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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To ask any teachers/deputies/heads (still in education or left) if/what job they moved on to?

46 replies

therewillbetime · 02/01/2019 09:27

Basically that really.

I am a senior leader in a primary school. I teach in the conventional sense sporadically (joys of being management). I have at time (due to leave taken by the Head managed the entire school for periods of time). My close colleagues almost expect me to want to go into Headship. I'm not at all sure that is what I want. I feel at a crossroads. It's a tough job although there are parts of it that are rewarding. I have been at my school for several years but just feel incredibly 'stuck'. I don't know what to do.
Do I look for a job that puts me back in the classroom full time?
Different school?
Different industry? If so, what? (My degree and MA are in English).
Any change is a big decision for me. I have a mortgage etc that I pay completely myself so I do need a certain income level. There is also the (boring) stuff of pensions if I leave teaching. I know my current pension would be frozen but it is just deciding what is best. I know also that it is only myself who can work out what I want to do.

However, I would really, really appreciate hearing about the experiences of anybody who left working in education and what they went on to, or anybody who is in a similar position to me. Thank you so much.

By the way, I am early forties and have been education for 15 years.

OP posts:

urebuddy · 02/01/2019 19:20

Hi. I’ve been thinking the same over the Christmas hols. But not sure what else I can do? I’m a SENCo in my 11th year of teaching.

Cornishmumofone · 02/01/2019 21:33

I was a HoD in a large secondary school with a decade of experience when I left teaching to become a learning technologist/learning designer. It's taken a while for my salary to appear comparable BUT I work 35 hours a week and have 44 days leave (and work does not impinge on my time off), so I definitely feel wealthier!

sarahC40 · 02/01/2019 21:46

What’s a learning designer? Am also thinking of jumping...

Nemo1986 · 02/01/2019 21:59

Try a different type of school? PRU? Sixth form college? What is it about tour role that you would change if you could? You could also look for an advisory post in the LA?

Charmatt · 02/01/2019 22:01

I moved in to Education Administration - I now manage governance and compliance for a MAT

SkeletonSkins · 02/01/2019 22:04

I’m training as an educational psychologist, leaving teaching was honestly the biggest relief. You only live once, you don’t have to live it like that.

wildbhoysmama · 02/01/2019 22:09

I cannot believe this has popped up today! I think I've had enough. I'm HoD and don't see my MH or my home life surviving unscathed. I'm tentatively looking into new directions. I have a psychology degree and have always had ed psych in my mind, but couldn't stop earning to retrain. Can you do it part time, skeleton. And, yes, what's a learning designer cornish?

charmatt what does your job entail and how did you get into it?

whycantIthinkofadecentusername · 02/01/2019 22:19

I spent 10 years as a college lecturer on a very specialist subject. I was made redundant four years ago and am now a Director at a Local Authority in the same subject. Best move I ever made.

Nemo1986 · 02/01/2019 22:24

I’ve looked into educational psychology @wild. You can’t do it part time, but training is funded plus you get a bursary to live on if you get a place.

JanetandJohn500 · 02/01/2019 22:28

I was a HT. I now work in the LA. No long holidays but much less stress... at the moment!

SkeletonSkins · 02/01/2019 22:31

@wildbhoysmama yeah Nemo is right, you can’t do it part time but it’s fully funded (thank god)

luckyleeds · 02/01/2019 22:33

I moved into marketing. Had to start at the bottom but quickly worked my way up and now earn more than I would have teaching and a million times better work life balance.
I did unpaid work experience at a marketing agency during a half term to get some experience on my cv and they offered me a job. The rest is history! Go for it.

hackneyzoo · 02/01/2019 22:40

I'm training as an Educational Psychologist too, my first degree was in English and I did a psychology MSc conversion whilst teaching, which was tough, but am so happy not to be teaching anymore after 15 years... the relief from stress is great and my work life balance is much better. The EP training is really hard work but I really enhoy it, the work/life balance is managable and I don't feel stressed very often. Plus I get to spend much more time with my family.

domton · 02/01/2019 22:41

I'm applying for other jobs now. Prison teaching, children's commissioner type role, university roles, a few training roles, and some barnardo type charity roles. I'm also doing a proofreading course, and a doctorate in education.

