Anyone returned to same job after a career break and re-negotiated holidays in line with school terms

[saadia]

I am at the stage of deciding what to do now that the dcs are in school full-time. I have applied for a PGCE and have an interview coming up. I am very keen to do this, have been volunteering in a local school since before Christmas, and really want to do something new and learn something new. But, having done an MN search I have come across loads of posts from teachers talking about all the downsides and pressures. The thing that concerns me is that I would not get quality time with the dcs.

When I applied for the course I had to get a reference from my previous empoyer and he mentioned that I could go back if I wanted. So I was wondering if anyone had done this and managed to negotiate some sort of flexiblity or time-off during school hloidays.

bump

It must depend on the job and it's needs and requirements.

I currently do 5 hrs 4 days a week. I am an accountant and have a portfolio of clients for whom I am their main contact for queries and annual work etc.
When my youngest starts school next Sep it would be ideal if I could work 5 hrs 5 days in term time and have the holidays off - it would work out as the same hours over the year.
But practically it just wouldn't work in my job. I could manage the half-terms, am usually off for 2 weeks at Christmas anyway and could just about take 2 weeks at Easter aswell. But there is no way that I could take 6 weeks off in the summer, it would just be too long a period not to be there.

I do have a friend who is doing term-time, she is a physio (NHS). [she will also know who I am if she reads this this thread!]. Seems to be working well for her.

thanks ChasingSquirrels, the company I worked for is very small and I guess there may be some possibility of working from home during the hols. I know the only way to find out is to ask, but, similar to you, the summer hols would most probably present problems.