MFL/Science/Computing teachers - DfE to pay back your student loans

[noblegiraffe]

If you teach languages, physics, chemistry, biology or computing for at least 50% of your timetable, the DfE is letting you claim back your recent student loan repayments, subject to living in certain areas of the country (details in link) and only if you completed your teacher training 2014 onwards.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/additional-payments-for-teaching-eligibility-and-payment-details/teachers-claim-back-your-student-loan-repayments-eligibility-and-payment-details

[noblegiraffe]

If you’re a lucky physics teacher, you may also be able to claim a £2k bonus www.mumsnet.com/Talk/the_staffroom/3811255-Maths-Physics-teachers-claim-your-2000-bonus-from-the-DfE-NOW

[PotteringAlong]

It’s only if you work in certain local authority areas though

[PotteringAlong]

Which you’ve put in your op 🤦‍♀️

That’s why you shouldn’t mumsnet in the park when you’re meant to be supervising your children

[noblegiraffe]

Pottering

It is annoying that it is so restricted, it’s not like the rest of the country is swimming in maths and physics teachers, but I suppose it’s a start.

[courderoy]

Does anyone know the rationale for selecting those LAs? Presumably it’s based on recruitment? I’m in a non-qualifying LA bordering one of the qualifying ones - which might be problematic!

[courderoy]

Just realised its opportunity areas - sorry ignore the question. Still going to make it even harder for us to get physics teachers though!

[noblegiraffe]

God yes courderoy that’s badly thought out. Why would anyone apply for a job in your school if there’s an extra £2k going a few miles away? I assume that you aren’t any better off for staff than they are.

[courderoy]

It’s a bit like the increased starting salary proposals- doesn’t look like the consequences have been fully thought through.

[leccybill]

As a MFL teacher, I had my entire student loan paid off over 10 years from 2004 to 2014. Seems like the plan to attract and retain teachers didn't work then!

[CuckooCuckooClock]

Damn. I missed this last time round when they were paying off student loans and it seems I’ve missed it again. Good job I earn so little that I hardly have to pay back any of my loan!

[CuckooCuckooClock]

I actually think that paying off student loans like they did before where they paid 10% back every year you taught in the state sector was quite a good idea.
People are often really shocked at how much debt I got into to train to be a teacher.

[Jigsawpuzzle]

My DD is a science teacher currently teaching IB Chemistry, but she has been at International schools for 6 years. She still has to pay student loan though and what a performance when she took a year off after having 2nd child and only had her DH income. Despite giving my DH permission to phone them we still ended up with letters about arrears and threatening bailiffs. I worried she would be stopped at airports with 2 children in tow.

[CuckooCuckooClock]

Yeah student loans found it really hard to understand when I took a break from work and was living overseas. My lifestyle clearly didn’t fit neatly into one of their boxes.

[tadjennyp]

I missed this last time around as an MFL teacher too. I got a grant of £500 to do some research, help pay for a course or something. I went to Germany to visit friends with it. I nearly fell over seeing an advert from the British Council today offering a £28000 tax-free bursary followed by £6000 retention paid over three years. That is more than I earn.