To want to change careers from nursing into teaching for better work life balance

[TwinklyRoseTurtle]

I’m aware both are highly stressful careers, I’m quite senior in my role and would be taking roughly a 15K pay cut. However it keeps niggling in the back of mind, from posts I’ve seen this on previously I’ve seen it commented that teaching means taking work home- in my nursing role this is also very common- you never switch off even on days off. I’m finding the shift work increasingly difficult but not just that, I still like helping people it’s my favourite part of the job but I just feel like nursing is not for me anymore, I’ve still got a long career ahead of me and can’t deny the fact I would prefer Monday- Friday hours and all half terms off for childcare also. I’m interested in hearing from anyone else who has done this? Is it an unrealistic expectation for work/life balance?

This could be me, except I’m slightly older (early 50’s) but completely burnt out with compassion fatigue from 30 years in the NHS, but I feel I am stuck now because of the pension etc etc, if I was slightly younger 100% if would have left. The job is absolutely not what it used to be, and that makes me so sad, the relentless expectations that can not be met, on top of a life or death role with those responsibilities are incredibly hard. I hope you take the plunge!

Yes, some of our priorities are all wrong.

We have adopted a play-based curriculum in the early years, and have a curriculum that is too loose and open to a lack of rigour.

Then the kids hit secondary school, where the teachers are arguably more specialised than in England, but too many of the kids are functionally illiterate and innumerate.

I teach English but at least half of my S1s (age 12) are more like where you'd expect a 9yr old to be.

Friend left nursing for private sector. She does days only, less hours and more pay.

Secondary, a humanities subject. I was originally drawn to primary because of all the terrible things I'd heard about behaviour but am so glad I went for secondary, I enjoy getting really stuck into one subject and find the students, especially year 9 upwards, really engaging to work with. I think a strong behaviour policy is a must though. I don't ever want to work at a school where I can't teach because of bad behaviour.

Secondary, a humanities subject that I'm qualified in. I do have some pshe as well as my subject, which luckily I don't mind teaching (though I wouldn't personally pick it). I'd actually be happy to teach any humanities long term as I find them all interesting and love to learn, but it's really nice getting stuck into your subject and being the expert in the room, students deserve that too if possible, so I feel for your friend.

History was always my favourite subject at secondary school, closely followed by Geography. Really interesting subjects, could tell my teachers were genuinely interested too. You sound like an inspiring role model for your students, lovely to read.

Bandits that they are!

I presume that they still have to pay for bank work?

It depends on where you are. In Scotland you need a degree and must (unless it's changed recently) have studied any subjects that you intend to teach for at least two years at uni*. (Exceptions are made for covering a class for an absent colleague and doing supply - but on supply, and for cover, the lessons should be provided.)

For example, if you have an honours degree in French, but took English Lit for the first two years of your degree, then you can qualify to teach French and English.

*In my day, you could do two subjects for your PGCE; ISTR that it's now a PGDE and you can only do your main subject at first, but can add on the second after.

Totally agree, you will be working MANY more jours as a teacher than a nurse

Agreed. The Curriculum for Excrement should have been buried years ago.

5-14 had its flaws, but it was better than the current tosh.

Yes, I’m a bit shocked for her. From part time geography teacher (geography graduate), to some added RE but now teaching nearly full time, Food Technology/Food Preparation and Nutrition.

So many practicalities and so much health and safety to think about, especially in a school where pupil behaviour is a concern. She is also worried about food handling and not poisoning anyone! Not easy with no experience.

We also have some pupils arriving from primary school who struggle with fluency of reading.
They are put on an Accelerated Reading program, which works very well. Not sure why primary schools can’t do this.
For the record, in our school all teachers have to have a degree in the subject they teach, many are doctors in their subject. However in some cases, due to recruitment crisis, they may teach a second subject to key stage 3, for example - computer studies, cooking, RP. Usually this is for one day only.

I wish I was working as little as 50 hours a week as a teacher. More like 60 to 70 hours.

Please don't teach.
To all the other crap already mentioned about teaching, may I add that pay progression is performance related and the stress that comes with being accountable for the progress of 30 young people who aren't necessarily particularly invested in their own success, is off the scale, especially as whatever outcomes you are able to achieve build directly on the work of the previous teacher. I am breaking my back working insane hours "for the children", while my own DC see very little of me. It's absolutely miserable (although if you saw me in action, you'd think I was in absolute rapture teaching long division to Year 6).

