I want to live in a rural village and be a primary school teacher

[MrsCremuel]

Or something of that ilk? I have a DH, baby and toddler and want to overhaul our lives. I’ve never really done anything drastic in life, mainly because family (parents etc) circs but I’ve always hankered after a different sort of life.

I hate the southeast. So busy and over priced. I desperately want to live somewhere rural. DH could take redundancy, sell a flat he owns and we could live mortgage free. I’m planning on retraining anyway so could get a job so could do anywhere. We recently had 6 weeks off together with the new baby and it was bliss. After wfh stops DH will be back to being out of the house from 7.30-7.30 4 days a week with one day wfh. I don’t want to go back to that, it’s been so good for our toddler and me to have him around more!

Anyone done something drastic to overhaul their lives? Am I being a whimsical fool?

To repeat myself - I NEVER SAID 100 miles. That was said by someone else, who drew (incorrect) conclusions from my accurate post.
Also
My comments were about 'very rural' places, in comparison to more developed places in the countryside. I was inviting the OP to think about different possibilities.
Having said that, I know hilly places in Surrey, for heaven's sake, with no broadband signal and real accessibility problems due to black ice in the winter.

I haven’t been able to read all of the replies but many seem to be assuming that I’m going to up sticks tomorrow to the middle of nowhere with no plan and no job or no idea of training. Obviously as a grown woman with two small children who is not a complete idiot, this is not going to happen.

I do actually have a years experience as a teaching assistant and some as a teacher of English as a foreign language so I’m not a complete novice to the area although I understand this is still very basic intro into the profession.

A few people have mentioned occupational therapy and this was a role I’ve been seriously considering. I was always going to retrain, so this would be done in my current town anyway, regardless of if we move or not.

We have family in the south west and in the Midlands/Wales area so some ties outside the SE.

I think what we will be looking for is a village outside of the city or market town. We currently live in a small city about an hour away from London. It is very lovely but it’s just not doing it for me. My DH would also love to live outside the south-east. I would rather make this move before the children are in school and settled. There is a lot to think of and key to this move being successful would be both of us finding careers which make a life outside of the Southeast sustainable otherwise it would be thoroughly miserable!

I can’t even be bothered to scroll through to find the poster that told me that I would need to brush up on my language skills to become a teacher because they perceived I’d used the word ‘ilk’ incorrectly. But basically, bore off. i used it correctly and your usage of it is the archaic form which I’ve literally never heard in real life

If you can live mortgage free so that you can both do less stressful/well paid jobs, then that sounds fine if rural is your thing.

If you're a primary school teacher you probably wouldn't want to work in the village you live in though - it's hard to live freely when you are being judged all the time on your behaviour. It can also be hard to get jobs in rural primary schools that are decent to work in - people stay until retirement and you'd have to run them over in the carpark to create a job opening! Some rural primary schools are struggling with 'challenges' that have come from moving families with social issues out of cities and towns into new builds. I can't be arsed to think of a way of writing that politely, sorry to anyone offended.

If you're serious about that bit, I'd train now where you are, do your first year in a school linked to your training options, then move after that before you become too expensive.

I moved out of a city into a village 3 years ago, I'm a primary school teacher. I immediately got a job in the middle of a city and commute in every day. I couldn't stand to just be 'village' the whole time. I'd not want to work in the village school here because of reasons above. I knew I didn't want to live in a village (grew up in one), but partner wanted to (didn't grow up in one), and it has been better for our child. Now my partner works from home, I'd say he's lonely and probably depressed - he's certainly drinking too much. He's made friends here (more than I have), but he finds them quite dull. We both miss our old social lives, but can't go back because of child and all our city friends have moved on too.

So you’re not really looking at rural rural. Like not a tiny village in the middle of nowhere type thing - and you have done some teaching before.

If you have family in Wales that’s not a bad idea - I think it helps to be close to family if you need to relocate. Not sure what the teaching situation is like in Wales because I’ve personally never worked there, but do you need to know Welsh? Apologies if that sounds daft, just asking as I actually looked after a little Welsh girl in holiday club who was in England for the summer and she spoke Welsh and had learned at school. Not sure if this is only common in some areas perhaps?

@MrsCremuel - honestly, please do it! It sounds as if you would love it, and what's the worst that could happen? You have to move again in a couple of years? It isn't the end of the world!

This thread has really made me think about what I love about living where I live. It's not perfect, nowhere is. But every single time I go for a walk or get in the car with DP, one or other of us ends up commenting on how beautiful the countryside is. Even if I'm going nowhere special or exciting, at the moment, I can't leave the village without driving through beautiful woods full of golden beech trees, and it's just amazing to me that we get to live somewhere so pretty. It's definitely worth it.

