Before you start firing off teacher job applications or prepping for interviews, you will need to know the deadline for handing in your notice in order to start a new job the following term.
Teachers have longer notice periods than people in most other jobs so it pays to get this right.
How much notice do teachers have to give?
How much notice you will have to give will depend on your role; see below for teacher and headteacher resignation dates for all three terms.
Teachers’ resignation dates
If you want to leave Easter holidays 2024, you must resign by 28 February 2024.
If you want to leave summer holidays 2024, you must resign by 31 May 2024.
Headteachers’ resignation dates
If you want to leave Easter holidays 2024, you must resign by 31 January 2024.
If you want to leave summer holidays 2024, you must resign by 30 April 2024.
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 the holiday, 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, the dates of which can change each year. In this situation, you need to speak to your school and come to an agreement on when your final day in school will be.
- Autumn term - 31 December
- Spring term - 30 April
- Summer term - 31 August
Starting dates
- Spring term - 1 January
- Summer term - 1 May
- Autumn term - 1 September
Getting a new job: what to do and when
Whatever your motivation for moving on - whether you’re after a promotion or just fancy a change - we’ve put together a guide to the school calendar so you know what to do and when.
Autumn term - first half
Now’s the time to decide what it is you’re looking for and what you need to do to get there. Later in the year, you’ll be busy filtering through the job adverts, so it’s best to get the admin tasks in order now. Create job alerts; read over and update your CV; check your professional certificates are where you think they are.
Write a wish list of the sorts of things you’re looking for in your next role: level of responsibility, location, school type. It will help you think about what your priorities are.
Autumn term - second half
It’s time to put pen to paper and get going on the job hunt. Part of the job search is to make sure you are selling yourself in the best possible light, so it’s time to look at yourself as a potential employer will. Check your emails so as not to miss out on job alerts.
Perform a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis on your current role and the work you’re doing. Say you want to get into pastoral - have you got anything in your pastoral experience to wow the interviewers?
Now is the time to think about what you’re doing to improve your chances of a successful appointment. Consider approaching someone to ask for coaching advice and getting them to look over your CV and cover letter.
Spring term - first half
This is when the teacher jobs market really kicks into gear. As resignations are turned in, the job advertisements for Easter and September starts will be appearing. Make a new year’s resolution, harness that January detox…do whatever it takes to focus your search.
Use the Christmas term’s data to update your cover letter. Save your greetings cards from students to use as evidence of positive relationships. It’s also worth finding someone who will practise interview techniques with you.
Spring term - second half
You might find the job adverts overwhelming at this point, but use the filters to search and talk through the options with your friends. Ask around for personal recommendations for the schools where there are vacancies - it helps to have insider knowledge.
Don’t let a school’s reputation put you off and, where possible, visit. Change of leadership can turn schools around, and what was a difficult school to work in 12 months ago might be just the right place for you to be in September.
If you’re not having much luck within your geographical parameters, think about broadening your search areas. Use Google Maps to calculate commuting time and explore options such as public transport and car shares.
Summer term - first half
If you haven’t found a new job at this point, don’t panic. Plenty of people secure their dream jobs in term five, and you have until May half-term to give your notice for September. Ask friends to check over your applications and always follow up interviews with requests for feedback if you’re not successful, or if you are successful and have turned it down.
If you’re confident that you want to leave your school and you can manage it financially, consider handing in your notice so you can secure a position in term six.
Don’t be rushed into giving an answer of “yes” if you’re asked if you’re still a firm candidate at the end of the interview. It’s okay to say “no” if, after a day of interview, you don’t think the school is the right fit for you.
Summer term - second half
Although it might feel tougher at this point in the year, it’s not over yet! For NQTs or those on fixed-term contracts, there is still plenty of time as you don’t have to worry about resignation deadlines. The school might be winding down for the summer, but now is the time to be thinking about September.
Ask colleagues and friends if they know of any positions. Some schools may not have their advert up yet, so it would be good to know where positions might be becoming available.
At this point, ask yourself: have you included everything you could on your application letter? Is there a second subject you’d be willing to teach? Could you enhance your subject knowledge with a course to make you a more appealing appointment?
Applying for a new role? Find out what you could be earning, according to the teacher pay scale 2023-24.
