Teachers, come and tell me - would I ever find a nanny/nanny-housekeeper like this??

[Mummyinthedark]

I need a nanny, preferably a nanny-housekeeper in London for two primary school age DCs. Because of their age I was wondering if we might be able to interest an ex-teacher or ex-teaching assistant who would (hopefully) have strong skills in gently helping with academic and emotional and social development as well as the usual nurturing, playing, cooking for, looking after stuff.
This person would be following on from our lovely professional nanny, who is moving away after working with us for more than 8 years! Prepared to pay similar to a teacher's salary in early years in the profession although the person would NOT get all of school hols off, only the weeks when we go on family holidays.
I wonder, now the children are older if a different sort of care would be better suited to their developing needs and I thought someone with teacher training might be good. (I would also be prepared to look at someone wanting to bring their child with them) Am I mad to think this might appeal to a teacher looking for a more intimate environment and more flexibity?
any thoughts gratefully received.

Sorry to be glib, but sounds like you need to pop in a time machine and find yourself a Victorian Governess...

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Thanks Lynette, looks interesting, will talk to them.

KembleTwins don't really see the point of your post.

If you were paying well then you might find someone - it might especially appeal to a teacher/ex teacher if they could bring their own child with them & they were then not having to pay for childcare themselves.

I'm a teacher but also work as a p.time nanny/babysitter. I had one family who kind of expected me to 'tutor' their kids when I babysat but I always resented it to be honest, they paid me £8ph but as a tutor I could have easily earned £20ph so I thought they were taking the p*ss a bit and the arrangement didnt work out. Their kids were secondary age though so the level of work was higher (GCSE).

A lot of teachers and teaching assistants really value the school holidays though so people might be reluctant to give this up....

As a teacher I would say 'No'. I wouldn't want you telling me what to do! I think that if I was going to do it I would want you to bring them to my home and I would do it my way-like a CM.

Also as a teacher, I doubt many would be interested to work for the same money (probably less when pensions etc are taken into considration) but have to work the holidays.

Also IMO, i find it easier and more rewarding to teach 30 children within a classroom environment than 2 children at home.

I agree with the numbers-I think I would get bored with just a couple-it is an entirely different job. I get a real buzz from the classroom.

Thanks DibDab and Pisces. My sil is an ex-head state school head and I know that any other teachers with similar outlook to her would not like the idea of working within the family either.
Teachers, and TAs, do learn a lot of skills I think I would like to see in someone looking after my children so I thought it would be helpful to test the water to see if any might be tempted by an escape from the admin, testing and big child/adult ratios that are the less attractive aspects of the school environment for some.

Oh more input - thanks SS!
Am off to bed in a minute so any other comments from any of you kind enough to pitch in please don't be frustrated if I don't respond tonight.

I think teaching and nannying are two different jobs really, though you could possibly appeal to a teacher who wants to bring her own child to work while they're young.

Possibly an Australian or NZ teacher who wants to nanny here on a working holiday and appreciates some time off in the day though?

I meant that your job spec sounds a lot like the kind of thing only expected from a Governess in the 19th century. As a teacher, I find it quite an odd suggestion. There is a massive difference between teaching and housekeeping, and if you were going to pay the same rates as a teacher gets paid, then you would have to factor in the holidays and up the pay to cover that. I think you'd be hard pushed to find someone who trained to be a teacher wanting to work in the kind of environment you're suggesting.

Would suggest trying a different avenue.

Maybe. OP doesn't say if the DCs are actually at school though. That would make a difference. If the OP wants a housekeeper who will pick the kids up after school, help with homework and basically babysit, why would someone with a post graduate qualifcation want to do that? Still think she's after a 21st century Mary Poppins.

Plenty of nannies are very well educated - lots find the work and pay pretty good, and can sometimes bring their own children with them.

Nannies have degrees, some like me only have an HND, while others may have little or even no educational grades. The same I suspect is true of teaching assistants. Whereas someone with QTS will have a degree (I don't think you can get QTS without a degree... though I'm only guessing... so will be delighted if someone knows a way of getting QTS without doing a degree).
Finding someone who will want to do the housework, care for children plus educate children ... that's going to be tricky. As has been discussed on here in the past... someone may be good at childcare, good at teaching, good at housework, but finding someone good at 2 or more of those things is more rare. Something usually suffers... a nanny may be great at childcare but only pass grade in housework.

yes I think you are mad to think this would appeal to a fully trained and qualified teacher!

of course the best of luck

(am a teacher btw)

I think it would appeal to a teacher from one of the newer EU countries.

It would appeal to me....but then that's because I'm already doing the job for free with my 3!

Personally I think you would get a lot of the "strong skills in gently helping with academic and emotional and social development" from a professional nanny - especially if you look for someone with previous experience with / a preference for looking after older children rather than babies (which might well be the same sort of person who is prepared to take on a nanny/housekeeper role, given that the DC will be at school).

One of the teachers at ds's school was a governess (yes that was really her title) when she did her OE in the UK.

You might find a young NZ trained teacher who wants to travel. Would you want live in?

"ONLY have an HND"...?!

As a trained HLTA currently working as a nanny the roles are wildly different and nannying for the most part is nowhere near as stimulating as working in a school. Add to that being belittled, treated like a complete idiot and being told I know nothing about childrens education despite working in education for five years with excellent references to show for it I wouldn't rush to repeat the experience.
Governesses for the record are not expected to do housework.
The problem with nannies like me is we have no intention of staying in nannying so it might be difficult to get a long term commitment. I nanny to earn money to continue my studies to train as a teacher.
Good luck but those who have worked in schools are used to being treated as competent professionals usually by other staff if not by the parents and it is a big step down to being a subbordinate.
Maybe that's just my job

I think this job might apeal to an Ausiie/NZ teacher, but I think a cleaner would also be neccessary.

I'm presuming your DC's are actually in school, Mummyinthedark. Do you work? If so I presume the main nannying hours would be 7-9am and 3-7pm, (and school holidays), with housework carried out in between. Is that right?

YOu enver know, and agency may be able to find you the ideal person, but personally I would look around for an older nanny and a seperate cleaner.

Just wanted to say I was a primary teacher and now I have had my daughter I do morning drop off and then pick up, homework, dinner for 2 boys. I take my daughter with me - seems to be working for us! But saying that my situation is slightly different in that we lost a baby due to pre-eclampsia and then had a very difficult high risk with my 2nd daughter, which has totally changed my perspective on life, so have put my teaching on hold until she goes to school!