Any teachers who have left teaching?

I was a secondary English teacher and now I work for an educational publisher. Money worse than a NQT, but it's fully remote with amazing flexitime. I really enjoying having a life now.

I gave up primary school teaching when I had my first child. I was a sahm for 6 years and now work in a term time only nursery. Much less money but if gives me the chance to teach again without all the stress of actually teaching. I no longer have to work in the evenings or at weekends

Yes taught English at GCSE and A level for decades. Huge High School, loved the students, SLT finished me, was also DSL, which was a full time position in itself. After spending all weekends and evenings up to 10pm working, I was burnt out. Bit the bullet and left end of summer term last year. Best thing ever. Set up a local dog walking business, and work far less hours, and I am myself again.

I’d recommend (if you haven’t already) joining a group on Facebook called ‘Life After Teaching - Exit the classroom and thrive’. Lots of good advice and support from people who have been there.

For what it’s worth, I left teaching and now work in admin. I earn less money but the improvement in my stress levels and work-life balance is so worth it.

Good luck x

I was a secondary school teacher for 21 years and I left last July.

I now work in politics. Leaving teaching has been revolutionary for me. I’m less anxious, I don’t get Sunday night dread anymore. I get a lunch break, I can nip to the shops or go to the GP or dentist when needed.

i could never go back now when I know that the job was making me ill.

Try Adventures After Teaching or Team Did Teach.

Oh also, for what it’s worth, I think if you’ve been a teacher you’ve got some seriously good skills to take to pretty much any other job.

Maybe try to reframe the move away from teaching more positively though? Like ‘I’m ready for the next phase of my life’ rather ‘I’ve got to get out; I’ve had it up to here’.

Yes I was a secondary school teacher for ten years then left to start a business with my husband, ten years ago. I taught part time for a year when we were starting. It was/ is a completely unrelated field that I had no training for but the skills of organisation/ people management etc were all very relevant to running a business. I did some short training courses (1 to 3 days) to help acquire the basic skills needed and after a few years in the job started a distance learning masters.

I love being my own boss and - though I loved teaching - could never go back now.

In first few years after leaving, I did some tutoring when I was asked by people to, and I also did a couple of part-time maternity leaves, and some examining actually. That was all quite good for a bit of extra cash while we built up the new business.

I think the best question to ask yourself is, what do you want to do? Rather than what is a good job for an ex-teacher to do. I know lots of people that left teaching and they’re doing a whole range of things. Do some short courses and use your network to get experience or opportunities to talk to someone working in areas you think you would like to work in, you’ll soon get an idea of where people find work in those fields.