I would have thought it would be worse in big city schools rather than tiny rural ones but actually I suppose big schools have more staff etc. I’ve only ever worked in preschool/reception age so no experience in being a school teacher. Of course I know they have to do lots of outside classroom work also

I think there's very little doubt that most primary teachers will work longer hours in a smaller school, mainly because there's no sharing of resources. I used to plan maths OR English OR topic every week because I shared the load with other teachers in a three form entry school. Now every week I plan all three for two year groups in a tiny school. My colleague does the same for 3 year groups - R/Y1/Y2 which all have different curricula for English and maths at least. Having said that, I teach in the loveliest village primary ever and never want to leave! If it weren't for the silly hours for the pay (and yes I've worked in the private sector previously, I still think it's silly hours for crap pay), it would be something of a dream job. Wouldn't want to live in the village I teach in though. And jobs like mine don't come up a lot. There seem to be lots of nice sounding council positions around here though, something else worth considering perhaps OP.

Sounds like you have your head screwed on OP. Do it! Follow your heart and if you look before you leap you won't go wrong.
Some people like to live city and visit countryside and some the oppostite way round. Everything people love about the countryside when they visit you get to have every day when you live there (that's the way round I have it and it's perfect for me). But I live rural and everything I love about the city when I visit there city-dwellers get to enjoy every day... there is no right or wrong.

Of course you can. I live in a rural village (not even in the village!). Children go outside and play. They also have Wi-Fi and Netflix, most jobs can be done from anywhere, do it 😁

OP, I live in a rural village in Cornwall and wouldn't live anywhere else. If you want a change of lifestyle do it because the longer you delay the more difficult it will be. Rural villages, in my experience are ideal for raising young children, the problems occur later when, after uni, they are unlikely to return because of the scarcity of jobs. And this is something you and your DH need to consider. Presumably his redundancy pay won't last for ever.
As for your idea of becoming a primary school teacher, why not? I think it's an exaggeration to say you will work 7.30-7.30. Given that primary school ends at 3.30 at the latest, surely it's not necessary to put in 4 more hours? No doubt I will get some stick for saying this but school holidays are better than most of us can expect and surely some of that time can be used for lesson planning?
If rural teaching is so awful why are there so few vacancies due to teachers staying in post for decades? Maybe they find their jobs fulfilling?

I think your plans are lovely. The teachers who advise you not to be a teacher, they probably didn't started from pleasure. Also I grew up in a village (outside UK it's true) and I wish my kids could have the life I had. I didn't have millions of outfits or every new released toy but there were so much liberty for kids, space and everything my kids can't have here in London. Ok there may not be playgroups at every corner but they will probably have much more at home. (I was blessed to be the youngest in many siblings so never ever got bored) . Plus in the village you can easily find something to do at home like plant crops, flowers, grew chickens..etc

I think many teachers would laugh very hollowly at you "surely you don't need to put more hours in'. @Pliudev

Research your areas & job possibilities. I did adult teaching (literacy/numeracy/esoll) & that's something that can be used across the country with the added benefit of no kids & all/most of the students wNt to be there.

I once decided to change my life with a new year resolution. I left my partner, my home& asked for a promotion. That was 30 years ago. Never looked back.

The teachers who advise you not to be a teacher, they probably didn't started from pleasure

What does this mean?

@MrsCremuel

I do love kids that age bit aware that is not an easy option. Primary goal is having a job I can do anywhere that isn’t linked to being in London. Have also considered training as a OH. Just really dread going back to where we were before, work and communing and living for the weekends with the kids hardly seeing DH. He isn’t fussed about his job and would give it up (for the redundancy).

Wow if you think you won’t live for the weekends as a teacher with two young children at home you are very mistaken. My husband and I are both teachers. We work longer hours than most non teachers I know! My kids don’t see my OH most nights and only see me as I’m a part time teacher!

Have you ever lived in a village i was born in one and lived in it for a long time.i commuted for a while till my dad died,i was an only and then i moved to the university city i worked in.Now retired you would have to drag me kicking and screaming back to a village,There is little public transport now to most villages,when i i was young was more in mine,there isnt now,you would both need cars. Villages are not always friendly,no corner shops,miles to a supermarket.And when your kids older probably will have to travel miles to a secondary school and you will have to transport them everywhere. Teenagers and villages dont necessarily go together and i dont want to be alarmist but drugs are often more of a problem in rural areas.4 guys imprisoned other day in
county for County lines drug dealing. Village life is seldom what people think it is,Watching Escape to Country,my thoughts were always DONT.

My dining group is full of people who moved to rural parts of my county when young and kids were young. They are happily back in the city,with no regrets.And yes quite a few had moved from London originally.

