Teachers - how much does taking a career break blow a hole in your career?

[fuschiagroan]

I don't have any children yet - hoping to in a few years. I have no idea how I will feel when they arrive regarding going back to work/choosing childcare, but since I recently had a massive tearfest about leaving my cat in a cattery to go on holiday [irrational madwoman emoticon], I am anticipating that I may want to take some time out when they are tiny.

So what I want to know is, how much does a career break disadvantage you? Is it really hard to get back in or go part time?

I returned part time as a job share at first and then as a floating teacher.

Having kids completely changed my way of thinking of the children - opened my eyes to the feelings of the parents as well of the kids which i think is a really good thing.

How far into your career are you and are you primary or secondary? I definitely think you can continue to progress well with kids and I can think of some very good heads who are mothers. (Although let's be honest and admit that most heads are male!)

I know of someone who's just re-entered the workplace having been out of it for 10 years!! Keeping up to date with what's going on always helps of course.

Don't know if this has helped at all, but feel free to ask specific questions and i'll answer as best I can.

I can only speak of the experience my sister has had, she has found it almost impossible to get back in however she finished a short term post to go on Mat leave at the end of her NQT year, she waited until her dd was 4 to try and get back in, a year later and a course to fill in the gaps from the last 5 years and she is still trying to land a job (I personally feel she is going after the wrong jobs but that's another mater and what do I know I am not a teacher )
I would think though if you are an experienced teacher you would not have those same problems, having your own children could be seen as a positive on a teachers CV, parenthood teaches you the most surprising things! I am sure someone who knows allot more will be able to give you some better advice will come along soon!

Thanks

I am not very far in. Secondary. But I'm not even married yet! I'm just thinking ahead, because I know I want children. Am hoping in maybe 4 or 5 years time.

If I did take time out, I would also use it to do some tutoring to keep me up to date on the curriculum etc. and maybe do another degree (either further postgrad or a completely different subject, maybe languages, to give me more tutoring options).

I think I would quite like to be at least Head of Department at some stage. Do you think that would be out of the question if I took, say, 3 years out?

I think it depends where you work, your prior experience, subject and how long you take it.

I've been a governor for at several schools and also have lots of friends and family in teaching and I know of plenty of women headteachers with DCs, in fact one who is mid-40s with 5 DCs. In fact IME teaching is one of the careers least likely to be affected by career breaks.

Do you think that would be out of the question if I took, say, 3 years out? Absolutely not.

I think it depends on age group and subject. If you are primary you may struggle mopre as there are too many primary teachers in some parts of the country. If they can easily get a cheaper NQT they will. Secondary subject is all important. Personally I am a Maths teacher on a career break. I know virtually every school struggles to get enough Maths teachers. I have been virtually promised a job back at my old school when I want it - they will take whatever part-time hours I want. TBH I could get 20 jobs by next september if I wanted without trying!

A lot of heads like the fact that i have had my children and won't be disappering on maternity leave that they have a nightmare to cover! Having your own children makes you a better teacher IMO as you see children in a different way. I have stockpiled examples of this ready for interview when I am ready to return. You can do tutoring but being prepared to go in for a few weeks to shadow before you start will also help.

Sorry, just thought of something else! Lots of senior staff I have worked with have taken career breaks. One didn't even eneter teaching until after having children. It hasn't stopped them!

I took 5 years out. Went back to my old school. Was promoted back to a position equivalent to the one I left in a year and was promoted again a year later.

I did another degree in my time out - was fabulous!

I took five years out and it could have ruined my career. I left as a head of year in a school. I wanted to go back time after five Years and had to go back as a standard teacher in a school that had real problems attracting staff. I did that for a few years and worked my way back up. I am now part of SMT, the other women at my level do not have children.

it ruined mine. I had 9 months off when I had ds. That caused me problems because of the way the school treated me when I returned. Basically, the head and my head of department preferred my maternity cover and she was permanent by the time I got back.
But the worst was when I had two years off due to ill health. I now can't find a permanent job as schools prefer enthusiastic nqts with up to date knowledge, who cost 15k less.

It depends.If you do some professional development while you're off it will really help you to get back in.

I think it also depends on how you want to work when you go back. Part-timers tend not to get promoted at my school. And people returning after a career break often want part time.

From my experience being a woman with children can harm your teaching career. I have worked in four schools in all but one all the women in senior roles were childless.

In my school the Head is a woman and has had children, two Assistant Heads are women with children, the three core subject HoDs are women, and two have children (I am one of them). I suspect the first is related to the rest. None of us have been promoted from a part time position though.

Sorry - was forgetting ICT! Also a woman - with children!

I really hope I have just worked in odd schools.

In my dh's school the Head is a very well regarded woman, and she took 5 years off to raise her two children.

As I said, the Head makes a massive difference. Ours has protegees for sure. But she is unimpressed with part timers. It isn't the presence or absence of children for her, it's the perceived presence or absence of commitment.

Fuschia, if I were you, I would concentrate on my career and my personal life, and cross other bridges when you arrive at (or near) them...

My SIL has found it impossible to back to work as she says at every interview a NQ is appointed, she reckons its because they're cheaper to employ. She's a secondary school science teacher.

I'm a Science teacher too. There are quite a lot of Science NQTs around, but most are biologists, and if you are flexible on what you teach, then that is a big advantage.

I have noticed recently that we have had a lot of applications from and I interviews with a lot of women returning from time off for children. They are rarely successful.

durga, when you say they are rarely successful, why is that?

Is it a sign of the times (eg they compare unfavourably against applicants with current experience in an employers market), because they want pt roles, because they are more expensive compared to NQTs, is it because they are asking for too much salary?

Seems it depends on the school.

In teaching, you don't ask for salary. There is a payscale according to experience and performance. My school couldn't pay me the salary of an NQT even if I asked for it.

Do you interview durga? Might it be a jargon keeping up with initiatives thing. When I went back after my break, it was like people were speaking another language - and it was composed entirely of acronyms. In my interview I said I really knew nothing about all the things they were asking me about, but I was a quick learner. Fortunately the people interviewing with me may have been up on the initiative de jour, but they weren't good teachers, and that's what it comes down to inte end.