Considering primary teacher training in my mid-forties with a young child

[40plusmama]

I've been increasingly unhappy in my job - it's suited me perfectly whilst I've been on maternity and gone back part time to spend as much time as possible with my little one. It's just a basic incredibly boring admin job. My child is now almost school age and I'm considering going into primary teaching...

I've secured an interview on a school centred initial teacher training course. Am I crazy?! I'm approaching mid forties.

Realistically, in 2026, what does primary teaching look like? If it makes any difference it's a small sleepy village location school. I just don't know if I can effectively be the mum I want AND a teacher.

Well it’s not school hours that’s for sure. You’ll find you have to work a good few hours at night and weekends for planning etc. Are you guaranteed a job at the small sleepy village school? Teaching is hard work, emotionally draining and utterly exhausting, a lot of it depends on colleagues and the SLT a lot of the time. I taught in Scotland, maybe it’s different south of the border.

You’ll get the holidays with your child and that’s great. But day to day and week to week, you’ll be exhausted, overwhelmed, over-stimulated and under paid. Get some experience first ideally.

Dh retrained as a primary teacher in his late 40s. Ds2 was in primary 2 and went to after school club to accommodate dh and I picked him up at 6. Dh often finished too late to be able to reliably do pick up. I always did drop off.

School holidays are definitely a plus but it will be very hard if you don't have a partner whose job allows them to be first on call parent during term time.

Dh loves his job and we're much better off as a family compared to his previous work but most of the people he trained with (6 years ago) are no longer teaching.

Good luck OP, I have a similar idea but it is helpful to see that aside from the school holidays, it sounds a tough job. I have a 2 year old and married to a teacher so becoming a teacher seems good in theory but I have reservations. I hope it works out for you.

I done my teacher training alongside my first, but never went into teaching children. The holidays were great, but the hours you put in, oh my, no one realises. Things are easier once you are experienced, but you need to get through those years first. A friend of mine was a primary school teacher, reception, remember Matilda, and Miss Honey? Well she is Miss Honey. She left when she had her first as the hours didn't suit being a parent and she done the job with her eyes closed.

I used my degree though as I went into training adults. So all the skills needed for lesson plans, presentation skills and session planning I use!

I used to be a TA and what I heard from teachers was extremely long hours (7am-5pm in school, then more work at home after put kids to bed) and working most weekends too. Also something to consider, you usually won't be able to get any term time off so will miss your own child's sports days, xmas plays etc and need the other parent to take them to any appointments during school hours. I have a friend who absolutely loves primary teaching but has no kids, and a secondary teacher who has kids and loves it but now works part time.