teacher training

[Babytalkobsession]

Hello,

I'm considering a career change, and against the current trend, seriously considering doing a PGCE at a local primary, 3-7 year olds.

I currently work in a fast-paced office (think buying / fast moving goods) doing 3 days a week. I get 6 weeks holiday but that includes bank holidays as we are open year round. Very busy at Christmas / Easter etc.

In September both my children will be in school.

I like my job but find that I tend to work all bank holidays and a lot around Christmas to save my leave for other school holidays. My husband and I split our annual leave to cover as much of the school holidays as possible, leaving a week in the summer all together.

Since being involved with schools after my eldest started 2 years ago I feel like it's something I would enjoy doing, and I think I would be good at it.

However, don't want to make our work / life / home balance worse. Working as a full time teacher would be more days across the year than I currently do. But would it feel like we get more quality time in the school holidays?

To primary school teachers out there, is it horrendous during term time? I'm used to long days and my children already use after school clubs etc.

Thanks if you've read this far

The last time survey that was done showed primary school teachers worked between 60 - 80 hours per week on average, I can't remember if this included weekends.

Some of the holidays is spent planning and sorting out classrooms. but you could take your dc in with you.

Your work life balance will get worse. That’s the big problem with teaching.

If you're going into it thinking it will help ease workload or just for the holidays then you are in it for the wrong reasons.
My NQT year I was at school from 7.30-5.30 every day except Friday and also worked at home 3 nights a week and all Sunday. It isn't easy and I have to say my PGCE was a lot more intense with having to also complete a lot of (unnecessary) paperwork too and would be working 4 nights a week and both days at the weekend too.
Even now, 4 years in I'm in for 7.30 and leave around 5 every night except Friday. I don't work during the week at home but will spend Sunday afternoon planning/marking books.

Depends how you want to look at it - I love my job, my school, the children in my class etc and couldn't see myself doing anything else but that's because I don't have any family commitments at the minute.

Don’t do it. You will have less time with your family.

How can you do a PGCE at your local primary?

thehareandthemoon some schools offer a PGCE on the job, but the teacher is paid as an unqualified teacher which is very low. However, I've only seen it in secondary schools.

OP, if you're doing a PGCE course through a uni or college, you'll have 2-3 placements in different schools over the year and several essays

Thehare our local school is part of an academy trust (4 schools under one director / headship) and they offer it, its affiliated with a university. You still pay the same fees and you don't get paid.

I currently work 7:30 - 5, three days a week (dropped the other days when second child was born). I don't doubt the working week would be hard, but is the pay off for that not having to juggle everything throughout the school holidays?

The other side to it is feeling like I'm doing something worth while. My current industry is effectively fuelling consumerism. I work very hard but do no 'good'.

I don't know... something to think about.

Oops, name change fail!

Do you bring work home with you in your current job? Because that will be a massive change. Do you do any work for your job on the days you currently don't work?

Only emails and the odd phone call. I'm a manager so sometimes I'm needed on my non working days, or need to swap days or do extra days.

Head on over to The Staffroom OP. You'll find a lot more advice on there. I recently answered a similar post from someone asking about entering the profession. In summary this is what I said (but you'll find the thread if you look)

I'm a primary teacher...been teaching now for almost 30 years, so very experienced and considered 'outstanding' in all my observations. My children love me...I love them.

I'm miserable. However...being single, late 50s with nobody else to shoulder my financial 'burdens' I have no idea how else to earn what I do now. I'm too old to retrain (due to finances, not aptitude...I'm not stupid or defeatist!)

It's not a family friendly profession...I work a minimum of 75 hours a week...often much more. I'm in school by 7 and never leave before 6pm...often much later. I work all day Sunday (I go into school) and much of Saturday at home. I bring work home every day and work in the evenings. Holidays are for the children...primary teachers rarely get much of a holiday apart from the long summer...and even that one we work at least a week, usually two. Secondary teachers fare much better (I'm not being goady, this is well documented through work balance studies)

It's Christmas holidays now...I've had four days not working so far (out of the 8 days off). I'll probably need to go into school for at least two or three days in order to be ready for next term and work two more days at home.

So no...you won't get 'quality time' at home with your family in the holidays. Although as one PP has said...you could always take them in with you? I tried that when mine were younger...they were ok for an hour or so, but soon got bored! What child wants to be in school when they don't need to be???

Northern that sounds horrendous.

I've done my fair share of 70-80 hour weeks and it's not for me while the children are so young.

Thank you all, you've been very helpful.

It is horrendous. It wasn't like this when I first started (if it had been, I wouldn't have lasted 5 years!). I'd say in the last 15 years or so it's got worse and worse. We are now at breaking point with the profession in real crisis. Sadly.

You probably will have more holiday time altogether but I'm not sure it will be worth it. I'm secondary and as I understand it primary has a heavier workload. I am very experienced in a school with excellent resources but I regularly do 60 hour weeks, planning, marking, paperwork, etc. My husband gets to see the kids at sports days etc as I can't due to work. The atmosphere in some schools is toxic too with constant observations where you may be told you're just not good enough. Your pay is dependent on results and targets can be completely unrealistic. I honestly wouldn't do it.

But there are jobs going in schools in finance, administration, IT. Lots of them are reasonably well paid too and you still get most of the holidays. I would look at your skills and see what jobs are going locally. Probably best to look at secondary schools as they tend to have more roles available. I would look at being an exams officer or business manager.

I'm a primary school teacher with DC aged 7 and 10. I was part-time until I went full-time this year. Honestly, I would no way give up a part-time private sector job for full-time teaching. I spend almost zero quality time with my children during the term-time. In fact , I've regularly had to miss parents evenings, assemblies etc for my own kids because I'm doing them for other people's children. It is nice to have the time together in the holidays but I find we don't really do much quality stuff except in the summer because I'm so knackered at the beginning of the holidays then have school work to do by the end. Part-time was better but it's very difficult to get part-time teaching jobs.

If you only work three days a week then you will have four days a week during the school holidays with your DC, which I think is a good balance.