AIBU to leave teaching for civil service in search of better work/life balance?

[Scatterbrainbox]

Just that really.
I'm an experienced primary school teacher with SLT responsibilities. I earn just shy of 40k and work a ridiculous number of hours. In school 7.30am to 6pm, 1-2 hours when I get home and most of Sunday. I expect to work about 2 full weeks of the summer hoIs. I am also the SENDCo for my school.
I have taught for 10 years, before this I worked in financial services sales.
I am applying for jobs in the civil service at HEO and SEO grades. I am not shy of hard work and I am ambitious, but I feel like I never see my own children. I don't mind working under pressure when at work. Or even bringing a bit home. But not to the extent I am.
Am I being realistic thinking that my work/life balance will improve dramatically with the roles I am applying for?
I don't want to jump out of the frying pan and into the fire... I am doing well at work and will realistically go for a deputy head role in a year or so if I stay in teaching.
I'm only 40 and will need to work into my 60s...I can't face the thought of these working hours for all that time!!
My older children are teens, partner works from home a lot and the roles I am applying for have some scope for working from home.. so childcare in the hols isn't an issue.
I'd really like to hear people's experiences...
Thanks

I am currently a HEO in the civil service. My work life balance is great. There are some weeks that I work a bit over my normal hours, but I just add it to my flexi time and take it back where I need to. I love the balance here and can’t see myself moving any time soon.

I’m a career civil servant and I can’t recommend it enough. My work life balance is great and my work is really enjoyable.

I'm in a very similar position to you except I don't have the experience prior to teaching that you have. I constantly dream of landing a civil service job; it just seems to tick all the boxes that I prioritise. I really do fear for the future of teaching in this country. My advice, for what it's worth, is to go for it. I really don't think you'll regret it. Best of luck!

Thanks for responding.
That's really good to hear.
Do you mind if I ask? If you are focused, how many years would you say you need to spend at each grade (HEO, SEO etc) before you can progress?

All depends on exactly what job in what department.

Many colleagues work 7-9 pretty much every day and then only five weeks annual leave.

Dishwasheraurus... do you mind if I ask what department that is? I am looking at DWP, DBS and DfE.
I guess that is what I am worried about... jumping out of the frying pan etc...

Primary school teacher here too... I'd actually question whether you are at the right school, it sounds as if you need more non contact time to be able to do your job, if you are a SENDCo as well as a class teacher plus other SLT stuff that is far too much. Can you talk to your headteacher about the amount of work you are doing after school and weekends? Not all schools are the same and you should not be doing that much in your own time.

Cabinet office and international stuff.

Do you want to teach?

Because if you do then you should try another school first.

But if you don’t want to teach then the civil service is a great place to work in general with , department dependent, lots of opposition

Pop fan... seems to be quite typical in my LA. SLT roles only bring half a day management time out of class. Budgets are stretched to the max.

I don't think the roles I'm looking at are that glamorous to be fair!!

Teacher here. I cannot believe how badly teachers have been treated throughout the lockdowns. The Civil Service working conditions and their approach to flexible working is to be envied. Many, many teachers will follow your lead.

Civil service work life balance is definitely much better than teaching (except for the holidays, but you've covered that).

Progression depends how naturally you take to the civil service, but if you're good then from HEO to SEO should only take a couple of years (less in some cases). Progression to G7 is more variable and depends on your leadership skills, ability to juggle 50 things at once, and various other factors.

Left the private sector for civil service 10 months ago. Best things I've done for my career and work life balance. I WFH. Doing professional courses etc. Did take a small pay cut however.

I'm in the Civil Service - the work is very dull but the flexibility means it's great for me re: childcare and looking after elderly parent. I'm part-time, so can swap days around if necessary, and there's a lot of support re: mental heath, being a carer. Menopause etc - lots of support groups set up and run by colleagues.

I enjoy teaching, but the relentless additional hours are not going away.
I am picking roles to apply for that I think I would also enjoy and have some of my life back!

SENDCo can not be done on half a day out of the classroom! Lots of SENDCos don't have a class responsibility. If you want to stay in a school environment I'd either talk to your head, I'm betting he/she won't want to lose you or find a new school.

Thanks for your input everyone... I do realise that there is massive variability between roles and departments that's a good point for consideration.

It does vary, there are some very long hours roles in the civil service but by and large, you would be working fairly standard hours.

If you're good, you can progress pretty quickly. I would try hard to get in at SEO which is a sweet spot in terms of salary Vs work expected

I would also say you're in the wrong school

I'm on more money that you and have never worked weekends or taken work home

However

It's taken me 4 different schools to find one that supports me like this

I get in at 8:20 and leave at 4

Pop fan, in my LA generally only the head does not have a teaching responsibility (in some smaller schools they are doing PPA cover these days!).
The only schools I know with a none teaching deputy or SENDCo are 3-4 form entry in massively deprived areas. I have also worked in a nearby authority until 2 years ago... that was the same.

I did the opposite.
HEO Home Office then seconded overseas for a short term Home Office/Foreign Office thing.
Left to become a teacher. I earn less now than I was earning in 1994 and work a lot more.
But it's what makes you happy. I'm lucky in that I loved what I did there, I love what I do now.
If it feels right for you, then go for it.

Mn2022 any jobs going at your school?!!!!

How do you find teaching compared to your financial sales role? Could you go p/t in your current job?

I work far more hours than I did in FS!!! And earn less🙈 I bloody hated sales though!

I'm not going to go part time. I don't want the salary cut.