Should I leave part-time teaching for a Civil Service role?

[Hellothereitisme]

I have a big decision to make this weekend and I really need advice.

I am a teacher working part time, but I've been offered a job in the Civil Service. The job and team sound great, but due to the location, I would basically be out of the house 7:30am-7:15pm, three days a week. My partner would have to do drop offs and pick ups. The other two days I would be able to work from home and collect my children from school. The role isn't as flexible as I was hoping for but the role itself does sound interesting. I would get around 38 days annual leave (plus bank holidays). I have a partner and grandparents around so I'm not too worried about the holidays.

In my teaching role, I work 0.7, so I pick up twice a week and have a day to myself. My children are young (primary school aged) and my youngest is starting reception this year.

The CS role is £200 less a month. Our mortgage is increasing by £600 which will mean we can save a lot less.

I have wanted to leave teaching for a long time, but the salary, being part time and the holidays repeatedly draw me back in. I'm not in a toxic school, but I find the workload stressful at times along with the constant noise. Has anyone been in a similar position in terms of the commute? Will it be easier to get a different job closer to home in the CS if i take it? Or should I remain in my job and keep looking? Thanks!

Work almost double the time for less money and fewer holidays honestly doesn't sound great but only you know if you need to leave for your mental health

Better the devil you know?

in one of my voluntary roles I liaise with civil service staff. They are over worked, underpaid and incredibly stressed.

I think you’d be jumping out of the fire into the fat!

Can you ask to cut your hours at school? Tbh, normally I would say go for it. But it doesn't sound like you'll be getting a better deal!

I'm also a part-time teacher (0.6 fte 3 days a week) and that's probably the main reason why I am still teaching (20+ years after qualifying).

Part-time teaching positions are hard to find, so if you're not unhappy, I would stick it out until something better actually comes along.

Two people in my street work in the CS and are expected to work so many Saturdays in a month which I was shocked about as I thought it was purely Monday to Friday. They also seem to get time off for assemblies and Sports Days and such.

Yes I will fully admit, it does sound crazy, especially to people who aren't teachers. The job is just becoming so difficult but it does have some perks.

Oh gosh that's the first time I've heard this! Which department?

Thanks for you message. Yes I think that is what I am finding so difficult- it would be impossible to find a teaching job on my current pay and conditions later down the line if I wanted to return. I just can't imagine teaching for another 20 years 😬

Is there scope for progression and higher earnings in the civil service job? Cd you move nearer in future to cut down the commute? Cd you negotiate down to two office days a week? Teaching is brutal! But that commute sounds brutal too.

It’s not take this job now or stay in teaching for twenty years. It’s take this job now or stay in teaching til you find something better.

Twelve hour days are long days. Internal moves aren’t easy at the moment as there’s a lot of headcount reductions going on so fewer vacancies.

Personally I’d probably take a small bit of the difference in the pay and spend it on making current job more pleasant. Teaching with a cleaner once a month? Vs twelve hour days three days a week.

I would want to think about:
Which has the better pension?
And which has the better chance of progression + ability to work more flexibility once you're established in the role?
Rather than just the current salary/working pattern

Yes there is definitely more scope for higher earnings in the CS job. No option to move house or reduce the office requirement sadly.

38 days leave a year? That doesn’t sound right. I thought it was 25 rising to 30 (plus a privilege day). What about school holidays? The massive advantage of being a teacher.

How many more days a year do you have to work for less money once you’ve factored in the school holidays?

I am in CS and have teacher friends and the pay is similar for middle manager roles and qualified teacher roles so is this a EO role? That pays less for 5 days than 3.5 days plus long school holidays? That seems odd.

I can see why it’s difficult though. I would find teaching exhausting now I’m near pension age. Sorry I’m not being helpful!

I work in the CS and it does seem to vary massively from department to department but I’ve never had to work a Saturday and if I work over my hours I get flexi. Plus you have so many opportunities for progression and training. The pension is also incredible. But I was private sector before so comparing it to that. What grade would you be going in as and do you think there are opportunities to progress in that department?

I think with the age of your kids I would stay in teaching for now- with the 3 very long days and fewer holidays you will have much less time with them. Plus less pay.

Id take the cs role. No way is teaching a job until retirement. Although ive no primary experience. That might be different.

Without knowing at least the department, grade and location it’s impossible to have a rounded view on things like stress, opportunities for progression etc. But I’d def check the annual leave - most are 25 days rising to 30. I can imagine 38 including bank hols, but 38 with bank hols on top is surprising.

Some of us happy to teach until retirement. Young teacher at my school left at Christmas for CS and regretting it already. Less pay and much duller.

Is the role full time 37.5hrs a week or part time? Normally in the office 3 days a week (60%) which would be for full time staff.

Are you sure its 38days of paid annual leave a year? I've never heard of that, even when long service leave is added on.

Which division/team is the role in? This might chance the scope of whether moving to a closer office would be an option down the line.

What dept is it, OP?

The CS Is vast and there's so much variety even within one grade within a single dept or ministry. Within each there will be loads of directorates and within these, a lot of teams with different cultures and ways of working. The big advantage of the CS is that there are always opportunities - whether for progression, training/L&D, or moving to a new area to try something new.

Also, 38 days AL plus bank hols sounds very high tbh!

38 days leave? With salary sacrifice maybe. 25 days plus bank hols is more like it.

In 25 years of teaching in secondary, Ive never met one teacher who worked until retirement age. 50’s plenty. 66? Not one.

I'm the same. I work 0.6 and I turned down a CS job paying £27K for full time - I earn £30K for part-time teaching, it just wasn't worth it!

38 days leave plus bank holidays doesn’t sound right at all.

Sorry to clarify the annual leave questions, i will be on a part year contract, so along with annual leave I will have around 38 days off (although some of these are obviously unpaid).

The job is SEO grade.