AIBU to feel ready to retire from teaching at 46?

[ismsoboredofit]

I’m 46; been teaching since I was 22 although part time for the last few years.

I have realised I am absolutely bored to tears of it but I am struggling to think what else I could realistically do (I know civil service is always suggested on leaving reaching but I’m not interested in this at all and that’s the main thing suggested on the Facebook group.£

I do have a few ideas but the actual logistics of it wouldn’t be possible until my child is older. Sometimes I think I should just leave anyway but that feels a bit foolish. However, I have no enthusiasm or interest now.

When can I retire?

Stay in the public sector to protect your pension. At least that way you'll get to retire 8 years earlier and with more money than most private sector people. Look at things like the education departments or children's services.

Definitely a good idea to change jobs though. 20+ years in the same job, whatever that job might be, is crazy

I’ve been a nurse for over 20 years and I think I’ve had enough. But I don’t know what else to do.

The compassion fatigue is real.

Step one surely is to work out what pension entitlement you have currently and what that would be if you took an actuarial reduction to when you wanted to fully retire.

Step two would then be to work out how much you'd need to earn to both be okay day to day now and to make up whatever gap you conclude there is between what you need to retire and what you're currently forecast to have. I would build your own costings for this because the ones I see are usually ridiculously high in terms of what you need to retire on. Then work out if you can earn that much money or not.

And then if you can't, work out if you'd prefer a lower quality of life in retirement and to still leave teaching now or a higher standard and to hang on in teaching a few more years to uplift your pension, or if you'd prefer to delay retirement totally.

Most public sector jobs (or certainly NHS and civil service) are now retire at 67 or so for people joining the pension scheme now. I think I thought most LGPS entitlements were at least 65 now as well. You'd have to take an actuarial reduction (i.e. an actuary guesses how long you'll live a d they down rate your pension accordingly) to take it at 60 if you join now.

There are still a load of people who have some pension that they can take at 60 but those are all people who have been in those schemes for a long time so they have the contributions from before around 2014.

I’m sure I can’t retire until at least 68. I don’t know if I’ve got another 20+ years in me. It’s only going to get worse, patients are only going to get sicker, babies are going to get saved earlier and have even more long term complex medical problems, staffing is going to remain short and get shorter. Our acuity is only going to get worse. We only have so much capacity. It doesn’t make me want to stay in nursing.

Thanks all. So the main problem is anything I’d be interested in means a certain amount of anti social hours which I can’t make work with childcare. So I’d have to wait until DD (currently only 3) is old enough to be self sufficient.

I don’t want to swap one job that bores me for another … private tuition just doesn’t appeal to me at all, even slightly.

If you are secondary could you try primary? I'm a primary school teacher and changing year group can be a good way of challenging yourself and keeping things interesting. I teach foundation (Northern Ireland P2) but I used to teach p5. Foundation stage is tough but the kids are hilarious (& demanding). There is never a dull moment but plenty of I need to lie down in a dark quiet room moments. 🙈 Teaching is v tough. I'm 45 and I can't imagine doing it for another 20 years.

Problem is, I doubt I’d get a job. I wouldn’t have a clue what I was doing and primary schools wanting to employ someone experienced (and expensive) are going to want someone who can hit the ground running.

I left at 49 and now do a different job. I was totally burned out.

Are you in a financial position whereby having a job is merely a 'nice to have' rather than a necessity to pay the bills? Obviously the latter is the reason why most people work and ideally most would be in jobs they enjoy; however for many they work because they have to pay the bills.

If you need to work and your current childcare requirements can be met within your current job I'd stick it out for the time being, whilst searching for other teaching roles and closely related jobs.

If paying the bills isn't contingent on your current employment then the world is your oyster and do what you want or feel you can do.

I’m not the main source of income but equally I do need some sort of work, even if it doesn’t pay brilliantly, if only so I am not feeling like a leech (I am not suggesting for a moment this is what SAHPs are, just how I’d personally feel, if I’m honest.)

Have you discussed your dilemma with your DP? If so, then what do they think; if not, then do so.

No - no DP

You could get your pension at 57 but it would be reduced. It was 55 but it's changing.

I retired last year at 56 from teaching, the majority of my career (29 years) was fulltime. I was totally finished with it so I totally get you.

It's such a hard job to escape from.

The Pit Pony video on YouTube is good - Sarah Dunwood and Sharon Cawley.

Hi OP,

I am in your position - I get it. I am turning 40 and I do not want to do it for another almost 30 years. The perks of public sector are great but I am bored!

I have just signed up for a distance learning masters. Do you have the means to retrain/do a post grad in something else. The way I see it, if needed - I can always do some supply when I leave.