To wonder why people become teachers and not nannies?

[LollyScramble]

We all know that teaching is rewarding -- but also super hard work and can be very stressful.

I am currently looking into hiring a nanny and I am at the cost. You have to find £35-45K for a Central London who may not have any qualifications in particular.

Meanwhile, the average pay for a fully qualified Primary School Teacher is only £24,001 per year!

Why don't all the primary school teachers go and become nannies?! Personally I'd love to hire a former reception teacher who has been highly trained in child development and knows how to cope with 20+ kids at once. She'd find my DC a doddle and she'd get a massive payrise.

What am I missing?!

[MadHattersWineParty]

I am a nanny! I have qualifications and I work bloody hard for my money. I pay to update my training out of my own pocket- first aid, Ofsted etc. I have to negotiate my holidays around my boss's, which can be massively inconvenient at times, as I can't usually plan anything in advance until she announces hers. I do proxy-parenting when she is away on her buisness trips, which if was worked out per hour I actually work it's a pittance. I arrange my charge's wardrobe and uniform, I sew, mend things around the house, I cook and bake. I run endless PA type errands for my boss. I assist with school trips, homework and exam prep for my charge, I plan activities and education stuff to keep her busy in school holidays. I'm always on the go and will get in very early and sometimes stay very late.

I am two years into this job and am yet to see a pay rise, I don't think I do earn as much as my newly qualified teacher friends, actually. Sometimes I do think I might have liked to be a teacher but we could never afford the drop in wages while I train, as we rent in London.

I think they're totally different jobs though, in all honestly.

[LastSliceOfBread]

amarmai most nannies have qualifications, I have only met two in my life who haven't and it was very obvious in the care of their charges and general professionalism.

Most nannies have at least a level 2 NVQ, extra qualifications surrounding general childcare, are OFSTED registered and keep up with paediatric first aid qualifications.

Some nannies have qualifications in different languages including sign and makaton, and do extra training to be able to work with children with special needs.

[ryland]

I was a teacher & left due to the reasons why most teachers leave.

I am now pretty sure I will go into nannying. The OP has very good points, and I take everyone elses points on board, but holidays (spent working) and adults at lunch and professional development don't comfort and help when you are spending your life jumping through managements hoops.

It isn't all about pay, but it is about having some form of a life. Even if it just means weekends are your own.

I look forward to nannying and not being observed by a senior leadership team twice a term to see if I can carefully tick the current boxes and jump through hoops they and ofsted have decided are the new 'in thing' today.

[Viviennemary]

Contrary to popular belief not everyone lives in London. But teachers do have a payscale, pension scheme, paid holidays, set hours of work (thought that is debateable) and unions if you want to join one.

[elastamum]

I used to employ a nanny and her salary in 2007 was £27k and a car (home counties). She looked into becoming a reception teacher but couldn't afford the pay cut.

She was absolutely brilliant. Eventually she did some business qualifications whilst our DC were at school and now runs a chain of daycare centres in Australia.

[smellysocksandchickenpox]

When I was looking for a nanny a fair few I spoke to where part time teachers and part time nannies. Full time teaching burns you out fast, they nannied on their days off to suppliment their income without doubling their teaching hours (which would in turn quadruple their paperwork and marking and prep)

[FreshHorizons]

Completely different jobs! Teaching is not child care.
I wouldn't be a nanny because you would have to do as the parent wishes- and some parents have very odd views!

[squizita]

I would say it's different skills and a different job, having worked in childcare (a creche environment) and as a teacher. Plus number of kids, working environment etc'.

I like teaching and coaching specifically. Not supervising, sorting naps, at home care, dressing them etc'. Of course I address the pastoral needs of students but mainly I like working in a large building with facilities (as opposed to in someone's home), working with larger groups of children and with the focus on school-style learning.

It's a completely different job not mumsy girlies looking for any job that gets them working with cutey li'l kiddies awwww with different training.

It's insulting to both child care professionals and teaching professionals to lump us together as if anything with kids is just the same.

[AimUnder]

Personally I would find nanny-ing lonely and a bit boring. Teaching would be more challenging, interesting and less lonely

[manicinsomniac]

There's no way I'd move from teaching to nannying.

At school I get around 300 different children of hugely varying ages, personalities and abilities through my classroom every week. Every day is different, challenging and interesting.

As a nanny I'd get the same 1-2 tiny children day in day out. I'd find it boring and unstimulating.

At school I work very long days but there are the odd break in them (like now .

As a nanny I'd never get a break.