I'll let you know what pans out!

greathat · 02/01/2019 22:47

I would love to get into ed psyching :) not really likely with kids and a mortgage though...

TryingToDrinkMoreWater · 02/01/2019 22:51

I have a Civil Service role now. I know of a few former teachers who have done this. I have no regrets.

LyndaLaHughes · 02/01/2019 23:03

This is interesting reading. But so sad so many looking for an escape. How do you get into the civil service?

BringOnTheScience · 02/01/2019 23:04

I now do education outreach for a big company. All the best bits of teaching (plenty of Wow moments with pupils & term-time only) but no marking, planning, data, parents ....

MsJaneAusten · 02/01/2019 23:12

This is really interesting. I've also been looking into Educational Psychology as an alternative career. It says something about the people who are leaving doesn't it? And about what is important to us? (I.e. kids, not data!)

@skeletonskins - when you say it is fully funded, did you already have a psychology degree, or did you find a way to get the MSC conversion funded?

@hackneyzoo - Where did you do your MSC, and how many days per week were you able to keep teaching? I've been looking at Manchester. It's two afternoons/evenings a week but calls itself 'full time'. I've been wondering if I'd be able to teach for two days a week for that year or if it really is FT?

wentmadinthecountry · 02/01/2019 23:14

I'm 54 so not sure quite how many options are open to me - I took a long time having children so not much pension anyway, but youngest is only 15 so years of work to go. I get a real buzz from teaching but always feel there's not enough time to do a decent job. I'm not of the Twinkl generation.

Charmatt · 02/01/2019 23:20

I reduced my teaching to part-time for a better balance and applied for a job as a clerk to governors as I understood the jargon. From there I specialised in supporting schools in special measures and clerking for Interim Executive Boards. When some local schools formed a MAT I applied to coordinate and manage their governance.

I arrange meetings and the agendas for all the governing bodies of the schools, the Trust Board and its committees and provide advice to governors and trustees. I also manage admissions,, admission policy consultations and admissions appeals for the Trust and head up GDPR. As an off-shoot, I also provide DPO monitoring for other schools. I support converting schools who are joining the MAT and attend the consultation meeting with parents and staff.

I'm also the person the head teachers and admin staff in school come to if they have a issue about pupil procedures and parental problems. It's pretty varied and interesting and I really enjoy it.

myohmywhatawonderfulday · 02/01/2019 23:27

Hi there,
I just resigned after 16 years!!! I am leaving April. My plan is to go to Uni in September to do a MSc conversion course to look to become an Ed Snap!

I am going to get a student loan for the MSc. At Reading Uni the course is on Wed and Thursday.

I am looking for/have asked my school/will ask all my previous schools for two days work.

I have a mortgage and two children but I couldn’t stay just for the money. I wrestled for ages though.

SkeletonSkins · 03/01/2019 10:39

@MsJaneAusten I already had a psychology degree but I’ve met plenty of people who have done the conversion course alongside some teaching.

SkeletonSkins · 03/01/2019 10:40

Should add that I’m also doing a bit of tutoring work alongside my course for a bit of extra money.

hackneyzoo · 03/01/2019 10:58

@MsJaneAusten I started the MSc full time at Northumbria (2 full 9-4pm days per week) and was teaching 3 days per week, I cut down to part time over two years after the first four weeks and this was much more managable. I think if you did two days teaching and allowed a day for studying then full time would be doable. It depends what your other commitments are, at the time my kids were 4,6 and 8, so it was quuite hard to grab time during the week to do extra reading etc. I think there are some distance learning MSc courses too, which might offer more flexibility. The AEP website has lots of details about accredited conversion courses, funding, etc. Association of educational Psychologists

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