I’m just wondering how many weeks were taken to phase back into work and what happened financially. I’ve finished chemo and about to start rads, so all this is on my mind now. I can’t wait to get back to my job but don’t want to be full time straight away.
Hello- I haven’t posted on here for ages but saw your post and thought I would let you know what happened with my phased return to teaching, three years ago now.
First of all, I remain forever grateful for the generous Teachers’ sick pay scheme, which gave me six months of full pay, and six months on half. I needed to take all of it, as I had ha the full whammy of lumpectomy, full lymph node clearance, chemo then rads. Complications meant I was still not properly robust enough to return to the rigours of the secondary classroom, but I had no choice as my pay would have stopped completely.
My doctor wrote on my return to work note, that he recommended a phased return over eight weeks, in view of my particular situation. I think the average is around four weeks.
I was concerned that my pay would be reduced until I was back up to full time, but my school business manager explained that once I was back at work, phased return or not, I was entitled to go back immediately to my normal full time salary.
My school were brilliant, and they employed a Supply teacher qualified in my subject [MFL], who took my lessons the days or part days, as I was building up to a normal timetable. She team taught with me on the lessons I taught, so I cuold build up my stamina to the requirements of the classroom once again- as a year away from teaching is a lot in this profession!
School sat down with me to discuss my timetable every two weeks, building it up gradually each fortnight. They also let me have a classroom assistant in every class- not just my SEN ones. I cannot tell you what a help it was to have another person helping me hand out resources, which sounds a trivial thing, but I was completely exhausted and wiped out by lunch time, and this extra help made such a difference.
I think teachers are not good at asking for help, as we are used to being self-sufficient in our classrooms, but I would urge you to take any help offered, as you soon forget after a break away, just how full-on the job is!
I hope this helps, and all good wishes for your phased return.
Thanks ladies. I’be been allowed into school at all since diagnosis so I’ve been anxious and worrying about a lot of things. I think I will ask for as long a phased return as possible and taking it easy is definately.
SML 1903 as if BC isn’t stressful enough you get told stress would earn you a longer phased return, I may play the stress card in that case. I hope next week is better for you and the pay and pain is sorted out for you x
Thank you for all your comments. I’ve got a start date for radiotherapy. Going to give myself two weeks after finishing that before going back. Does that sound ok? Will take as long as I am offered to phase back into full time teaching again x
I’ve spoken to the headteacher and she was great told me I can go back when I need to and I will have a four week phased return x
Hi all
Firstly - good luck with your treatments if still progressing through this phase.
I am not a teacher - but have posted quite a bit about my experiences of returning to work / phased return & actions taken. As am sure you have all noticed now we all react differently & recovery times are different. Posts I have made can be found at forum.breastcancercare.org.uk/t5/Living-with-breast-cancer/occupational-health-review/m-p/933768#M86514 and I would definately recommend requesting an Occ health review & taking the EMPLOY charter formulated by the site to any discussions you have ( i didnt know about that), but did have the Macmillan return to work booklet
Contracts all vary too, so again I hope yours is generous x
Best wishes
LL xx
I am in phased return right now. And it’s driving me nuts. I have only been allowed to do 12. Hours a week for the past month and as of Monday go to 16. What’s driving me nuts is the continued questions as to how I’m doing. Am I coping. I am. It is going to take about 2months to get back to my normal shifts. Can’t wait lol