How much 'free work" is expected from you in a school?

[Bling987543]

I am working in a school in an admin role part time.
I've never worked in an educational setting prior to this but do have admin experience.I have taken a very large pay cut to do so so I can have the school holidays off as I have young children and I can rush to collect them from school if I leave on time. I did explain this in the interview.
All of my previous jobs you clock in and out at your exact start /finish time and that's it. But this is very different.
I was aware prior to starting the job that it's kind of expected for you to help with the Xmas fair etc and not be paid overtime for it when you work in a school. Which is fine as its occasional.
But I'm finding that there is something happening after school very regularly that I'm supposed to help with or be at. Also going in over the summer for a few days (not inset) which will not be paid.
Im included in meetings that happen after my finish time or before my start time. I am also expected to buy things such as food for meetings etc in my own time with my own money. Also to go to the post office and other places in my own time. As this is what the previous staff member did.
I took this job because of the shorter hours, and as I said the pay is extremely low. Am I entitled to say no to these things or that I want to go within work time for the errands? Or is this going to make me look very bad?
I am used to being paid for every minute of my time so I am finding it a big adjustment. As I said I am happy to do some things but I don't want to be taken advantage of either, as I think once you start it will be taken for granted, as the previous staff member must have done .
I understand that there aren't lots of staff to do these things within a school and it takes a commitment, but imo the hours given should have been longer to cover what they expect me to do

OP, have you flagged that these meetings etc. are past your working hours? I ask because as someone who works in a school, I have absolutely no idea what the contracted hours of our admin/reception staff are etc. especially as many of them are part-time and work a lot of different work patterns (e.g. mornings/afternoons/2-5 days per week etc).

I reccommened you put your working hours in your email signature. That makes it clear to everyone when you can be expected to do something and when you can't.

Regarding paying for stuff for your own money. Did someone say that was expected? Or did someone just ask you to pick something up, and assume that you would know to use petty cash/school credit card or at worst, that you would know how to claim it back on expenses. If someone asks you again, just say "no problem, oh - can you just remind me, where do I find the expense form". I'd be really surprised if someone actually expected you to pay out of your own money.

@Bling987543 if you are using Outlook put your start and end time, and lunch along with any other non-negotiable tasks in your calendar. If someone puts something in there after the fact just ping a quick email saying unfortunately you will not be able to attend as it is outside your working hours and could they send you the minutes.

As part of your email signature add your working hours - this is totally normal in most industries, don't assume people will know them.

There are alot of assumptions when working at school that everyone works the same hours and have the same conditions and that you know how to do things like expenses. Teachers I worked with were surprised when they found out that I was only contracted for X,Y,Z. Quite often they will buy things for their class out of their own money but this should not happen. My last line manager was very strict on lunch times as breaks and not going above and beyond to the detriment of your work life balance and only using what the school supplied it's only when people start putting boundaries in place that the slip into working taking over your life stops. I don't work in education anymore and my current workplace is worlds apart, there is no expectation to work for free or continue working until the job is done, the work will still be there tomorrow.

How did you get on?