Pressure to make decision on return to work

[Diggo83]

to give a brief background, I work as a teacher and started Mat leave in September and told them I will take a year.

The School are now pressing me on making a decision about whether I am returning to work and if so on what basis. I still have 7 1/2 months and dont know, I now cant stop stressing about it. I dont think I want to return full time, I am not sure I even want to return at all but surely I can enjoy my mat leave for a bit longer before I need to make a decision. I dont know how to reply!!!

I think they are being decent and trying to work around you. Legally you're only right is to return to the role you left ton the same hours, or not return at all.
The fact they are asking you about preferred hours suggests they will try to accommodate your request.
I'd see it as supportive rather than harrasing.

They should be leaving you in peace and assume you are taking the full year. You only need to contact them if you're going back early.

Tell them you will be in touch closer to your return date. They don't need to know anything else at this stage

The problem is if you aren’t returning or want to return on part time hours then they need to start looking for a replacement now (for them it’s only 4.5 months). If you are going to want part time hours I would consider what you want and let them know now. You are far more likely to get the hours you want if you engage proactively early on.

I think they are just trying to figure out if they need to do some recruiting. With returning in September, if you decide during the summer you want part time / not to return they have no time to source replacements.

Who is covering your role?

I would go back and say that you're not sure yet, but will try to get an answer to them by Easter. That gives them a term to figure out replacements / job shares

Legally from memory, it's been 8 years you have to give 8 weeks notice for return to work or a change to plans for return to work.

That places the school at the beginning of July to either find a replacement or scrambling to find a job share for you. That does seem a bit tight given the kind of year schools are having...but not officially your problem.

However, from the perspective of not burning bridges I'd be offering to begin return to work discussions at the end of summer half term which gives them 12 weeks (thereabout) to recruit if required. That gives you some space and them some structure to plan around. Of course that would be a compromise on what you're actually entitled to, but unless you are 100% about not returning I think it's a sensible approach.

School knows it cannot hold you to any decisions now but you'd make their life easier by at least pointing them in the right direction!

Recruiting is a nightmare and if you want to go part time and have a decent job share then the sooner they can sort that the better it would be for you and the school.

Try and give them as much info as you can... you can't be held to it, but it will help them with planning.

However, if you cannot afford not work in the very long term (ie when your children are at primary), I'd consider going back two days a week.

I'm a teacher and all my teacher friends who face up their jobs have really struggled to find work again. They didn't then want to work full time, whilst their own children were in primary, and so I've seen lots of friends become HLTAs or leave teaching altogether because they couldn't find a part time job close to their child's school.

I went down to two days a week when my child was younger... and that was great. Because I had my job, when my child started school I was able to get the hours that worked for me and worked around my child. I think it's harder in the short term, but there are considerable long term benefits if you can just do two days a week.

Thanks All, I was planning on giving them an answer at the beginning of May so thought I would have more time before I had to decide. I would like to go back but at the moment I am thinking part time or even as a sub would be better