I've taught for 25 years in (state) secondary education...AMA!

[harrogatemumofone]

What do you want to know!?

What is your grade?

What is your salary?

How old will you be when you retire?

How much is your pension forecast?

Everyone is always going on about teachers pay and benefits. I’m curious.

What have been the biggest changes in your subject are, and in general?

*Area (not are)

Deputy Head Teacher ~84K - very large academy.

Ex head of Maths.

Will hopefully retire at 60 but that's only if we save enough to bridge the gap to 67!!! Teachers Pension has changed to average salary from 2022, so I have two 'pots' - one that matures at 60, one at 67.
Pension forecast not as good as everyone thinks!!!!!
I'm 51 and the earliest i could take (a much reduced) pension is now 57. Changed recently from 55.

What do you make of the Get Into Teaching internship scheme for under and new grads? Do you mind the interns or are they helpful? How do you survive a hot and sunny sports day?

If money was no object would you send your children / child to private school?

Whole school - SEND without a doubt. Parental complaints

Do you plan to carry on till state pension age?

Only if I lived on a catchment of a very poor school - RI/inadequate.

I made sure wasn't the case!

Aren't teens generally great?

No, asolutely not- I'd sell my house and downsize rather than have to do that. It would not be possible to continue with the workload and pressure that comes with education at that age, IMO/E.

Yes! But we have all sections of society under one roof, so some are extremely challenging and demand a huge amount of your time and patience.

Would you recommend teaching to a young person starting out on their career path ? Not looking for the highest earning job but has a lot to say and wants to be heard and would like to make a difference.

There's no 'easy' days and zero flexibility. It's a pretty brutal way to, as you say, not earn a huge salary. I'd say do the training year (some subjects get huge tax free bursaries eg Chemistry and Physics- 28K!) if you feel it's your calling and see what you think - most are pretty shocked! Everyone went to school so think they know what it entails.

I can’t believe you haven’t had more questions!

how much violence is there in schools?

are there pupils you are afraid of?

Did you watch adolescence on Netflix. Is this what state schools are really like now?

How can I tell if the impression given at open days is accurate? How can you tell if a school is going to improve under a new ish head? How long do improvements take? Are there clues about the culture of a school?

What’s the best bit of advice you could give to a brand new Year 7 starting in a week or so?

Would be interested to hear more about the changes in relation to SEND. I assume rising numbers, whether that means rising levels of pupils with these needs or more identification.

What previously happened to these pupils - do you have a sense of that? ie the ones who would have been around in state schools but unidentified, but also, if you are seeing more pupils with needs, where were those pupils previously? Is it a case where you are aware of pupils having moved to specialist provision when they were struggling in mainstream, or that wasn't something you were aware of because e.g. it was happening earlier in the school system (primary or even pre-school) or the levels are significantly greater now with no obvious "funnel" (e.g. change in LA policy or closure of a local special school).

Would also be cheeky and ask a second question if you have time - do you think covid/lockdowns affected children significantly across the school, and do you see differences in the way this plays out across different age cohorts?

That’s a great salary!

Do the teachers mostly get on? Is it fun job or mostly stress?

When I’ve been in schools it looks like a lot of passion and energy about the place that I don’t get in my job.

I've been visiting local secondaries in London and they all have the toilets inaccessible apart from at break time. Is this normal / necessary in your view?

Also, how important is outside space for a school? Some of the schools have space for sports locally but almost nowhere outdoors the kids can go.

What is the most important of the various metrics to look at when picking a school, is it the Progress 8? Or results?

Thank you!

I would like to say well done ! 👏. Not many stick with state secondary teaching that long.

Enjoy KS3 and the new subjects! You should not feel under lots of pressure for assessments/ homework!

The profession tends to attract upbeat people with a great work ethic - otherwise you'd sink immediately! This means staff, in my experience, usually have good working relationships and are super supportive of one another. That said, it is a very high stress job, there's no getting round that. My own child hates the stress we are constantly under as it robs your headspace for your own family.

Thanks. It hasn't been easy!