Leaving a teaching job early: missed deadlines and early release

If you miss a resignation deadline, your notice still counts, but it takes effect at the next leaving date. Miss 31 October and your leaving date moves from 31 December to 30 April. Miss the end of February and it moves from 30 April to 31 August. Miss 31 May and you are looking at 31 December. The only way to leave sooner is for your school to agree, and it does not have to. The dates themselves are in the teacher resignation deadlines guide.

What happens when you miss the date

For teachers in maintained schools in England and Wales, the Burgundy Book fixes three leaving dates. NASUWT says typically you give two months’ notice, and three months in the summer term, and that a teacher who misses a date may have to wait for the next one.

If you miss	You would have left on	Next leaving date
31 October	31 December	30 April
28 or 29 February	30 April	31 August
31 May	31 August	31 December

You can hand in notice at any time, and it counts, but it does not bring your leaving date forward. If you have a new job lined up and the next date falls months after its start date, ask for release.

Early release is at the school’s discretion

NASUWT says your school has discretion to waive your notice period and agree to you leaving sooner, which can include leaving at half term. Discretion means the school can say no.

Acas gives the general employment position. An employee can leave early by reaching an alternative arrangement with the employer, such as taking leave instead of working the full notice. Acas says it helps to put the agreement in writing, and that an employee who leaves early is paid only for the time they have worked. So get the date, and anything else you have agreed, confirmed in writing before you tell your new employer a start date.

Who you ask and how

In a maintained school you ask the headteacher. If you are the head, you ask the chair of governors, because NASUWT says heads’ letters of resignation go to the chair. In an academy, check your contract or staff handbook for who handles resignations, and ask your headteacher if it is unclear.

A short request in writing works best. Say which post you hold, the date you would like to leave, and what you can do to make it easier: handover notes, help with recruitment, or staying on to cover specific classes. Offer a date, not a vague wish to leave soon. The resignation letter guide has a template you can adapt.

Do not resign long before a deadline in the hope of speeding things up. NASUWT says it is generally not advisable to resign before the deadlines, with the exception of an unconditional written job offer. If you have a conditional offer, wait until the conditions are met.

Academies and independent schools

Academies and free schools are not bound by the Burgundy Book, so they can set different notice periods, although NASUWT says most follow the maintained-school ones. Independent schools can ask for more. NASUWT says it is not uncommon for an independent school to require a term’s notice, or even longer in some circumstances.

Your contract is the starting point, and gov.uk tells employees to check it for the employer’s policy on handing in notice. If it refers to the Burgundy Book, the dates apply. If it sets its own, those apply instead. The academies vs maintained schools guide covers the wider differences.

What if you leave without agreement

NASUWT warns that leaving without giving the required notice could be seen as a breach of contract, and that it could affect references. Public sector employers rarely sue, but a poor reference can follow you to the next application.

If you are considering resigning without a new job, NASUWT says to contact the union as a matter of urgency. Do the same before leaving without your school’s agreement.

Exceptions and special situations

Redundancy is started by the employer, so the notice comes from its side. The statutory minimum notice from an employer is one week after a month’s service, rising by a week for each complete year from two years, up to 12 weeks. The redundancy rights guide covers pay, consultation and what you can ask for.

Maternity, sickness and ill health have their own rules about leave and pay, set separately from resignation dates. Ask your union or HR before you resign, since resigning can change what you are entitled to.

If you are an early career teacher partway through induction, check what leaving would do to your induction before you resign. The early career teacher induction guide explains how induction works, and your union can advise on your position.

Scotland and Northern Ireland

The Burgundy Book dates do not apply in Scotland or Northern Ireland. NASUWT says main-grade teachers in Scotland give a minimum of four working weeks’ notice, and other teachers and roles give a minimum of eight weeks, which includes four working weeks. In Northern Ireland, NASUWT says permanent teachers give at least three calendar months’ written notice, and that the contract can be ended earlier by mutual agreement. Check your own contract and your union, as local terms may differ.

Who can help

Your union is the first call. The trade unions guide explains what they do. The main ones for teachers are the NEU, NASUWT, NAHT for headteachers, ASCL for school and college leaders, and EIS in Scotland. Ask yours to read your contract and to help with the wording of your request.

Acas explains notice and leaving agreements on its website, and its notice period pages say you can contact the Acas helpline about your own circumstances. This guide is general information and not advice on your own contract.