Teacher redundancy - how to manage until the Summer

[Sadteacher]

I’ve just been made redundant from an independent school due to next year’s numbers being low. I’ve got to work my notice until July and am really struggling.
Having to be my usual cheerful, fun self for the children all day is exhausting when I’m feeling so sad and worried inside. Having to deal with the tricky parents, who haven’t been told I’m leaving, when I only want to speak my mind to them now! I think the lovely parents will be horrified when they find out but I’m not allowed to tell them.
The main problem is having the time or energy to apply for other jobs. Teaching applications take hours and I’m still expected to work late duties 2/3 times a week, do clubs, organise trips as usual.

Any motivational words of wisdom appreciated!

Look after yourself. Teachers are amazing. Me and my dh were talking about our teachers from school the other evening. We still remember most of them with much fondness 25 years after leaving school. My ds is in year 7 and said he now enjoys English. Never thought I'd hear him say it, and it's all down to his teacher. Keep going 💪

If you get paid sick leave I would go sick for as long as you can

Incredibly unwise advice and in many cases this would put your redundancy payout at risk. Unless you had ironclad medical proof of unfitness for work which doesn't sound likely.

Lots of policies are explicit that normal performance and attendance are mandatory during the notice period in order to receive the payout.

Really glad I don’t work with you

It’s not sucking up to do the job you’re being paid to do, and being paid a decent redundancy for. It’s called being a professional.

Hello op.
I used to be a teacher at an independent school for about 7 years. I applied and transitioned to state school very easily.
You'll have lots of skills that will be very useful still - after all, you're still a teacher!
Don't worry, you will find something.
X

I feel for you OP but I don't understand the point you are making about parents.....wanting to "speak your mind to them?"

What does this mean? Surely you must continue to behave professionally towards parents regardless of your personal circumstances. Your employment situation is none of their business? Teachers leave schools all the time for all manner of reasons.

Don't worry too much as the state sector are crying out for decent teachers so I'd imagine you'll be snapped up in no time!

I am so grateful to everyone who has taken the time to post. Some excellent ideas and I appreciate the kindness.
Yes, I am a professional but I see I need to look after myself. I am going to ask to have my duties reduced and certainly won’t be a doormat for the rest of the time there. I need to have some time to start looking at what jobs are about. Although I have the redundancy money safety net, I know I don’t cope well without having work to get up and go to and I would feel better having something lined up. ( rather than spend all day posting on Mumsnet!)
I’ve only had 3 days off sick in the 16 years I’ve been at the school so will have no qualms taking a day if I need it for my mental health, they know I am a hard worker and wouldn’t do it lightly.
Thanks again everyone x

When I was in the same position, what helped me was not applying for new jobs. I knew my redundancy pay would last until Easter and therefore I just shelved the job thing as an issue.
In the end I had a term off and started my new job in the January

It was a clunky way of saying rather than spend hours pandering to the tricky parents I would love to just tell them what I think. For example, in a recent assessment one child didn’t do too well. I said to the child not to worry, they usually do better and everyone has blips sometimes. Their parent said I ‘had to repeat the test as they pay my wages.’ Schools can’t upset parents at the moment in case they walk, it is frustrating as in this case it would be better for the child to show some resilience and deal with setbacks.

When you’ve been made redundant it runs through your mind, ‘ why am I having this conversation, it’s nonsense!’ I won’t miss parents being rude to me.

I work in private and have heard of a few schools that are closing. Some that are in trouble, but are limping along. The one I work in is doing well and our numbers are the same as they’ve always been. We’re going co ed and have had a lot of applications for September.
As a teacher, I don’t think you’ll struggle to get a new job.

In what way are they not treating her well, she's been giving a lengthy notice of redundancy plus a generous 6 months of redundancy pay? They do just expect her to continue doing her job during that period of notice, and behaving professionally i.e. Not sharing information with parents that could jeopardise the position of the school. Entirely reasonable?
The school aren't shafting OP, they just cannot employ her going forward as do not have sufficient pupils, the school have not done anything wrong.
It would be far better for OP to try and get through to July, but obviously minimise extra commitments and just stick to doing the basic job.

They can request she doesn't tell parents and if she doesn't comply this would be potentially disciplinary matter.

Outside of the school environment she can tell who she wants

@Sadteacher

In that case I agree you should try the state sector.

There are still difficult parents but the level of entitlement and arrogance won't be on the same scale as what you have just described.

This is why it would have been better for the school to either take the 20% hit or say to parents, "we'll meet you halfway and we both work together on 10%" and it would have gone down a lot better. Not only would they retain they'd attract more since no one else is doing it.

And yes they could afford it - everyone I know owning a private school was a multi-millionaire doing it for tax efficiencies. They just don't want to reduce their income from that source on principle, they can afford it.

Instead they are taking 100% of the hit on everyone who leaves and having to make redundancies creating a vicious cycle because they're then limited by capacity, which means fees have to go up, which means more people leave.

OP, I know that this is hard to do, but if you are able to adjust your mindset away from "they don't need ME any more" to "they don't need my role any more due to falling student numbers", it may start to feel less personal and less hurtful.

There is nothing wrong with your skillset or your ability to do your job and you will be an asset to the next school you go to.

If there's a conversation to be had, maybe it could be around carving out some time each week to do job applications. Maybe you could suggest handing over some of your duties to whoever will be taking them on from September?