Relocating for PGCE - how to manage the uncertainty?

[DrUptonsNebulousDogwhistle]

Back story - DH and I both mid 40s, DS in Year 2, living in Yorkshire but no roots here. Family all over the place so not really a factor. I wfh and go to HQ in London every month for a few days. DH was made redundant last year and is looking at a major career change to go into secondary teaching.

The main issue is that the topic he wants to teach only has PGCE courses in 2 locations, which means a move south for us for the year of study. It may also mean a second move to a new area once DH is qualified.

I am fully supportive of DH’s plans to study, and am up for relocating - I like where we live but I don’t love it, plus a move south would help me be more visible in my job. We moved around a lot pre-DC, so the actual moving doesn’t phase us, but how to make it work for DS?

Finding a new home and settling in, finding a school for Yr3, balancing DH’s study with my work, and then potentially having to uproot and do it all again after DH qualifies. Hopefully we can stay in the same area for Y3-6 and move for secondary, but no guarantees as it will depend on job availability for DH.

We have a pretty cushy set-up here now, and I’m concerned that we are setting ourselves up for a difficult and stressful year. How can we prepare for this?

Any advice much appreciated 🙏🏻

If Latin is the only secondary PGCE he can do (because it was his degree subject), I suggest he looks for a course where he could focus on another subject as well. Education is totally cash strapped and roll numbers are falling. Whilst under Boris Johnson there was a resurgence in Latin, and it may still be popular in Catholic and some private schools, I would say it would be one of the first subjects for the chop. As it is not taught in every school, his placements may be a long way from home. He will have a long commute on top of a mammoth workload (I was working every waking hour on my second PGCE placement). You will be in a new area with no friends and family network and will have to shoulder the responsibility of the kids on your own for those two 10 week slots.

In theory yes - in practice you are unlikely to get a job out of subject when the other applicants are qualified to teach that subject. A move within a school might be possible at some point but it's certainly not a given.