SPLIT days - the ultimate flexibility

Why SPLIT Days Are a Game-Changer for Teachers Returning from Leave

Most of us have heard of KIT (Keeping In Touch) days—often used by someone on maternity leave to come in for an INSET day, support an interestingly timed Ofsted visit, or get back up to speed before a full return. Mothers taking maternity leave have an allowance of 10 KIT days, meaning they can work for up to 10 days, get paid for that work, and not lose their entitlement to statutory leave and pay.   

It’s important to clarify that KIT days—and the same applies to SPLIT days—are not an automatic entitlement. They are mutually agreeable: your employer doesn't have to let you do any, nor can they force you to do any. They only go ahead if both sides agree.  

Why are SPLIT days so good?

Once you move onto Shared Parental Leave (SPL), you get a fresh allowance of 20 Shared Parental Leave In Touch (SPLIT) days. This isn't linked to whether you used any KIT days—in theory, you could use all 30 if you wanted, provided you only take KIT days during maternity leave and SPLIT days during SPL.   

Even better: it’s 20 days each! If your partner takes SPL too, they also get their own 20 SPLIT days.   

In a school context, these can be used to create real flexibility around your return. For example:

• Creating a phased return: You can effectively work part-time for a period without needing a formal contract variation. Because you get 20 days, you could use them to work 2 days a week for half a term (or 2 days one week, 3 the next) while still receiving your Statutory Shared Parental Pay (ShPP).   

• Co-ordinating with your partner to delay nursery costs: You can use them alongside your partner's schedule to maximise income while keeping your baby out of costly childcare for as long as possible. For example, with our first daughter, my husband took 3 months of SPL once I had gone back to work. Because I was part-time and had Mondays off, he used SPLIT days to work every Monday across those three months.

• Getting up to speed on major changes: Attending key training, curriculum updates, or handover meetings before your official return date makes day one feel manageable rather than overwhelming.

• Keeping a hand in for TLR or leadership roles: If you hold a TLR or middle/senior leadership post, using occasional SPLIT days across the year for key milestones—like exam results analysis, curriculum reviews, performance management, or staff interviews—helps you stay connected to strategic decisions.

• Working from home on non-teaching tasks: SPLIT days don't legally have to be spent physically in the school building. If your headteacher agrees, you could use a SPLIT day to complete online safeguarding training, write reports, or update departmental policies from home.

  
  

Crucial things to check with HR/Payroll before you plan

Before committing to any days, make sure you know the rules around how they are counted and paid:

1. Part-days still count as a full day: Working on a day—even if it is just for an hour or two—always counts as 1 full KIT or SPLIT day. You cannot do two half-days and count them as 1 day in total; they will count as 2. Furthermore, your employer doesn't have to pay you for a full day—they can choose to pay you only for the hours worked.   

   
   

2. Check the daily rate (1/195th vs. 1/365th): There are no strict statutory rules on pay rates other than that you must be paid at least National Minimum Wage for the work you do. Ask HR/Payroll whether they calculate your daily rate as 1/195th of your annual salary (based on working days) or 1/365th (based on calendar days). (1/365th is great when pay is deducted for a strike day, not so great when it's used to calculate pay for coming in!)   

   
   

3. Check if statutory pay is offset: Ask whether your SPLIT day pay is paid on top of any Statutory Shared Parental Pay (ShPP) you are already receiving for that week, or if they offset (deduct) your statutory pay against your daily rate. Employers can decide this either way, so finding out upfront ensures you can make an informed decision about whether it's financially worth your while.