Dear Sara: resignation

Dear Sara

I have made the decision to hand in my notice, I am currently off sick with stress and depression. My problem is that the school don't know I want to hand in my notice and no matter how much i told them I was not coping I was offered no help. Do I just send in my letter of resignation while being off sick and wait for their response? Or should I arrange to go in and have a meeting in which I hand in my notice? What is the proper way of dealing with such situations?

Also should I make out that the problem is only with me in order to get a better reference or should I be honest and explain that I feel that the school has failed me in many ways?

Hope you can help, I am really worried about this.

 

Dear Sara

I have made the decision to hand in my notice, I am currently off sick with stress and depression. My problem is that the school don't know I want to hand in my notice and no matter how much i told them I was not coping I was offered no help. Do I just send in my letter of resignation while being off sick and wait for their response? Or should I arrange to go in and have a meeting in which I hand in my notice? What is the proper way of dealing with such situations?

Also should I make out that the problem is only with me in order to get a better reference or should I be honest and explain that I feel that the school has failed me in many ways?

Hope you can help, I am really worried about this.

 

hi rsprincess - i am in the same boat as you. I am also currently off on the sick and want to resign- but am unsure how to do it.
Are you primary or secondary?

 

Its horrible when you are feeling like this - i was off all last term and decided to leave (and the profession!) afer 10 years.
How long have you been off for? Hang on, that doesnt really matter - you have told your school you are not coping.
First thing to do is contact your union. Do not move until you have spoken to them. If you are not in one, JOIN.
DONT DO ANYTHING YET- if the school are being that unsupportive let them wait. You dont need to hand in your notice until 28 Feb so why do it before? You cant leave now till 30 April anyway

 

Thanks everyone, nice to know I am not alone, but awful to think how many of us are miserable!

Blue I am in secondary, how about you? I can't believe that I have only been teaching for 7 months and hate my job. I have no life out of school, they demand so much extra than many other people I trained with have to put up with. We have basically no induction, just a few meetings with PGCE students at the start of the year-do they not realise we have already done that stuff! And the selfish nature of the staff that are meant to support you! I cannot believe I have met the most unhelpful, rude and quite frankly soul destroying bucj of people in a school! God help the children that all I can say!!

I feel trapped in a job I can no longer do and have really had enough! Lets hope we all get some help.

By the way, do you know of a way to go through your union without having to fill in lots of paper and actually talk to a human being?!! So far ir has all been paper correspondence and I cant seem to talk to anyone?

Just think we could be in a stress free zone by Easter!!

 

Well, at least you realised the ''no life'' factor - it took me 10 years to resent it.
You could get on the internet - look up your union and call the regional number listed that is appropriate for you.
You should have a local rep too but go on the net - or dont you have a membership card anywhere? Mine has local and regional contact details on it.
You can just call them up - thats what you pay them for

 

Been there, done that. In retrospect I would have made up an excuse about 'family commitments' or a need to 'relocate' to ease my way out of the job and give me some peace of mind over future references. Instead, I thought I was doing the right thing explaining why I wanted to leave etc.. - just caused a load of friction. The Union were very nice, but thats all. They basically told me what I already knew.

I think you are only entitled to 5 weeks sick pay (full pay) and then it goes on to SSP, so this may be the deciding factor for you anyway. I would start applying for jobs now (there are loads on the TES site at the moment).

Hope this helps.

 

P.S. In terms of getting through to your Union, look on all the correspondence you have been sent for the phone number of your local branch. If you ring them, they will put you in contact with your local rep.

 

As a matter of professional courtesy, you should arrange a meeting with your head and explain your feelings and you decision. If for no other reason, you should so this so as not to burn your professional bridges; education is a small world and people talk!

If you feel that your decision is final, then simply tell the head that you have decided that the job is not for your right now. Follow this up with a letter of resignation, stating your date of resignation as the last day of the Easter holidays, which officially ends the Spring term (this way you get paid for the holiday). Keep your letter simple and do not go into specifics about your reasons for leaving. Simply say thank you and wish the school the best for the future.

If you feel that you would like to discuss your position, with a view to getting more support, then I suggest you contact your union, and arrange for a union rep to attend your meeting with you. The school have a duty towards you, and must provide full support as and when necessary. If you haven't received the correct support, you must raise this issue with the head.

 

Hi i notice your post is a few years old, however i am in the same boat as you were a few years ago, i have been off sick from work and would now like to resign from my job, but not sure how i should approach the school about it. The union have advised not to mention yet, i know that the official date to resign is 31st oct to finish 31st dec, however as i am unwell i am hoping that the head will let me leave early.
<u> How did you approach this when you went through it? </u>
<u>did it effect your future jobs in teaching? did the school give you a decent REF?</u>
<u>Befreo any schools hired you did you have to go for a medcial referrel? how does this work?</u>
Look forward to hearing from you soon