To consider primary teaching

[timeforsomethingnewithink]

I am looking at new career options as I'm really not enjoying my current job. I'm looking into doing a post grad in primary teaching. I started a combined teaching (secondary) degree when I was 18 but I left as I didn't know what I wanted to do. I then went back to uni aged 26 and gained a degree in surveying. I now have a 1 year old and my outlook has changed. I'm finding my job unfulfilling and think primary teaching would be something o would really enjoy. AIBU to consider this given my failed attempt at secondary teaching?

I've been teaching for ten years and it's rare that I bring work home

I agree with this. I've been teaching 23 years and rarely bring work home except for the odd pile of jotters for marking in front of the tv. I have friends who teach in England and they have a lot of work they need to do at home.

I pondered teaching for about 5 minutes, then everyone I knew who was a teacher quit in the same 3-4 year period. I don't think things are getting any better. Gajillion hour a week workload and being yelled at for being shit quite a lot, so I can gather. All of them say the same thing - love the kids, fuck the system.

I'm secondary and I think primary is longer in terms of hours. The job itself is OK. I only work three days though so I can manage.

The curriculum has changed and I think at primary it must be so disheartening teaching a curriculum that just isn't accessible or relevant to many students.

At secondary its all about results and what makes the school look good. So we end up teaching a curriculum that suits the school rather than what suits the students. That's fine in terms of my job I can get the school the results but I don't feel I'm always I'm doing the best by my students. I think students have become numbers rather than people.

I'm an assistant head with a class responsibility and my DH is also a teacher. We have a 2 year old DS, but we were both trained before having him.

The workload is tough but we manage it. I am able to leave work by 4.30 or 5 to spend time with DS and then complete the rest of my work when he has gone to bed. I work during nap times at the weekend and manage not to work whilst DS is awake. My house isn't always clean and clothes are always ironed, but we manage. I love my job and I think you should go for it if that's what you want.

How full on is the training? I've not really thought about that side of it as much. I did my full time degree and worked over 40 hours a week till the final year and 80 hours per week in the holidays. During my final year I did 25 hours a week at work so I'm not afraid to work hard. It's more having time to spend with ds that I'm concerned about. I currently work 4 days per week.

I think it depends on your training provider and also the schools you are placed in. PGCE IMO is slightly less hard work than school based training, as you spend the majority of time at Uni. There is still an awful lot of paperwork. Lots of essays and readings. Coupled with in depth planning, three a4 pages is not uncommon for observed lessons. And analysis/reflection on lessons, and your week. Various in school assignments. Observing other teachers. Gathering evidence for standards files.

Sorry, that wasn't meant to turn into such a list!

Re workload, because I was a bit doom and gloom in a previous post. If you get a nice school, they are often very easy on marking and planning workloads. More schools I think are becoming aware of important a good work/life balance is.

Commute time is key to this as well. I live an hour (in good traffic) away so if I stay later to catch up, I don't get home until after 6. Which is a deal breaker with kids!

It all comes down to what you would personally find reasonable!

I'm sorry I wouldn't recommend it if you ever want to spend time with your child. The actual teaching is wonderful but not all of the admin that goes with it

You will potentially be working until 10pm at night through placements and then the workload during probationary year v much depends on the school you get. As a reasonable experienced primary school teacher in Scotland I now work an average of 50 hours per week and use up a couple weeks holidays in total through the course of the year.

I can't comment on PGCE because I did my degree in education so it was a bit more spread out. But teaching placements and having to complete assignments is tough.

I want to add though that now, 4 years in to primary teaching, I am very happy with my work life balance. I think it depends on the expectations of the school as others have said but I've found if I'm clever with my time, keep and reuse plans and resources from last year etc the workload isn't too bad. I am at work from 7:20 and often don't leave until 5:30/6 but I rarely take work home. I did an hour and half's planning yesterday because other things got in the way this week but that's it for this weekend. I'm lucky to have a very organised year colleague; we share the planning and make sure we've got most of the resources for the whole week ready during our PPA time. Marking I do before and after school around meetings etc. Some times of year are busier than others but I love my job!

I think it depends so much on your school. I am middle management, with several areas of responsibility including maths and I teach y6. I would 7.45-5.30 every day, I work straight through every lunch and I work religiously after work at school.

I rarely work weekends, maybe two hours max. And I might do work at home one evening per week.

In my NQT year it was more than this as everything took so long but it does get better as you get faster. My school is also very good in terms of workload, they actively encourage marking work as the children are doing it for instant feedback, good about giving time back for subject leader things etc.

My main bit of advice would be work in a larger primary. Small primaries have fewer people to do a similar amount of work. And avoid leading PE, that just seems like hard work.

I agree with everything Nashkatze said. Also should add I love my job, never have a day that drags and never really dread it on a Sunday night.

I agree commute is important to consider - I live 10 mins away which makes a big difference.

I've just returned to part-time primary teaching after three years out on mat leave and it's the worst decision I've made. Too much marking, expectation of extra curricular stuff, leaving the house in the early hours and not seeing my young children. I'm leaving at Christmas.

I did my PGDE in Aberdeen and it was only 2 days a week actually in uni because so many people commute such long distances. This was about 7 years ago, so it may have changed. At the time I really wasn't sure whether teaching was for me, so I sort of coasted my way through, so I wouldn't worry too much about the workload in the PGDE year.

Probation is where it gets a bit more tricky, but to be honest, as long as you are realistic with yourself and you are in a reasonable school you can do it within the 35 hours you are paid for. But then, I have to say that because I'm a union rep.

Teaching in Scotland seems like it's way better than teaching in England. Whenever I get annoyed with things at my school I just read the TES Workplace Dilemma forum and think myself lucky that performance related pay doesn't exist here and that "Capability" isn't a thing.

I am secondary, but my sister is primary. I would say that the workload is similar but there is a much greater emphasis on planning in primary and marking in secondary.

It's a great job, but it is hard. I took a year out after I did my probation year to do something else and that brought into sharp relief how good a job teaching is.

If you have any more questions I'll be pleased to answer them (or ask my sister if they're primary focused ones).