How much notice do teachers have to give?
Before you start firing off applications or prepping for interviews, you will need to know what date you can hand your notice in by to start a new job the following term. Teachers have longer notice periods than other jobs
How much time you will have to give will depend on your role; see below for teacher and headteacher resignation dates for all three terms.
- Learn how to get your resignation letter right
Teachers' resignation dates
If you want to leave Christmas holidays 2019 then you must resign by 31 October 2019
If you want to leave Easter holidays 2020 then you must resign by 28 February 2020
If you want to leave Summer holidays 2020 then you must resign by 31 May 2020
Headteachers' resignation dates
If you want to leave Christmas holidays 2019 then you must resign by 30 September 2019
If you want to leave Easter holidays 2020 then you must resign by 31 January 2020
If you want to leave Summer holidays 2020 then you must resign by 30 April 2020
Leaving dates
Although most schools will allow you to leave as the holidays begin, your pay continues up until the end of the term, and your contract is with the school until the date set out below. If the dates don't correlate with the end of holidays, then your school will expect that you will continue to work until the end of your notice period. This is usually only a problem with the Easter holiday and the start of the summer term where the dates can move each year. In this situation you need to speak to your school and come to an agreement to when your final day in school will be.
Autumn term – 31 December
Spring term – 30 April
Summer term – 31 August
Starting dates
Winter term – 1 January
Spring term – 1 May
Autumn term – 1 September
Want to keep up with the latest career advice? Follow Tes Jobs on Twitter and like Tes Jobs on Facebook