To consider re-training as a secondary school teacher at 48?

[Crustyjugglers]

Just that really! Anyone done similar and how have your experiences been?
I've been in my current line of work for 20 years and am very bored and unsatisfied. I have a 6 year old daughter, supportive partner but not terribly much money although we'd manage with some sacrifices ...
Am I insane?

Thanks so much for all your questions/replies!

Subject would be RMPS and it's a new degree from the Scottish government that combines teacher training. Some of these are subjects that I originally studied at uni but actually went on to work in a completely different field.

Why teaching? I've always enjoyed training and educating students and in my current role but broadly speaking my role now is very samey, terribly paid and potential for career progression is nonexistent. (Vet nursing in case anyone's curious!) Current world events have encouraged me to re-evaluate what is important to me and what could I do that would feel, in however small a way, useful.

Regarding energy/resilience - I'm pretty tough! I hit the menopause early at 38 (lucky me) so this is something I've lived with a long time and know how to manage. I've pretty thick skin and have had plenty of experience staying calm in highly stressful/emotionally charged situations.

I'm definitely not coming to this with rose tinted spectacles - I do have several teacher friends although haven't discussed this with them yet. (Mostly because they're all on nice holidays - that's a partial joke!)

The missing of events for my daughter is something I hadn't considered thanks for that.

I teach, though not in mainstream any more and not full time, but my teaching days are exhausting even though it’s small groups, limited marking etc. it’s an intense use of mental energy.

I would not want to go back full time (or part time, to be honest) into a mainstream classroom at this point. I would have nothing left over for my own dc and partner.

I retrained as a secondary teacher at 48 and I am still teaching full time at 62. It has been really hard at times but as soneone who gets very bored by routine I love the challenge and variety each day brings. I am now an assistant head so career progression is perfectly possible even as a late starter and I have found age discrimination not to be a particularly big problem in education compared to other sectors I have worked in. I would say get some experience in a school first and if you still think you will enjoy it then go for it

I have thought about doing this. My dcs have had excellent teachers and I know the difference that teachers make to so many people’s lives. I know teenagers are gobby, catastrophic, surly, rude etc but I like them for it. I am interested in why it’s worth being a maths teacher more than other subjects.

A friend of mine took a PGCE aged 55 after an entire career in a very different profession (think army officer, though it wasn’t that). I think she’s really enjoying it most of the time though [whisper it] finds it quite straightforward. She does get parachuted in to teach a range of subjects as cover though as she is completely unfazed by teenage bullshit, and finds that a bit tiresome, she’d rather teach her subject. (I ave no idea what RMPS is tbh).

A friend has in her early 50s and is loving it.

@criminallyvulgar that's so good to hear. Yes, some work experience would be part of my plan. (Great name by the way - love The Smiths!)

Personally I wouldn't. It's very high intensity work and I've found 48 to be an age where I am lacking in energy and high in peri can't be doing with this (I have never worked in secondary school but have done FE). A lot of people I've met in education are looking at going part time/retirement plans by 50. However, it depends on you and how you feel and how you see the next few years.

Teaching RE?

It's an interesting subject for those of us who find it interesting, but I have a feeling that you'd end up doing a lot of extracurricular grunt work, very likely be put onto cover in many other subjects and quite possibly be given a timetable to deal with shortages in other ones - PSHEE, Careers, History & English are the most obvious ones a Head with staff shortages and/or money to save would see as ideal ones to give you. And quite a lot of dissatisfied parents complaining about too much/not enough/the wrong sort of religion/the wrong ideologies/why are you trying to convert/dissuade children from their faith/EDI conflicts.

A lot of people your age and older make that change. But I would seriously research it before you make a decision - it is not an easy job by any stretch of the imagination. Student behaviour can be appalling. Parents can be a nightmare. SLT can be horrific. Marking is huge.
But, pretty good holidays.

Retired secondary school teacher here! Absolutely loved my job, in my twenties, thirties and forties but then .... I was in a senior role so had reduced teaching hours, was obviously experienced and mainly taught Sixth Form. It is a gruelling job for those who are at the top of their game, there's little room for those who struggle in secondary teaching. Once you get established and respected, through your own hard work and consistency, then it is a career to be loved. It is not a 9-5 job, there are many hours of preparation and assessment outside of school.

