything

anotherangel2 · 16/07/2018 14:10

If your notice period is one months then that is all you need to give. Only you know if the management is vindictive or not.

BayTrees · 16/07/2018 14:11

There was a recent thread on this. If you are classroom based, you may find your notice period is set by term dates not calendar dates. I had to give half a terms notice minimum, with the cut off date being the last Friday before half term of that term as far as I recall.

C0untDucku1a · 16/07/2018 14:11

hand it in on the first day back. Have you something else to go to?

Original poster
PippyRose · 16/07/2018 14:13

Yeah my contract just says a month but I just don't want any bad feeling.

It's all my fault really. I got a bit too involved with a few members of staff and I feel sucked in to their dramas. It's really affected me and nearly broke my relationship with my partner. It has become too tangled and I need out. I just want to be professional and do the right thing.

OP posts:
Original poster
PippyRose · 16/07/2018 14:14

No nothing else to go to but I can cope financially until I find something else.

OP posts:
flowery · 16/07/2018 15:47

Why not hand a months' notice in on 31 July, to finish 31 August?

PeterPiperPickedSeaShells · 16/07/2018 16:00

Why do you think that you would not be paid your notice period because it's holiday? Surely that would not be legal?

ReadingRiot · 16/07/2018 16:06

Legally you can email or post your notice on 31 July, be paid for the summer and not go back. Ethically is up to you.

If you want to tell them now, you can you can still state your last day as 31 Aug (or even Sep 2) and be paid for the while holiday. Your entitled to the accrued holiday pay anyway (the way school support staff are paid you've already been "deducted" for the unpaid element)

Original poster
PippyRose · 16/07/2018 16:34

Flowery - Not sure that would go down well at all. It would mean there would be nobody there to advertise/interview in time for September.

PeterPiper - I suppose you're right, my last pay would cover til nearly the end of August so would only mean I wouldn't get paid for the last couple of weeks.

ReadingRiot - I'm too much of a coward to do that but at least I know it's an option.

Thanks all, I feel a bit better now.

OP posts:
trinity0097 · 16/07/2018 16:37

Trust me, staff will be around if interviews need to be done.

I’m doing one in a couple of weeks....

Haberpop · 16/07/2018 16:38

I gave notice midway through the last half of the summer term, my letter said I would be leaving on the last day of term, our lovely school manager gave it back to me and told me to amend the date to 31st August (my new job started on 1st Sept).

Original poster
PippyRose · 16/07/2018 16:40

Ah okay (are you happy about having to do that though??)

I just want to keep things sweet and not piss anyone off. I'm probably worrying over nothing! :)

OP posts:
ReadingRiot · 16/07/2018 16:41

I don't think you need to worry too much about how it looks, schools appreciate as much notice as possible obviously, but I ut it's not unusual for support staff to be offered a job (outside education) over the summer and just not come back. Sometimes it's unavoidable, although there is talk of changing the notice terms so that they can't do it, unions are unsurprisingly not happy about that.

Ionlylookatthepictures · 16/07/2018 16:42

HR should have thought of this before giving you a contract; it’s not unheard of to issue three-month contracts for this type of eventuality. You won’t be the first to do this and you won’t be the last. Just hand it in!

Original poster
PippyRose · 16/07/2018 16:42

Sorry Haberpop, that last reply was to Trinity.

You're very lucky!!

OP posts:
ReadingRiot · 16/07/2018 16:44

Haha Ionly. It will be a standard contract on local government terms. The more senior support posts do have longer terms (mine is three months) believe me schools would change it if they could

Original poster
PippyRose · 16/07/2018 16:45

ReadingRiot / Ionlylook

Yes, as long as I'm playing by the rules there should be no need for raised eyebrows.

I'll do it! (She says fretting already lol)

OP posts:
Original poster
PippyRose · 16/07/2018 16:46

Three months is nuts!

What are the chances of a new employer waiting that long?

It's obviously there to stop people leaving at all. Dirty tricks.

OP posts:
ReadingRiot · 16/07/2018 16:47

Most senior post in many industries are three months, some are six months. Often you can negotiate your way out of it but employers are used to having to wait for those kind of roles.

trinity0097 · 16/07/2018 16:49

I don’t mind, I have 2 weeks off (in Cyprus at the mo!) then will be at school full time the rest of the holidays. Well not my usual hours, will prob do 7am to 4pm instead of 6am to 6pm!