Asking for part time teaching flexible working

[Bakingmom]

I’ve been toying with the idea of asking to go to a 4 day work week. For context, I have a full time permanent contract as a primary school teacher. I returned from maternity leave a year ago, I wanted to ask for part time as it was my second baby and I knew it would be a lot of stress working full time and being up two small children. However because I was on a fixed 1 year contract during my mat leave, I felt I didn’t want to rock the boat and was trying to secure a permanent contract so I thought the best thing to do would be tell them I’d be coming back full time. I was then offered the permanent position and have been working full time ever since. Saying working full time and having two small children has been hard is putting it lightly. Basically I want to know if anyone has any experience asking to go part time under the flexible working hours and how it went, was the school positive and accommodating? Also did you regret it/happy you made the decision? It would obviously be a pay cut but I love the idea of having a day off with my toddler- something I never had after maternity leave and I only took 8 months off! Would love any advice or experiences!!

You have the right to request flexible working and the school has the right to refuse for business reasons.

If you make the request be prepared to be flexible about what you will be expected to teach. Would you be happy to do the PPA cover?
Another thing to consider is what would happen about your 5th day? Would the school be glad to save one day's salary, or struggle to find someone to work one day?
I hope it works out for you.

good luck - no experience but think it will benefit your family hugely and if school manages it well, the pupils will only gain

I have taught 3 days which was lovely but not enough pay. I now do 4 days which is great. I feel like l am the main class teacher but have a Friday to catch up with myself. I love my day off and my 3 day weekend. It means that l can do normal school pick ups at least one day a week and can do house jobs and sometimes bits of school work. I would recommend it compared to full time! I have done that too and found it so hard with two children. I hope that it works out okay for you!

I requested 4 days when I went back after treatment for cancer. I covered lots of PPA, and didn't have any class responsibility. It was the best thing I've ever done. I had been teaching a long time 25+ years so didn't feel that need to have my own class anymore.

It meant my workload was massively reduced as I didn't have to write reports, plan for parents evening (although I did stay and support staff) no class assemblies to write and be responsible for, no planning class trips, limited parent involvement. It was a game changer for me.

Perhaps offer to work it flexibly eg coukd
you have two afternoons off ?

It wouldn’t be beneficial for me to take it as two afternoons because of childcare fees. I understand if that’s what they offer me then it’s up to me to turn that down but I’d hope for a full day. I would still be happy being sole class teacher and I know that would be the only option as we are only a one form entry school and the HLTA’s cover our PPA so I’m sure that wouldn’t be an option. @sozzleb1983 did you have to request your part time hours or was that already your contract? I love my school so don’t really want to have to move for the part time contract!

How could you be the sole class teacher? Your class will need cover on the 5th day. Could you do your PPA wfh? Which might mean that there is only 1/2 day cover to organise for the school. But if it is a small school, as it sounds, your non-teaching day will be much harder to cover. Are you thinking school will cover with a supply teacher? That would be very expensive even though supply isn't well paid.

Just wanted to add that there are lots of time in my life when I would have absolutely loved a one day a week teaching role. So if school think it’s not feasible then worth asking if they would be open to you finding a job share partner (subject to their approvals/safer recruitment etc). Loads of teachers are not currently teaching and might be lured back for a one day a week role.

I mean I would still have sole responsibility of the class as another poster suggested they were. However my one day would be covered either by HLTAs or as others have suggested a one day a week teacher. We actually have have a teacher on staff that only works one day a week currently!

It really depends on the culture of the school. Our school used to make it really difficult but now everyone who asks for part time gets it. My dept has 10 people and only three of us are full time. 10 years ago it was 6 full timers.

We don’t have any part time teachers at my school which makes me worry about asking (except a teacher who works 1 day and covers PPA), but I am the only teacher with children under the age of 10 and my head is very understanding and sympathetic to child related absences etc.

If you can afford it do it. You won't get this time back with your babies and schools don't care about your family so you have to prioritise them. Easier to do if you can prorata mertings and workload. If they deny your request ask your union to check they have done so for valid business reasons as well and appeal it.

I was part time for years when my kids were younger. Crap move career wise but 100% best move for my kids and my mental health. Am back on the ft treadmill nowadays have wonderful memories of my kids childhood.

I teach 4 days a week and have spent the last 2 years teaching 2 days a week. I love my day off with my toddler, but, as I’m sure you’ve considered, I still have to plan for 5 days a week, and I have less ppa as it is pro rata, so I find I have a lot to do in the evenings. It’s easier in terms of having that time with your little one, which I wouldn’t miss for the world, but I’ve got to say, I’ve been tired for 3 years now 😂😭 it also totally depends on how reliable your job share is… I really hope it goes well for you! Balancing teaching with being a mum is so hard xx

I would highly recommend you ask for 3 days.

Look at the figures (get the union to help you) and you will take home a lot more than 3/5 of your current net income due to the way personal income tax and tax allowance works.

But you will get to job share the class, and the workload.

If you do 4 days as a Primary teacher, you will end up doing 98% of the workload for only 4 days pay. It is not a good thing to do. The only thing you will not do is be in the classroom for the slight difference in hours (remember your PPA will come down if you aren't working a full week). You will still carry all the workload - think reports, tracking, SEND plans and meetings, parents' meetings (both the formal and informal ones), assemblies, arranging trips or events, end of year plays, etc etc.

Genuinely, look at 3 days. You won't regret it.

Thanks! Do you know if it’s the standard to still have to plan for the day you are not working? At our school we don’t plan for the lessons during our PPA cover, the HLTAs plan their lessons. Is this standard?

I have worked a 4 day week on class. In reality, it was a full time job squeezed into 4 days and extremely hard work.

I appreciate this, that was something I was worrying about!!

Do you know if it’s the standard to still have to plan for the day you are not working?

You should not be planning for days you are not working, no.
Of course, there are school managers and then there are school managers. It depends a LOT on the people at your school. But also on how firmly you are willing to stand to draw that line. Again, that is easier to do if the two days you aren't being paid are being taken up by another qualified teacher who IS being paid for it.

I don’t know if it is standard, but we also plan our PPA! I don’t know how I’d feel about someone else planning my core subjects to be honest, and I’d have to give a such thorough handover of who needed what support each week that I think it’s more efficient to just plan core subjects and hand them over! I would recommend 3 days a week over 4 days a week for that reason. I guess you could also split planning so you did some subjects and your team teacher did the others if you were 3 days a week?

Thanks, I didn’t think that if they had a teacher in to cover my day, it’s would be their responsibility to plan the lessons they would teach. The idea is reduce my workload!