To think about secondary school teacher training?

[Janefromgreenlane]

Asking for opinions—especially from current or former secondary teachers.
I'm seriously considering training to become a secondary school teacher. For the past 12 years, I’ve been running a translation business, but with the rise of AI, there’s noticeably less work, and I expect the decline to continue. Alongside this, I’ve been teaching languages in adult education and tutoring GCSE and A-Level students privately.
Now that my youngest child is in secondary school, I don’t need to be at home as much. Before running my business, I worked in a corporate environment. I feel ready for a new challenge in my career and have been exploring different options.
I’ve been job-hunting since September, submitted over 150 applications, and had a few interviews—but so far, I haven’t secured a position (or only received offers with a graduate-level salary). The job market is extremely competitive right now, and I suspect that, as a slightly unconventional candidate, I’m finding it harder to land something. It’s been a disheartening process and has taken a lot of time and energy.
That’s why I’m now seriously thinking about training as a secondary school teacher. I’m fluent in three languages that are taught in schools, and I already have seven years of part-time teaching experience. I love my subject and would enjoy sharing it with young people. I’m energetic, enthusiastic, and can see myself enjoying this role.
What worries me: lower income—especially in the first few years—stress, and the famously heavy workload. I’m also in my mid-forties and, while I’m fit now, I do wonder how sustainable the physical and mental demands will be in 10-15 years’ time.

I feel the teachers I know would say no, don't do it, save yourself.

Could you teach adults maybe? Might be less stress to teach adults who want to be there.

I'm a secondary teacher in an independent school and it's great. MFL is a shortage subject I believe, and if you have more than two languages you can teach to at least GCSE, you'd be even more desirable. Pay isn't bad at independent schools.

That's good you're energetic and enthusiastic but just a word of warning for new teachers, be careful not to volunteer too much and spread yourself thin.

I'm not sure what you mean by physical demands though beyond commuting to school and just ordinary walking around. You do get a teacher's chair :)

Surely secondary education would be a better place for true experience Op?

I have taught for 12 years in a secondary school and love my job.

It just needs some thick skin as some kids have awful home lives and can take it out on others to get the attention they need/want.

Op I’d ask to have the thread moved to The Staffroom if this is a serious question. You’ll get a lot of replies from non-teachers here in AIBU and it won’t help at all.

I have several friends who have successfully converted to state education as teachers in mid life - one moved from primary to secondary (maths), one moved to Uk from overseas, and one became Ks1 teacher from career in marketing. All three very happy. All three teach in “good schools”. Discipline often still a problem but pressure and work is rewarding, hours long but manageable compared to their previous jobs.

I wouldn’t rule it out but you’re right to consider it very very carefully.

I agree you need a thick skin but personally I've found rudeness/aggression from children offends me a lot less than it does from adult colleagues/customers, which you could get in any workplace.

You sound very qualified and schools are crying out for MFL teachers! I would get some work experience, maybe a whole week, and see how you feel after that.

I went to 3 different local schools and observed a few lessons and my conclusion was that a lot depends on the school. In the grammar school, students were well-behaved and interested, I would happily teach in this school. I also went to 2 comprehensive schools, and the behaviour was sometimes disruptive, but overall the teachers were managing well. They also has a nice rapport with most students. However, I thought that it must be exhausting to be constantly managing behaviour in addition to teaching. Also I would need to learn how to teach students with SEN, it would be a steep learning curve. As a newly qualified teacher, I could hardly expect to teach in a grammar or a private school straight away and will probably need to teach in a more difficult school.

I already teach adults, but it is quite unstable and the income is insufficient

It's the best job in the world. Kids are great (seriously). Yes it can be hard, but the pay off is worth it.