As a teacher I get 15 weeks holiday a year. As a nanny I'd get, what, 4?

And I certainly don't get paid £24000.

The two jobs are totally incomparable to me.

However, one of my colleagues has a daughter who is currently a private tutor for a family who move between their houses in London, Switzerland and New York every few months. She teaches 3 children and accompanies them on all their travel. Yes, they pretty much own her and run her life ... but she's only doing it for a few years while very young and is paid ... £75000!!!! Now that I would do, if I was childless.

[MagicalMrsMistoffelees]

I'm a primary school teacher predominantly in Reception.

I love the buzz of teaching thirty children with all their different personalities and imaginations.

I love seeing them develop and grow from babies just up from nursery into boys and girls all grown up and ready for year one.

I love Christmas plays, class assemblies, sports day - all the things you do as part of a class.

I love working with their parents and becoming an important part of their families for that year (or more when I teach siblings!).

I even love planning and assessing! And writing reports!

I'd be bored silly working one on one as a nanny regardless of pay. I left a well-paid job to retrain as a teacher and I did it for job satisfaction. I'd love to be paid more but it's not the most important factor for me.

[Onsera3]

As a teacher in London, I worked with plenty of people earning around £50k in their thirties. Senior management often earning much more as they near retirement. DH is early thirties and earns just under £50k as a teacher.

Nannying could be ok but really depends on the family. Less holidays and less job security. Can get to know other nannies but not the same as having colleagues or great teaching assistant. Not the same holidays.

I do know a junior teacher who left supply teaching as found nannying less stressful for similar money.

But in London the pay progression wouldn't come close.

[Biscuitsneeded]

I'm a secondary teacher. I like older children, love my subject, and enjoy both the pastoral and intellectual challenge of shaping young people. I have 2 kids of own and of course was besotted with them when they were small, but would I take a £10k salary rise to spend all day wiping somebody else's kids' bums and doing finger painting? Not on your nelly! I'm also not convinced I would like to work in the household of anyone who could afford to pay me £35k, but that's possibly just my prejudice.

[LollyScramble]

LastSlice it really sounds as if you are being massively exploited! You are WELL below the greater London average gross salary which according to this in 2014 was 30,687

www.nannytax.co.uk/wages-survey/2014-survey-results

[LollyScramble]

This is a really heartwarming thread. Lovely to hear from so many teachers how much they love their jobs!

Madhatter - I'm interested to know why you say, "I don't think I do earn as much as my newly qualified teacher friends, actually"?

[MadHattersWineParty]

Well, I'm on an hour rate, not a salary, and it's £10 gross. Not net. The hours worked week to week vary (always at least 35 though) So yearly I think it does come in at under what I assume my London teacher friends earn. My rent and travel costs into zone 1 are just getting higher, so I am starting to look at jobs that are offering the net wage as I'll be much more comfortable financially than I am at present.

[sandylion]

I'm not a nanny because I don't like children. I do like teaching though. The two are not comparable.

[minipie]

Madhatter £10 net (which is c.£12.50 gross, I think) is standard nanny wage in London - £10 gross sounds very low. Also standard terms is for you to choose the timing of 2 weeks of your holiday and employer to choose the other 2 weeks. Not employer to choose all. Also coming in early/staying late should be only with your agreement and paid extra. Definitely look for a new job! (And the same to the pp who is paid £19k for 6 long days a week!)

[amarmai]

wait! you don't like cc and that is ok for a teacher??

[redstrawberry10]

Nope, all are gross salaries.

that's not what I meant.

I am saying you can't compare what a person takes home in gross salary to what it costs the employer to employ that person. That's not a good comparison.

So a teacher's gross salary is what he takes home, not what it costs to employ that teacher (which will be much higher).

I don't know if the cost you quoted for a nanny is the cost to you (the employer) or the money given to the nanny (the gross salary).

[squizita]

Amarmai teachers don't just work with children. There is a bit of confusion because it's often treated as glorified childcare - but a KS5 specialist might never see a student younger than 16.

[LollyScramble]

I'm a bit lost redstrawberry. Is the difference just employers' NI? Or something else?

The nanny cost is the gross figure that you give to the nanny. From that she pays the tax (actually you sort that out on her behalf but it's normal PAYE) and then she gets the net result.

[redstrawberry10]

Is the difference just employers' NI? Or something else?

in general, it's everything (NI costs, pension contributions, office space, and any other benefits). it's everything.

[nanetterose]

sandylion
Are you winding us up?
Do you teach children?