To want to come back to the UK?

[Pinkboxglitter]

I have been abroad for around five years. I'm a qualified UK teacher with QTS, a PGCE, and I am just completing my NPQH for International Teaching. In my role abroad, I am a deputy head of a primary school and the safeguarding lead.

However, I never completed my NQT/ECT in the UK. I went straight abroad and worked my way up. If I were to move back to the UK, I'd be starting from the bottom again, but I actually don't mind.

This summer, I have been home and I have absolutely loved it. I am closer to my family, and I feel calm here. Many things worry me, especially finding a job. Are there many primary school teaching jobs in the UK? Would schools want me even though I've been abroad?

I also have a boyfriend abroad, who I've been seeing for a few months. He is originally from my country too, but I know he is reluctant to come back. How do I address this with him if I decide to move? What if he says no? Is it too soon to put all of this on him?

I'm in my 30s and I want to settle down now. I've nearly saved enough for a deposit on a home, and in the future, I want to have children in the UK, close to my family. If anyone has been in a similar position, I'd really appreciate the advice.

Jobs are very area dependent.

In London - high rents and lots of schools - no problem,

Places like Cornwall with fewer schools and where lots of people want to live there area lot fewer teaching jobs.

You may well find the funding and general environment is very different up what you are used to.

Job wise it depends like PP said where in the country family are/you want to be.

its not a guarantee that you’d start from the bottom as you’d have experience (albeit not in a UK school) and will have an NPQH. You’ll have to finish the ECT years but any school that wants you would be happy to work around that and can be done quicker if you have significant teaching experience/meet all standards.
Before looking at moving back, is there any chance the school you work at could complete your ECT?

It may be possible. Ill have a look into it.
I would be based in Yorkshire but happy to move further up North or Inner city, Leeds, Sheffield, Newcastle.

Have you checked you are still eligible to complete your ECT in the UK. I don’t wish to alarm you but you certainly used to have to complete it within 5 years.

With your qualifications and experience, you would have no issue finding a job, outside of the most desirable areas - Cornwall etc, especially as you would start on a lower pay grade.

I fully understand your desire to come home and settle. I had an international job for years, but came home, took a local job and had ds when I was a bit older than you.

I didn't have a boyfriend abroad though. How you handle that is difficult. Do you see him as the father of your children, a long term love?

That’s never been true. The 5 year rule is linked to supply teaching.

The boyfriend has been around for about 8 months and He is a assistant head too. He worked in the uk for 15 years and made the move to escape the UK teaching stress. He is older than me, wants a family in the UK and we really get on. He has mentioned missing home and knowing to start a family he will want to do it at home. I know he will be reluctant though, he always says there no rush to make decisions, but I am pretty set.

You would be snapped up by an international school, and they pay better than state.