To consider quitting teaching before summer

[Anothernameschange]

Interested to hear from other teachers / ex teachers etc.

Sometimes it gets to the point when July seems a long way off and I'd love to leave this school/ position behind as soon as possible.

Is it crazy to think I don't even want to stick out to till then and leave earlier? Means I'll miss out of 6 weeks of summer pay.

The plan is to get out teaching and this awful job share - gone down to part time but still have 5 classes shared with an unqualified cover supervisor - so I'm responsible for classes, she just takes lessons she finds and hands out resources.
Right now feels tempting to even take a big pay cut if it means I get my weekends / evenings back.

Why would you take a pay cut, teachers earn much more in the private sector. When I left my pay increased by 50%.

Curious to know what you went into.
I do have previous work experience outside of teaching and consider myself to be quite skilled, however, I know that with almost ten years of teaching I have worked my way up to UPS and imagine that I won't get a similar salary elsewhere.

I coach degree apprentices through thier degree journey and prepare them for end point assessment.

Loads of well paid (more than UPS) coaching/training roles out there that teachers are ideal for.

At what point in your teaching career did you leave? And what did you go into?

My sister in law and one of my closest friends are teachers, and have given notice to leave at the end of the summer term.
Both around 60, been in their roles for years, now job sharing, but have just had enough.
I don't think you're alone feeling like that.

Don't do it. Head before heart on this one...

Wait until 31st May, then look elsewhere. Get your summer pay!!!

Take anything going to get launched in the outside world - you don't have to stick at it, but it will get you back into the mindset, and you will stop subconsciously listening for the bell. It is quite a tough jump - people don't see you as a team player. I used to make a joke about teaching: 'Yes, I was a teacher for twelve years but I got time off for good behaviour!" Or 'Yes, I was a teacher - now you can put that gum in the bin, face the front and LISTEN!" Ok, not particularly funny, but it lightened the mood.
(Incidentally, I became a marketing manager and had the time of my life!)

I do love the idea of no longer dealing with behaviour management and having conversations with actual adults.

I think one thing that might keep women in jobs, not just teachers, longer than they otherwise might do is the thought of having another child and missing out on maternity. In my case I definitely would not want to return to teaching with two little babies, it's hard enough with the one so I'm accepting that should I find another job in September and have another within a year or won't get maternity pay - but I wouldn't get it if I remained in teaching anyway as I definitely don't want to go back.

It's a short half term after Easter and then the long slog to the summer holidays.

How much take home are you getting after tax, union and pension Op?

No way! You’ve got 16 weeks left and will get 9 weeks holiday. Tell yourself you DESERVE that holiday. Hand in your notice or have it written out. Count out the days.

Do your job and nothing else. Explain why if necessary. It won’t be long. We can do it!

You can’t leave before the summer now anyway. Of that feels too much for you, self cert or speak to GP whilst you deal with that and go back when you feel better.

You might find that once it reverts to being ‘just a job’ it’s way more manageable.

‘No sorry. I can’t do that as it’s not part of my job description, and to be honest, come September it will be someone else’s responsibility, so probably better if they start doing that now.’ ‘Yes it is correct. If you check you'll find that teachers should not provide long term cover for someone else’ ‘I know, nightmare, sorry. Past my contacted hours right now. Got to go’. ‘Might want to sort that out as it’s why you’re going to have to spend a lot of time and effort replacing a great teacher’

Yep, I've actually decided to drop my TLR, it wasn't worth much but its one less thing to think about.

Teacher here - I’d resign now with effect from September 1st. You’ll be paid over summer and will have six paid months to look for something else. The key thing will be the second you resign you’ll have an enormous feeling of relief: you only need to get through 4 months and there are two more holidays in that period.

That sounds tempting though I'll be honest the nerves are kicking in....I bet every teacher in my position has thought something like

• if I leave with UPS and then change my mind I might not get UPS again
• I might struggle to find something else as I feel my brain has gone to mush after having taught bottom sets for years and teaching from some awful SOW
• I used to be an outstanding teacher but this school has robbed the joy out of teaching and I feel like a crap teacher now

I am currently waiting till May or at least till Easter holidays before drafting that resignation.

If you leave on UPS you’ll return to that level. It’s only the TLR that you might struggle to pick up again (just because someone at the new school may already be happily in that role).

Could you try tutoring? I left teaching after 20 years and currently earn as much as a tutor as I did as a HOD. I don’t even work weekends. Why not try to get tutees lined up now? The only thing is whether your lifestyle allows you to work approx 3.30-7pm Mon to Friday or if you have things to do then. My kids are grown up.

I’m leaving at Easter.

This is how see it:
You get three paid weeks for Autumn term.
You get three paid weeks for Spring term.
You get three weeks for Summer so you’re only losing 3 weeks hols not 6.

This helped me massively. I’m leaving I’m done. I can’t do it anymore.

It is like an abusive relationship.

Also, if you’re an outstanding teacher, which is what I was always graded as, you’ll find that your reputation as a tutor will soon grow. I never advertise and still have a waiting list. People are desperate for good tutors.

If you leave on UPS you’ll return to that level

Michael Gove scrapped pay portability long ago.

In a cash-strapped primary, you wouldn't get back on UPS easily, sadly.