Part-time working
If you work part time you will receive all the benefits of being a member of the pension Scheme, but as your contributions are less, the way in which your pre 1 April 2014 membership is calculated is different to full time members.
Each period you build up is scaled down, depending on how many hours you work. If you change your hours, each period will count as a different block of membership. When you leave, we will add all the blocks of membership together to get your total membership.
For example:
If you work 18.5 hours [half a normal working week] for 10 years, this will be the equivalent of working full time for 5 years, so you will have 5 years’ worth of benefit. If you work for a further 10 years at full time, then you retire, your benefits will be worked out based on 15 years’ equivalent service.
Working term time only
If you work full time, but only during term time you will be recorded as working part time. This is because although you work full time hours when the school or college is open; spread over a year you actually work less than 37 hours a week 52 weeks of the year.
In order that pension benefits for part time people are calculated fairly when compared to full time employees; your pensionable service is adjusted slightly to take your term time only status into account.
But remember, whether you are part time or full time, your full time equivalent salary is used to calculate your pre 1 April 2014 retirement benefits.