I want to be a primary school teacher

[IWantToChange]

I was pushed by my parents into going to uni to do something I had no interest in and I did 2 years (hnd but only passed first year so got hnc) when I was younger.

Would I be ineligible for student loans / grants for a degree to become a primary school teacher?

It's something that I'd really love to do but wouldn't be able to afford the uni fees without help!

There's a lot of accessible ways into teaching now that do not require a degree at all. You may find you don't need to do the uni degree first, or at all.

Do you have a degree ?if so you can do the salaried school direct route. Hard work but you get paid so more affordable. I don't know about loans and fees though. Good luck

Check you fully understand what you are going into first. I've been teaching for 8 years and whilst I love being in the classroom had I fully understood the lack of work life balance that the vast (not all) majority of teachers have, I'd have done something else!

You cannot be a qualified teacher without a degree.

Have you got any experience of primary schools? I'd see if you can do some volunteer/work experience in a school and talk to some teachers before you make up your mind. I am a primary school teacher and I enjoy it but schools are a tough place to work at the moment.

I’m not sure if you are in Scotland or England but I know in school and you get 4 or 5 years of funding for uni/ college then you pay for the years after that.

Don't do it.

If you still insist, definitely go in and do some volunteering so you can see what it's like (though tbf my volunteering gave me absolutely no idea whatsoever, what the job was really like...) and also because you stand a better chance of getting into a course if you have volunteering experience.

Do you have children?

Just to add, you don't mention if you have children but teaching is definitely not a family friendly career and if I was choosing a career now, having had children, there is absolutely no way I would do it!

There's a lot of accessible ways into teaching now that do not require a degree at all. You may find you don't need to do the uni degree first, or at all.

What are you on about?

Really interesting advice here!
Yes I have young children, they start school in 2019.
I have been in schools as an entertainer - really different I know but I love working with kids.

Is it really crazy hours? I have two teacher friends but they teach secondary - I didn't think it would be as manic as a primary (which is the age I'd love to teach anyway)

I'm in England btw but I thought you could only get funding for 1 x 3 year degree.

Don't
Just
Don't

There's a lot of accessible ways into teaching now that do not require a degree at all.

???

There are limited exceptions in England about student finance being available for just one degree. www.gov.uk/student-finance/who-qualifies

You could

• complete the course you've started, followed by a postgraduate route to teaching
• Complete a different undergraduate degree then a post graduate route. You might want to consider the open university or other part time degree routes that may also accept your existing credits
• Do an undergraduate education degree that has qualified teacher status

Family friendly hours- nope. Teachers frequently work from 7.30/8am-6pm, then have more work to do in the evenings and at weekends. You get your holidays with the kids but you have to spend a fair bit of that time catching up and planning for the following half term.

I know there are people who get by with minimal extra work but a) I never managed it as the goalposts Just. Kept. Changing!! And b) those people are mainly in secondary, where afaik you can get away with rehashing the same old schemes of work (though English teaching has the most incredible amount of marking!)

I found myself working part time but still going in on my days off to attempt to keep up. With small children that was truly shit.

You could do it and be wildly successful, of course! I recommend doing lots and lots of research. Go on the TES website (I haven't been on it for years but it was really helpful at the time).

Post on the Staffroom thread not on here and you will get better advice.

I really want to get into TA work but people on mumsnet are freaking me out over it!! Comments such as 'don't do'. Is it really THAT bad?

No no no no no no no no.
No.
I'm about to leave after doing it for 8 years. Teaching is in such a bad place right now. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. At all.

This recent thread might help:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3130191--to-consider-teacher-training-once-DCs-are-at-school

those people are mainly in secondary, where afaik you can get away with rehashing the same old schemes of work

Really? We haven’t must had a major change to the system, then? There aren’t regular changes to exam specs?

Never been a ta so can't really say; however, the tas in my old school felt really put upon at times. They were asked to do a lot of planning etc for their groups on very measly pay.

I did look into it as an alternative to teaching (after quitting) and found that unless I worked in my kids' school, it wouldn't be possible as hours start at, say, 8.30 and finish at 3.30 or so and my kids' school provides no wraparound care.

No need for the sarcasm, ohreally. All I know is what I've heard from friends of mine. So calm down.

Hence the "afaik".

It is not family friendly at all! Ex primary teacher here....

Is it really crazy hours?

Yes.

And I only work p/t.

There's a lot of accessible ways into teaching now that do not require a degree at all. You may find you don't need to do the uni degree first, or at all.

I hope this is untrue. I suspect it is. It certainly should be

Teaching and is now such a tiny part of what we do. All of the extra stuff is just not worth it. I spend way more time with and working for 30 other children than my own. I hate it.
If I could do something else I would.