I work part time as a teacher and feel I have a good work life balance but I work in a SEN role where I have less marking etc as small class size. I think the first few years in particular are very relentless but alot depends on the school. Whats the job situation like in your area? I agree with others who suggest volunteering first kids have changed particularly post covid. Saying thar nursing would prepare you for alot of aspects of the job paperwork, layers of management, CPD etc

I came to teaching after a good few years doing something else. I mostly do love my job but there’s no work life balance in term term. I manage to keep up a hobby but that takes a huge amount of organisation.

I’m a middle leader and probably work about 60 hours a week. Yes I get the holidays but if I didn’t I think I’d burn out very quickly.

In your shoes op I’d try to spend some time in a school. When I was considering a career change I spent a year working at a local secondary school. Within a few weeks I realised that was environment I wanted to work in. As part of my PGCE I had to spend two days in a primary school. I don’t know how primary teachers do it!

The other thing op is that a PGCE is an academic qualification and you will have to complete assignments on top of your teaching placements.

What are class sizes like in England? My S1 class has 33 students. I have no classroom assistant. Two of them cannot speak any English and are not literate in their first language. I have one child who cannot touch paper. Of the 33, 22 are marked as ASN.

This is purely informative, I'm not saying we have it harder. I'd love to know if the challenges are the same or if there are systemic decisions that mean we face different challenges.

Have you not read how demanding and entitled parents are towards teachers these days? Do you really want to be dealing with that nonsense?

yes, my husband (teacher) is out the house from 7-6 every week day then does two hours prep every evening. works all day sunday. he’s had three days this half term where he hasn’t done anything school related. He’s a deputy head now but has always worked this many additional hours. i do 90% of kids and house related activities as he has so little down time

Teacher here, albeit primary.
I love the 5.5 hours teaching the children every day. Less love for the fact that I’m in school at 8am and don’t leave before 5:30pm. Still taking marking and prep home and I am VERY organised as a person. Several hours this weekend on SEND paperwork for my class. Half-term but will be in school for at least 2 days to catch up.

I don’t think you’ll find the work life balance an improvement on nursing.

Jesus, frying pan and fire.

I moved into secondary teaching recently and would not recommend it at all! I work 55+ hours a week and am permanently stressed. So many of the kids are so rude and disrespectful and parents constantly complain. At 45 I feel I can't retrain again but have no idea what else to do, so feel stuck. I wouldn't be surprised if I burn out within the next couple of years.

This is spot on.

As an ex-teacher, it’s been an eye opener being in the other side of the gates as a mum on the school run. Even after 4 years, I’m still shocked at what some parents think is acceptable to demand of their child’s teacher and how they refuse to back them up when their children are behaving badly.

I would not return to teaching in a million years.

Hello, not sure if you’re still reading replies as I am a few hours late! I have been teaching 12 years now and I also have an extra responsibility TLR. I’m on the top of my scale and I’m on £54000 ish with my TLR. Bringing home approx £3k a month. I’m not sure how long you’ve been nursing but the starting salary for teaching I find a bit rubbish although it’s gone up since I started. It’s taken me over 10 years to get to the top of the scale and they won’t move you up usually more than one point a year. (Just telling you this so you can compare salaries.) I know you mentioned health and social, this usually isn’t a stand alone subject as you would only do it at GCSE level. So you would teach your main subject and then also H&S. Personally I wouldn’t go into English, Maths or Science as the workload is huge compared to Tech, PE, Geography etc.

I personally really enjoy teaching and I would never put someone off. I work at a lovely school with a great leadership team, nice parents and nice kids in a town which is pretty quiet. I am in groups on Facebook e.g union groups and see so many different posts where people aren’t as lucky as me in a difficult school so it does massively depend where you work. People who leave teaching seem to rave about working for the civil service. They promote moving up the ranks quickly, flexibility and a good work life balance. Just thought I’d give you something else to consider as I know if I left teaching for whatever reason in the future I would look into the CS as a career.

I also don’t work 40+ hour weeks. I work 830-345 mon-fri. We usually have a meeting on a Thurs which can run till 5 for a department meeting or 7 for parents evening but this isn’t every week. Before I had my TLR I got everything done in my PPA and then had some extra time to do other bits. Now with my TLR I am much busier and will have a few weeks a year during coursework deadlines where I will do longer hours but this is twice a year. I really can imagine some teachers working longer hours especially for core subjects eg English. Also again depends on the expectations your school puts on you.

I agree with what someone said further up that parents are the difficult ones and can actually be worse than the kids! Some are very entitled and seem to forget they aren’t privately paying for their kids education.