I'm around your age and have been a secondary teacher since my early 20s - absolutely brilliant job and I would recommend it to anyone as long as you are

A) resilient to a degree. You don't have to be hard as nails - lots of different personality types can make excellent teachers. But you just have to have a minimum amount of grit so that you will not allow a class of kids to walk all over you. (And by "not allow" I don't mean you are expected to be able to magically stop them by force of personality. At times you may need to get outside help from colleagues, etc - that is perfectly fine, in facts sometimes it's commendablw. What is important is that you have that minimum amount of self worth, that you value yourself too much to simply stand there and allow a class to treat you like shit. Most kids are decent people. But like adults, they can act differently in a pack, and they can exploit weakness unfortunately..... I have met very few people in my long career who actually "can't teach" no matter how much support they are given - when that has been the case, it's been down, sadly, to the absence of that spark of resilience/self worth.

B) in love with your subject. Children deserve to be taught by experts who are passionate about what they are reaching - it's the only way they, themselves, can become passionate about it too.

C) unafraid of hard work. It IS intense, you are performing all day to an extent. (On the other hand, the long holidays, though most of us do work in them to some extent, are brilliant for recuperation - but in terms time irs a hectic, full on job.

If all these things are true, then absolutely go for it. It's a brilliant job, so rewarding, never dull. And I have known plenty of teachers join the profession at around your age. In many ways those can be the best teachers because they bring all that wealth of external life experience with them, and the kids can benefit so much from that.

Good luck!

I did consider it some years ago, and went to lecture in Uni. I found it rewarding in some ways but exhausting and disappointing in other ways. There was always, ALWAYS, more to do. Much more to do. I didn't get to a 'high performing' point where some things I could do on auto-pilot because I left after a few years. (No regrets).

Right now, knowing how damaging social transitioning can be to teenagers and their families, I wouldn't be able to cope with the school requests to call girls by boys' names/pronouns or the other way around. Social transitioning needs medical and clinical competence that schools don't have, yet schools transition children without input from clinicians and often behind parents backs. I think it's criminal and I wouldn't be able to be part of it. You can look up Kevin Lister's case if you'd like to learn more about this issue.

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If you’re a vet nurse I would advise doing FE teaching first in this subject area because you likely won’t need any additional qualifications and see how you get on with it. Predominantly 16-18 yr old learners. I’ve done it and it’s not easy, I would imagine being a school teacher is even worse.

Spend a few days in a school. Don't make the decision without doing this. These days will be what confirms it for you - you'll either love it hate it. (Although if the behaviour at the school seems absolutely terrible, rather than just isolated incidents, perhaps try another school before writing off the idea completely).

For what it's worth, I used to mentor student teachers and those in your situation (older, no young children, generally already have their mortgage sorted etc) tend to do quite well.

I wouldn’t. It’s exhausting and never ending, even in a nice school with good culture, behaviour and SLT.

Sorry to be a Debbie downer. It’s incredibly rewarding in many ways, but it’s all consuming and I am planning my exit (I’m SLT) for 2026. I want a life!

Noticed you're thinking about teaching RE - this would put you right in the middle of the debate about teaching contested beliefs as fact, and secrecy of PHSE teaching materials in many schools.

See for example:
RSE secrecy in schools - appeal case 16th and 17th Sept | Mumsnet

You'd need to get up to speed with what the controversy is all about and be prepared that part of your job would be to answer FOI requests, and parents concerns including concerns which result in legal proceedings.

@IlovePond thank you for the links.

Consider teaching in the adult 19+ sector, it's very rewarding 😌 (not financially! 😆)

I'm in a similar position OP. I'm in my 40s and worked in the same profession for 20 years and feel like a change so I'm considering teaching higher education. It's linked to my areas of practice so not so it's not a complete unrelated change but still a bit thing.

DM retrained as a teacher when I was 11. All through my teenage years, she had constant viiral infections and was bad tempered due to tbe stress of the job. I wouldn't recommend it, OP.

Bear in mind that you'll have a year training, then two years on an ECT salary. Not a great income for a 50 year old. You'll be working for a few years before it's anywhere near a reasonable income.
I would do something else if I was you.

RE is nothing to do with relationships education

Op I feel the same as you. I spoke to a friends husband who went from a 100k job and moved into teaching 4/5 years ago. He loves it much more that his old job. He doesn’t regret moving at all. He said it’s intense during term time but the holidays are amazing.

I’ve also spoken to lots of teacher friends and most love it.