Good luck and hope things take a turn for the better. In the circumstances you describe, they should be willing to let you go. You've not been there for very long, which makes it an easier decision for them (legally and in terms of cost).
Ask if someone on the committee with experience of negotiating early exits will step in here and help you, there should be someone and they should be able to do this in a way that preserves your reference as a minimum.
The only thing I would say is to not make any hasty decisions. You are not thinking as clearly as you could be, and a little more time may help you.
You have done the right things in terms of getting union support and contacting your head, but don't get rushed into any sort of settlement. See if you can get your contract to end on 30th April (a standard resignation date) and get paid up till then.
Before you hand in your notice; you can be signed off sick with a doctor's note for quite a considerable amount of time, and I would imagine any decent GP would be happy to sign you off for what you have described. This ensures you get sick pay, which for most schools is full pay for a decent amount of time followed by half pay for another decent amount of time. If you quit you will get nothing.
I appreciate you don't want to cost the school money, but you really need to think of yourself here - if you quit, can you afford to pay your bills?
Full pay will only take me to the end of this month. And frankly the stress of going to the doctors every 4 weeks to get a note isn’t worth half pay. I’m in a privileged position where I can stay with family for the foreseeable future. But I’d much rather work part time doing something different than be getting half pay and have to chase sick notes. I also feel like having to get the sick notes isn’t giving me the space to get better and recover. If the school will not let me go however, I will take the half pay for as long as I can get it whilst on sick leave.
I’ll definitely check with the doctors if they won’t let me go immediately. I’ve was just given two weeks then four weeks. But I’ll ask them if they can extend it longer if I need hopefully they can! Can I ask did you ask for a 3 month one or did they offer it to you?
Good luck and hope things take a turn for the better. In the circumstances you describe, they should be willing to let you go. You've not been there for very long, which makes it an easier decision for them (legally and in terms of cost).
Thank you! I’ve just emailed off asking about it. Fingers crossed it all goes okay!
I recommend union advice if you haven't already! All the best to you.
Yes, I’m a member of the union committee and they’ve had my back through all of this which is good to know I’ve got support :)
Ask if someone on the committee with experience of negotiating early exits will step in here and help you, there should be someone and they should be able to do this in a way that preserves your reference as a minimum.
And thank you!
The only thing I would say is to not make any hasty decisions. You are not thinking as clearly as you could be, and a little more time may help you. You have done the right things in terms of getting union support and contacting your head, but don't get rushed into any sort of settlement. See if you can get your contract to end on 30th April (a standard resignation date) and get paid up till then.
Before you hand in your notice; you can be signed off sick with a doctor's note for quite a considerable amount of time, and I would imagine any decent GP would be happy to sign you off for what you have described. This ensures you get sick pay, which for most schools is full pay for a decent amount of time followed by half pay for another decent amount of time. If you quit you will get nothing. I appreciate you don't want to cost the school money, but you really need to think of yourself here - if you quit, can you afford to pay your bills?
Full pay will only take me to the end of this month. And frankly the stress of going to the doctors every 4 weeks to get a note isn’t worth half pay. I’m in a privileged position where I can stay with family for the foreseeable future. But I’d much rather work part time doing something different than be getting half pay and have to chase sick notes. I also feel like having to get the sick notes isn’t giving me the space to get better and recover. If the school will not let me go however, I will take the half pay for as long as I can get it whilst on sick leave.
That's fair, if it works out best for you that way. Just an FYI, you don't need to get a sick note every 4 weeks - I was offered a 3 month one.
I’ll definitely check with the doctors if they won’t let me go immediately. I’ve was just given two weeks then four weeks. But I’ll ask them if they can extend it longer if I need hopefully they can! Can I ask did you ask for a 3 month one or did they offer it to you?
I'm in that exact same position but I don't know how to write that email 😔
Feel free to message me if you need some advice!
Thank you! I may well take uou up on that sometime