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Teacher resignation letter

A teacher's resignation is about timing as much as wording. Schools plan by term and academic year, so the date you leave matters to your students, and in some places your contract or the law sets it.

Address it to the principal or headteacher, and to the management or governors if your contract says so.
Hand over lesson plans, student records, marks and pending assessments.
Resign so that you leave at the end of a term if you can.

Free, and there is no account. The letter is written in this browser from what you type, and it is sent nowhere.

Example

Resignation letter for teachers: a worked example.

Written by the generator above from the details in the caption.

A teacher in India resigning to leave at the end of the academic year.

Date: 26 February 2027

To,
The Principal,
Green Valley Public School,
Coimbatore.

Subject: Resignation from the post of Mathematics Teacher

Dear Sir/Madam,

Please accept this letter as formal notice of my resignation from the post of Mathematics Teacher in the Secondary department at Green Valley Public School. In line with my notice period of one month, I propose Friday, 26 March 2027 as my last working day, subject to confirmation.

I am moving to another city, so I will not be able to continue in this role.

Before I leave, I will hand over my lesson plans, student records, marks and any pending assessments, so that my students' learning is not disrupted.

Thank you for the opportunity to teach at Green Valley Public School and for the support of my colleagues.

Please let me know the exit formalities. I would also request you to issue my relieving letter and experience certificate, and to process my full and final settlement.

I wish Green Valley Public School continued success.

Yours faithfully,
Kavita Iyer
Mathematics Teacher, Secondary

When to resign in India

Private schools usually set one to three months' notice in the appointment letter, and some ask for notice to end with a term. Check when your school's academic year ends. Leaving at the end of the year, after results, is easiest for your students and the most likely to be agreed.

If you need to leave mid-year, offer to stay until a replacement joins, or until the end of the current unit or exam cycle.

When to resign in England and Wales

Teachers in maintained schools resign by fixed dates under the Burgundy Book, and are paid up to the last day of term. Most academies follow the same dates, but they can set their own, so check your contract.

To leave on	Classroom teachers resign by	Headteachers resign by
31 December	31 October	30 September
30 April	28 February (29 in a leap year)	31 January
31 August	31 May	30 April

Scotland and Northern Ireland set their own notice rules for teachers, so check your contract or ask your union before you resign there.

When to resign in the United States

Teaching contracts usually run for the school year, and states set their own rules on leaving. In Texas, for example, a teacher on a probationary contract can leave at the end of the school year without penalty by filing a written resignation no later than the 45th day before the first day of instruction of the next school year. At any other time it needs the board's consent, and the State Board for Educator Certification can sanction a teacher who resigns and fails to perform the contract without good cause.

Check your contract and your state education department before you resign mid-year.

What to hand over

Lesson plans and schemes of work for the rest of the term.
Student records, marks and attendance.
Pending assessments, exam duties and coursework deadlines.
Notes on students who need extra support, shared under your school's policy.
Keys, ID card, library books and school devices.

Sources

Checked on 22 October 2026. General information, not legal advice. Your contract and your employer’s policy decide your notice.

More letters

Related resignation letters.

Each one opens the generator set up for that case.

Questions

Common questions.

How much notice does a teacher have to give in India?

Whatever your appointment letter says, usually one to three months in a private school. Government and aided schools follow their own service rules. Ask your school office if you cannot find it.

What are the teacher resignation dates in England?

For classroom teachers in maintained schools: 31 October to leave on 31 December, 28 February (29 in a leap year) to leave on 30 April, and 31 May to leave on 31 August. Headteachers resign a month earlier. Academies can set their own dates.

Can a teacher resign in the middle of the school year?

Usually only if the school agrees. In England you may have to wait for the next resignation date unless the school waives your notice. In some US states, leaving a contract mid-year without the board's consent can lead to action against your teaching certificate.

Who should a teacher's resignation letter be addressed to?

The principal or headteacher. In England, a headteacher's resignation goes to the chair of governors. In India, some schools also want a copy for the management or the trust.