Returning to teaching. Planning trauma!

[PETRONELLAS]

I used to be a decent teacher. Primary. Not amazing but plenty of strengths and loved having a class.
I need to return to work now, after about ten years out of school. I think I will be okay with behaviour but am worried about planning. How does it generally work now? If I was starting Maths and English from scratch would I go to the National Curriculum? How do I find out what, say, year 3 are meant to be covering. I don’t feel able to apply for jobs until I unblock this. To be truthful I’m embarrassed to ask real life friends who are teachers.

[eyeoresancerre]

Honestly have a look at the National Curriculum for an outline but most teachers subscribe to Twinkle. If you pay the top subscription you can download their planning, the planning comes with the PowerPoint and differentiated worksheets too!
Some schools use it religiously others like you to tweak it.
Planbee is also quite good for planning and resources but again it costs.
Hopefully there should be planning on the school server for you access too. Good luck

[Mumdiva99]

@PETRONELLAS go onto a primary school website and take a look under curriculum. Each school will list what is taught where. Some primary schools have a lot of details and some have just an outline. When you get to the school there should be the previous years planning available. If you are in a school which is more than a 1FE then there will be a team of you so you will plan some of the work together or at least start the planning together before sharing out the detailed work.

ALso remember that the new Ofsted framework has put more emphasis on the structure of the curriculum so if schools haven't already there is probably a plan of work to review the curriculum.

[absopugginglutely]

Use twinkl planning!

[Piixxiiee]

There is usually school planning or at least topics and ideas. Look at twinkle too. You will be find. Planning is made alot easier now than it use to be and generally share planning and resources in school.

[PETRONELLAS]

Thanks loads for replying. Twinkl seems popular at my boys’ school but I wanted to read some of the background and refresh how to plan from nothing etc.

[Soontobe60]

Why don’t you sign up to a couple of supply agencies as a means of getting some relevant up to date experience?

[PETRONELLAS]

I had thought about that but don’t want to do a rubbish job so wanted to get a little more up to date etc. Thanks for the idea.

[shellysheridan]

Could you volunteer in school at all? Would give you experience and a chance to chat informally with staff? A friend of mine is getting back into teaching after nearly ten years and is doing just this. She is also known to the school and is starting to get supply work

[gingerchaos]

There's a red book which covers all the national curriculum by year group, I suggest you get a copy as it's very useful, I always have it in my bag.

[Whywhywhy1]

Where do you get this red book from gingerchaos?

[dorothysredshoes]

Good luck. I'm thinking of doing this after 15 years out. Thinking of doing some voluntary first then maybe supply or even TA work just to get used to how the classroom runs nowadays. I work in early years right now to fit in with family life but money is awful and I'm getting divorced so need to up my income! Everything I read online and when I talk to my teaching friends it puts me off though. I've also signed up to TES to read articles on current stuff.

[gingerchaos]

Amazon sell it

[PETRONELLAS]

Red book ordered. That’s so helpful, thanks.
I do help out for a day a week but mostly reading or admin help. Appreciate the insights thank you.

[Corneliawildthing]

It's interesting reading about people using Twinkl planning. On a Scottish teachers' site I was reading that some LAs are trying to tell their staff that they can't use any Twinkl materials and will face a disciplinary if they do.
Needless to say, people have been up in arms about it.