Why not try a provinicial city,gives you city advantages with a slower pace of life. Mine is lovely and my neighbours are actually friendlier than my old village ones. I inagine if you want to teach more opportunities in a city.

Given that primary school ends at 3.30 at the latest, surely it's not necessary to put in 4 more hours?

Lol.

DO IT! It’s your life do whatever you want. But do agree with previous posts, if you want more family time you won’t get that with a primary school teacher!!

Deffo agree with moving to the country side! Deffo agree with your DH getting a less busy and less stressful job to spend time with you all more!
From a teacher to a potential one.... seriously think long and hard! I would start off getting a TA job in a local school if you can afford to and see what you think and feel first before training. It's a long hard tiresome process to then end up hating it at the end! It will also take up such a massive part of your life and you will hardly have time with the kids. (This is just my opinion however, some may think differently!)
If you do go for it though then the best of luck it really is a fabulous rewarding job in the most part! X

Have also considered training as a OH.

What's an OH?

As for your idea of becoming a primary school teacher, why not? I think it's an exaggeration to say you will work 7.30-7.30. Given that primary school ends at 3.30 at the latest, surely it's not necessary to put in 4 more hours?

Hollow laughter. Marking, lesson planning, differentiating for children with SEN, preparing materials, preparing whiteboard lessons, preparing online lessons in case of covid, report writing, attending staff meeting and training, meetings with parents, meetings with people like child protection/attendance officers ... Good luck with fitting all that in in an hour or two after school.

Primary school teacher here. I used to work in a tiny village school with 51 children in the whole school. It was a lovely school and I really enjoyed working there, but my god it was hard work. Teaching is hard work wherever you work, but in a small village school… the classes are most likely mixed age, so there’s more work to ensure the lessons are all differentiated, there are less teachers so more responsibilities. Some nights I would be at school until 8:30pm and I’d be in on a weekend. At the time, I was only part time as well. If you want a job, where you can spend more time with your family then teaching isn’t the way to go, especially in a small village school. I work in an inner city school now and I’m lucky that there are 3 classes in my year group, so we share the planning, but I work at the VERY LEAST 50 hours per week.

The primary school teacher bit sounds as if you haven't really thought it through enough/got a good enough idea of what that actually entails, OP. But I think there are plenty of teachers on here who've already told you that! I would say, if you were aiming for the sort of well-connected semi rural village that isn't in the back of beyond (eg 45 minutes to nearest big supermarket sort of thing), then as a NQT and possibly without any initial income from your DH, you probably wouldn't be able to afford to live in the idyllic little village you want to teach in.

As for 'community', don't move to a village, pick a nice small market town. Small villages can be insular and claustrophobic. I ought to know, I live in one. Want the village nosybonk knowing everything your family are up to? want to be pressured onto every fecking village committee going (and thence into internecine village warfare) as a newcomer soft touch? Want to have to get in the car (bike if you're lucky and the roads are safe enough to be bikeable but I doubt it) to get every sodding thing when the overpriced village shop shuts down/only stocks boxes of deluxe £5.99 teabags, fudge and deli fodder?

No no, market towns are where it's at. Decent amenities a walk away, a nice community spirit but - crucially - not so small-scale that you can never walk away from something you end up getting co-opted onto. I live in a pretty, cute, tourist-fodder small village (it attracts actual coach tours) and spend most of my time in the extremely pleasant market town seven minutes' drive away, which is where the majority of my friends live.

7.30 to 7.30 is 12 hours, 5 1/2 of which are outside school hours. Sorry to all the hollow laughing teachers but it strikes me as pretty inefficient if you really are working all those extra unpaid hours.

If you go rural, make sure you guys can drive. As someone who grew up in a rural area, I lived on a farm. Then driving is essential.
Public transport is very far and few between, things like local shops are expensive. Same for pubs, as they aren't always chains, so you don't get cheap beer.
It depends on the area for access to doctors, we lived in Lincolnshire and the doctors served the caravan parks and locals, so in summer getting a appointment was like winning the lottery. We had to travel for a dentist.
These are things to consider.

7.30 to 7.30 is 12 hours, 5 1/2 of which are outside school hours. Sorry to all the hollow laughing teachers but it strikes me as pretty inefficient if you really are working all those extra unpaid hours.

If you don't work as a teacher, you have no idea what you are talking about. Absolutely no idea.
I get to work at 7.30 every morning, my class start at 8.30. My class go home at 3.30, I leave work at 6 after tidying the classroom, marking books, answering emails and meetings with adults in school about children's provision,
I go home at 6pm. I cook and eat tea and I am now sat doing school data on the laptop. This is most days.
As I say, if you don't work as a teacher - you have no idea.