I really dislike my colleagues

[Scorcher79]

Just interested in finding out whether or not others can relate? I work in a primary school and have worked in many other schools over the course of my 14+ years teaching. I'm 44, in a permanent role and just finished my 2nd year in the role. My issue is that I've realised I actually really dislike my colleagues (with one or two exceptions). I find them really immature, deadly boring (all they ever talk about is the kids and the parents), petty and narrow minded. The kids in the school on the other hand are lovely!

The principal has introduced things like a dignity in the workplace policy due to an incident that occurred last year and we've also done training on Restorative Practice but I feel like it's all just lip service when your colleagues actually just aren't all that nice and don't particularly care about you one way or the other. I've been in other schools and environments where I've had lovely colleagues so I know it's not just my imagination.....
I got really stressed out my first year when I started here as I felt I was constantly trying to people please and yet the other teachers were forever complaining and impossible to satisfy. So much so that my mental health was suffering and I had to take time off on a couple of occasions.

Needless to say, I'm currently job hunting as I know in my heart and soul that it's not the right job for me and I DREAD coming back here in September. I'll be taking a massive pay cut most likely as I'm also looking at a career change and may need to work my way up the ladder again but I feel nice colleagues and a positive working environment are better than any money. Just wondering if others have had similar experiences?

I’ve been extremely fortunate to have colleagues I adore. They have become firm friends. There have been some ghastly characters, and a new member has just joined, who is, quite possibly, one of the most arrogant people I’ve met. The dynamic of the team has changed as a result of the latter person. I can imagine how awful it must be to work day in day out with awful colleagues.

Bitchy, time wasting colleagues are soul destroying. They are the dementors of the work place. You can ignore them and watch them get even more bitchy, but you will never be able to avoid them totally.
My way of dealing with them is to largely ignore them and think of my bank balance at the end of the month, work is a means to an end and nothing more. You don’t have to be friends with colleagues if you don’t want to be. If they cannot find a way to be cordial when working with them, it’s a them problem not a you problem.
concentrate on the nice kids and co workers. The nasty ones then become background noise - like a gnat.