Should I find another job?

[bluedillydillys]

Hi I've nc for this, would really appreciate some advice on whether I should try and find another job or stick this out.
I'm an NQT and I found out today that my school won't be keeping me on after July. They have hired a current trainee - soon to be NQT.

The school haven't treated me very well a couple of times (I trained there for a year previously). They didn't even tell me they had advertised the job which made it pretty obvious to me that I wasn't going to get hired! I do always get great observation feedback though so I was still quite surprised I didn't get it.

I am now just totally lacking motivation to do a good job, I feel uncomfortable in the department and just want to be out of there. July seems such a long way off at the moment I don't want to face everyone when we go back to school. I was only going to teach for 1 more year anyway before moving on but now I'm thinking shall I just find another job ASAP? If I don't want to teach again is there any point finishing my NQT anyway?

I know it won't be simple finding a job in these times so I won't quit before I've found anything.

I think it would be worth continuing for the next few months to get your QTS.
Try not to take it personally, I know some schools try to keep a rolling quota of NQTs due to finances.

Thanks @OppsUpsSide I have taken it quite personally which I know is wrong. I think I have already gained QTS from my PGCE year I'm not actually sure what more the NQT year gives me.

As PP said - don't take it personally (easier said than done, I know) I would really just try to grin and bear it for a few more months. Get your NQT and then you can decide what you want to do from then on. You've got this far, you might as well finish your NQT.

It gives you a full year of experience after your PGCE and just looks better that you've done the full year - for the sakes of a couple more months. Having said that, only you know how bad things are there and how tou feel, so if you're going to find ot really stressful then just leave although you'll have to give a term's notice either way.

Thanks @AnnaFiveTowns I think I may be able to grin and bear it, I'm hoping I get all this out of my system so that when schools go back I can act unbothered. It's silly really but I feel embarrassed to go back and not good enough! Although when I think rationally about it I do think it boils down to wanting to hand out another 1 year contract rather than commit to a permanent one.

You have been treated really badly here. If you worked in a better school you might not be so keen to move on. That said, if you don't want to teach then why stay??

Btw you need to complete your NQT year to have full QTS so if you ever plan to teach at all you need to complete it.

@oohmyback I do feel slightly betrayed by them, don't know if that's too strong of a word but even my interview feedback was so insulting. All I got was "the other candidate gave better answers when questioned" so my 1.5 years teaching at the school wasn't even considered..

It was always in my plan to only stay 2 years and I do feel sure that I won't ever teach again. However, I do think it would look better to finish what I've started.

I didn't know that about the NQT year and QTS. I think I can push through by putting in the minimum required effort to pass.

After PGCE you need to complete the NQT to achieve QTS, PGCE recommends you for it but doesn’t credit you with it. You should have a mentor and regular observations, extra NQT time and a file + targets to fill. Unless you are abroad?
If the current job doesn’t offer it don’t worry about staying. There used to be a limit of 5 years to compete QTS, if you start it and fail you’re fucked, basically. But nowadays if you aren’t failed for QTS you can keep the option open but can’t do supply without achieving QTS after 5 years (I think, might want to check that part)

Tbh maybe the issue is your 2 year plan. Recruitment and retention can be hard no one going to give someone a job when they're going to just did off after a couple of years! Maybe you haven't told anyone this but perhaps you give off a vibe.

I still think they've not been honest with you and sounds like SLT need to have a proper talk with you about what's going on but having thought more about it the fact that you don't even know what QTS involves does suggest there may be other issues here.

I would suggest if you don't want to teach just don't teach!

Finish your NQT year and gain QTS; you never know what the future will bring and although you may not want to teach in a school again, it's worth having.
And jobs at the moment aren't so easy to find.
Do you work in a maintained school? Your local authority is likely to have a free occupational health phone counselling offer. Talk it through with them; you're a young career teacher who's been treated poorly. You deserve support to help you process this so you move on in the best possible mental place.

Thanks for explaining @OppsUpsSide I'm trialling out the new framework which is meant to be coming in next year which means I have 15 min observations once a week and then I just basically watch a video and do a multiple choice quiz.. I'm finding it not very supportive to be honest!

@oohmyback I'm definitely not as passionate as some teachers, I do a good job but it's possible I am giving off a vibe. Although I do think they wanted one NQT out and another in.

@Tickledtrout thanks for the advice, I will look in to the occupational health counselling as I would really like to get over my negative feelings before I go back in to school. I think that would help me get through the 5 months more easily!

www.educationsupport.org.uk/helping-you
This is a new( I think) charity aimed at supporting education staff. They have a helpline. Your union may also have a helpline. Someone to talk it through with.
Good luck and well done for reaching out. Takes courage

Btw it will probably be to do with employment law. If you've been there two years or longer you gain greater employment rights. Another thing to discuss with your union .

I used to do recruitment for schools. One school is not like another. You can go to another school and have a totally different experience.
I would complete your NQT you don’t know when it might be useful in the future.