I'm a secondary teacher and MFL is a shortage subject so it's likely you would have lots of job options. I also know lots of teachers who have trained and then secured roles in private/grammar schools, so it's not an unrealistic hope.
I echo others who say you need a very thick skin, teenagers can be brutal at times, and some of them struggle with poor social skills, and make really poor choices in terms of behaviour.
You can really only know if you like by doing it, build a rapport with students (it takes time), be fair and be consistent and behaviour management will follow.
You also need to be aware of the amount of your own time you will be pressured to give up at GCSE and A-Level, this is for revision sessions, intervention etc. This is on top of the planning, marking and detentions that all take place in your own unpaid time. Having said that, you can have some really lovely moments and seeing the Yr 11s and 13s go off and start the next phase of their lives is honestly one of the most heartwarming and joyous times of my year.

I wouldn’t! I used to teach in a secondary school for many years and even in an outstanding school with reasonably good behaviour, the workload was extreme. I was often working evenings and weekends and the pay does not equal the hours worked at all. I was exhausted by the end of term and kept getting ill as I had no work life balance. I now teach a more specialist subject in a 6th form college and it’s night and day. All post 16 and a lot less bureaucracy. Maybe that could be an option for you?

I wouldn’t. (Ex secondary teacher who left despite being passionate about my subject and really liking young people). People are leaving the profession in droves for a reason. It’s just an impossible job now with the levels of pupil disengagement. And the battering your well-being and work/life balance takes is just not worth it.

I was 43 when I retrained as a secondary school teacher. I absolutely love it, and find that it works well with family life, but do think that the key to sanity in this profession is to work part-time if you can afford it as it is so all-encompassing.

I’d say go for it, but be prepared for your training year to be disproportionately difficult - it gets progressively easier from there. I’d also advise that it’s so important to find the right school - if you’re not happy, remember it might be the style, size or culture of the school that’s not working, not the job itself.

I’m not a teacher, but just thinking that if your own children are already in secondary school then it’s not that much longer until you’ll have a lot more flexibility in terms of holidays/annual leave if you don’t go into teaching.

Yeah but you won’t get to sit in it

150 applications? What kind of jobs have you been going for?

This isn't necessarily true. Independent schools in particular often value related work experience prior to teaching.

Also you might be able to bypass doing a pgce altogether and get a job directly in an independent school (you can then often do one later, part time whilst working)

Independent schools are often happy to take on newly qualified teachers, particularly if they have relevant experience and skills which you very much do.

Lots of people will try to put you off!

I’m not a teacher, but one of my daughters is. She is in her third year of teaching (trained straight after university) and absolutely loves it. Her school (secondary) seems to be a very happy place, both for students and staff. From what I see and hear, it is extremely well run, and she has found the SLT very supportive. She already has some management responsibilities, so earns more than the basic teacher salary.

On the other hand, a good friend is also a teacher and is much less enthusiastic. She has been teaching for years and this is her first year at her current school. Pupil behaviour and absenteeism are appalling, parents don’t care, many of the teachers seem unhappy, and the leadership team is weak. A new head will be starting in September, so she’s hoping for better things then.

There seems to be a huge amount of luck involved, so if you decide to take up the challenge, I hope you find a good school!

Watching this thread as I half think about leaving corporate life to do the same. Have a read of Lucy Kellaway’s book Reeducated, an ex Ft journalist turned secondary teacher. Fantastic read.

Given your particular work circumstances, I don’t think you have too much to lose. There are MFL bursaries to train in that subject, would cover PGCE costs and give you some income while you train. If the absolute worst comes to it, get QTS then move into language tutoring or something else in the education space. It’s all about adding another string to your bow.

Teaching is horribly physically demanding. Lugging stuff round, bending over all the time, on your feet all the time.

My knees and feet were wrecked by it. Constantly running up and down stairs.

OP don’t do it. Teaching is just horrible now. I started in the 90’s and it was great. I escaped in 2021. It’s just not worth the stress and hassle.

Lots of teachers start in grammars or independents.

You may get a training placement at a grammar or an independent. Please don't think that independent automatically = no behaviour management!

Don't forget that you don't need a PGCE to teach outside of state.