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Original poster

Compressed hours in teaching

38 replies

Saruki · 30/04/2024 12:37

I would like to do compressed hours as a teacher. I can't afford to go down to 4 days and have a pay cut, so I was thinking about requesting compressed hours and fit 5 days of teaching in 4. We always have slack in our timetable so it seems feasible to me.

Has anyone done it? How did you go about requesting it? Were you successful?

Thanks :)

OP posts:
jigglywigglyhungryhippo · 30/04/2024 12:52

You are allowed to make a flexible working request so no harm in trying.

However in reality, it would involve the entire timetable for all staff changing (potentially) and therefore they could argue that it isn't possible?

But try as I have seen it done, although he negotiated it when he joined the school and not as a flexible working request.

BuddingPeonies · 30/04/2024 13:36

Are you asking for all your PPA to be on one day, so you can wfh that day? That said, our PPA is 10%, so that would be a day a fortnight.....

Original poster
Saruki · 30/04/2024 14:11

In my mind this is how it would work: the timetabler could do my timetable first (as in my school they do all flexible working/part timers first) to ensure all lessons fit in 4 days. Since we have extra free periods, I think I could still have my PPA during those 4 days. The 5th day is a day off, not WFH, as all my lessons and other responsibilities would be done in the 4 days I'm in school.

I think one problem might be that our contract is something like 38h per week, which would not be possible in 4 days.

I'm going back after maternity and I'm really struggling with the thought of going back full time + all the stuff we do after school and barely see my baby from now on!

OP posts:
Kitkat1523 · 30/04/2024 14:22

It would be almost an extra 2 hours a day you would be expected to work? Would that work for you? I’m nhs…. I did a 9 day fortnight ( every other Monday off) when I worked full time….so only an extra 50 ish mins a day ….( I started at 8am) ….maybe this would be an option for you

Smartiepants79 · 30/04/2024 14:31

The trouble with teaching is that the hours are not flexible. You can’t work flexi time or long shifts.
I’d be really surprised if what you want is feasible and that they agree to it.
You basically want to work 4 days and get paid for 5.
It’s going to be tricky to squeeze those extra hours in.

Smartiepants79 · 30/04/2024 14:32

What was the plan when you started mat leave?

Original poster
Saruki · 30/04/2024 14:48

Yep, I can't add extra time after school, it just doesn't work like that, there's very little flexibility. I would love to find someone who has managed to do it so that I can present a stronger case, if I decide to request it.

I totally thought I would want to go back to work after 6 months of maternity and that full time again would be fine (FTM, I didn't know anything about anything!). Well, 11 months later, I don't want to miss so much of my baby's life but I can't afford to earn less.

OP posts:
Jellycatspyjamas · 30/04/2024 15:05

I think one problem might be that our contract is something like 38h per week, which would not be possible in 4 days.

It is possible to do 38 hours over 4 long days, I know a few people who do it but they all work in fairly flexible workplaces. The difficulty with teaching is the contact time and prep time which I understand are pretty fixed. What hours were you actually working before mat leave (as opposed to your contracted hours) and could you do that number of hours over 4 days.

Smartiepants79 · 30/04/2024 15:13

Even if you work 8-5 everyday (and I’m not sure how much of the before and after school time would count as directed time) that adds up to 36 hours a week across 4 days. Fitting in all your directed time could be tricky.
I’d also think very carefully about whether this will actually improve your quality of life or the time you are available for your child.
depending on logistics it means leaving home 7:30 and not being home til 5:30.

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 30/04/2024 15:18

I don’t see how this could be done.

Kids start and finish at a set time. How can you add more hours on top of that?

mitogoshi · 30/04/2024 16:12

I know teachers who work 9/10 days considered full time they have all their papa on the 10th day.

Zonder · 30/04/2024 17:19

Aren't you supposed to be actually working in those "free" hours? I'm guessing they're not for you to sit in the staff room drinking coffee so how would you fit everything in?

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 30/04/2024 17:26

mitogoshi · 30/04/2024 16:12

I know teachers who work 9/10 days considered full time they have all their papa on the 10th day.

That only works on a 2 week timetable though.

You couldn’t have Y11 only having their teacher every other week.

SuncreamAndIceCream · 30/04/2024 17:32

They can definitely do a part time TT, I'm just worried it would mean an unbalanced TT

What subject do you teach?

If you do a core subject it would mean split classes which is normal for PT, or more than one lesson a day which is a pretty big no no.

If for example you teach M-T and not Friday, other ppl in your dept would then have a disproportionate number of lessons happening on a Friday.

I think it's definitely worth an ask, because teacher retention is difficult but the implementation may mean giving you the awkward non-specialist lessons like PD or entry level Maths etc. Would you be ok with that?

sixtiesbaby88 · 30/04/2024 18:11

If you have spare time in your timetable surely that is for work? If you are teaching during those times I can't see how you expect to be paid more. You might find you are drawing attention to all of your spare time that could then be directed time, and end up having it filled by the leadership team

Fraggamama · 30/04/2024 18:27

Lots of people in NHS work their 37.5 hrs in 4 days, so 8am- 6pm. But it only really works in jobs where they can do the work in those hours eg. patients are happy to come to a clinic at 8am or 5pm

So you'd have to work something similar. Teaching solidly say 8.45- 3.45 (obviously with a lunch break) and the you'd have non contact time at the beginning and end of each day.
So that would be 3 hrs non teaching time a day!

Thedurrells · 30/04/2024 18:40

I've never heard of anyone doing this. But what if there was a meeting on your day off. As you would still be paid full time you would be expected to go.
Just go part time 4 days. The pay cut isn't as much as you think. Have you put it into a salary calculator?

Mammyloveswine · 30/04/2024 19:31

Yeah.. no chance would this work! Grossly unfair on your colleagues!

noblegiraffe · 30/04/2024 19:55

I don't understand how this would work. You mean you would teach during your PPA and then stay late and do your PPA after school? But after school isn't directed time so they can't direct you to do your PPA in it.

MultiplaLight · 30/04/2024 19:57

I don't know this would work? You're essentially asking to be paid for a day off.

MistressIggi · 30/04/2024 20:12

mitogoshi · 30/04/2024 16:12

I know teachers who work 9/10 days considered full time they have all their papa on the 10th day.

They are full time though. PPA is work.

MistressIggi · 30/04/2024 20:15

OP your discussion of timetabling should show you why this won't work. You suggest the timetabler puts you into the timetable first and fits others around you.
If you are granted these compressed hours, you can bet your bottom dollar others will ask, and a precedent will have been set. What happens when 5 staff all need to go first into the timetable? Or is it just you who should get this?
I think you need to request to drop a day. As others have said, you earn the least for your 5th day at work so you might find it possible to cope with the pay reduction.

lorisparkle · 30/04/2024 20:16

Have you considered doing .88. It is not as much of a pay cut as you imagine. It then means you do 4 days in school and do your PPA at home on the fifth day.

noblegiraffe · 30/04/2024 20:17

Some schools don't allow teachers to do PPA at home.

swallowedAfly · 30/04/2024 21:13

25 lessons in a week. You’re contracted to 22.5. There aren’t 22.5 sessions in 4 days. If you have over 10% ppa the usual is that you can be used for cover in the extras. You can’t work later because we all work later anyway to fulfil our duties as per contract.

Sorry but this is impossible. There’s no way it would be fair on eg 0.8 colleagues working the same hours for a day’s less pay. 0,8 gives 2 ppa a week and you’re somehow thinking you could do full time with ppa over 4 days? It doesn’t make sense

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