Have you decided that it is time to resign from your teaching post? If so, knowing the teacher resignation dates in 2024 will ensure you hand in your resignation at the right time. Unlike most other jobs, teachers have specific windows of time where they can hand in their notice to leave, so planning your resignation so it aligns with your future plans is important.
When can teachers resign in 2024?
In most circumstances, any teacher that wants to resign will be expected to continue teaching until the end of the term. There are three terms in the school year, Autumn, Spring, and Summer, so whichever one you are currently in, you will need to teach up until the last day.
If you wish to resign from your teaching position in 2024, and commence a new role at the start of the Autumn term on the 1st September, the last possible date to hand in your resignation is the 31st May.
Two months' notice is the expected notice period for most teachers. This helps ensure that a replacement can be found before the new term commences.
It is important to note that senior teacher notice periods, such those for heads of departments, deputy heads, or headteachers, may be expected to give up to four months' notice. Checking your contract will enable you to find out the expected notice period for your particular position.
While most schools will permit the teacher to leave at the end of term, and will continue to pay them throughout the following holiday period, it is worth noting that you will likely be bound by your contract of employment throughout the holidays. So, for example, a teacher handing in their notice to leave at the end of the summer term would still be legally employed by the school and bound by the contract until the end of the summer holidays around the 31st August.
Why have specific teacher resignation dates for 2024?
Whatever your reasons for handing in your resignation, be that a career break, retirement, or to embark on something completely different, it is important that you do so in accordance with the teacher resignation dates that occur throughout the year. The dates are set to help guide teachers as to the best times to resign. By sticking to them, you will cause the least disruption to your pupil’s education, and help the school prepare for your absence and line up a replacement before you leave.
Having a consistent teacher can be very beneficial to pupils. Teachers can build relationships with their pupils over time, understanding their different learning styles and individual challenges. Pupils will build trust in their teachers, learn what’s expected of them and understand their teaching style. While not always, the introduction of a new teacher can feel very disruptive to some pupils, particularly if this happens at a challenging time, such as right before important exams.
Teachers, therefore, have a responsibility to leave their post in a way that causes minimum disruption and is respectful to both the pupils and the school. Of course, there are exceptional circumstances where it is not possible to do this. However, whenever possible, understanding the importance of teacher resignation dates and following these, means your school will have time to find a good replacement, and you will be able to meet and brief the teacher that will take over, so they understand where you have got to in the curriculum and how individual pupils are coping. This will give both the new teacher and your class the best chance of carrying on with the work as smoothly as possible.
Are you thinking about stepping back from teaching in 2024? If so, make sure you are aware of the teacher resignation dates for 2024, so you can give adequate notice and leave your post in the right way.
FAQ’s for Teacher Resignation dates 2024
Do you still get paid after handing in your notice?
By handing in your notice on or before the above dates, you should be paid until the end of the given term. This will include the holiday period that comes after the end of that term too.
What happens if a teacher cannot give the right amount of notice?
We all know that life sometimes throws us a curveball, and there may be exceptional circumstances that mean sticking to the teacher resignation dates 2024 is impossible for you and you cannot work your notice period. If you find yourself in this position, talk to your employer and explain why you can't work your notice. In most circumstances, assuming you have a valid reason, your employer should hopefully be able to make allowances.
However, leaving outside of the teacher resignation dates may be considered a breach of contract. If you cannot provide a good enough reason, your employer could take legal action or decline to give you a reference.
Not giving reasonable notice can be extremely problematic to both the pupils and the school, placing great pressure on your teaching colleagues and causing unnecessary disruption to students' education. It is therefore imperative to resign within the teacher resignation dates unless it is impossible to do so. If you explain your reasons to the headteacher and do not get the response you hoped for, you can take this up with the union.
Do I need to write a resignation letter?
The resignation process for teachers may vary from school to school, but typically to give notice of resignation, you will write a resignation letter to hand in to the head teacher. If you are thinking of leaving your teaching job, checking your contract of employment is always a good idea as this should lay out exactly what you need to do to follow the correct resignation process for your school.
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