Adult education as a career move?

[TheGhostOfMrsWembley]

I'm just wondering if anyone can give me their views/experience of teaching adults English at GCSE/Alevel. I'm wondering whether to give this a go when I go back to work next year.

I'm also thinking about prison education, so if anyone has anything to tell me about that I would be extremely grateful.

Do you have a pgce? You'll need one. Funding for adult education (post 19) has taken a real hit so not as many courses running as there used to be. If you're willing to teach 16-18 year olds there's work in f.e if you have a teaching qualification. Prison education is a great job. It's where I started. A higher proportion of learners in prisons have specific learning difficulties like dyslexia so it's worth knowing about these. If you are planning to apply for a pgce do one specifically for f.e and h.e or lifelong learning. Teaching adults is the cinderella sector, rubbish pay and prospects but very rewarding.

Sorry, I should have said! Yes, secondary English teacher here but not really wanting to do part-time in a school (done before, fed up with missing out/ getting caught up with departmental politics).

I've just done some 1-1 tuition, before I had DS in June, and I may look into doing more of that but I'd like something more permanent, IYSWIM. The prison idea really grabs me but I never see anything advertised and I'm not sure, if it is an agency, what agency to approach.

Sometimes further education colleger have the contract for a particular prison's education, sometimes it's an agency and sometimes it's the adult education service attached to your local council. Depends where you are. People to make enquiries with would be your local adult ed service, fe colleges, the w.e.a (workers educational association), national literacy trust. Look online for the last two. There's also interesting opportunities working with adults with more basic literacy needs including lots of prison work. Try looking at the Basic Skills Agency and the National Institute for Adults Continuing Education (Niace) for an idea of what's happening nationally.

Thank-you for the help.