Becoming a primary teacher

[greencats]

Hi everyone

I've been considering returning to study an undergraduate degree in primary Education which runs over 2 years and then do a PGCE. The degree costs £11K a year & I've recently found out I can't get funding for the first year due to having studied before... so it will mean paying from some savings which I'm worried about doing.I'm 36, recently divorced and have 3 children. I've read a few MN posts on this topic but none that are recent, does this sound like a bad idea?

@Antiqueanniesmagiclanternshow im infants so we don't start till 9 and i set the room up before leaving pm and have 5 folders mon-fri with all resources inside for direct teaching each day! I'm super organised but I use my time wisely!

@HambletonSquare has it right.

Schools are not keen on this option as it makes communication, CPD, team work really difficult.

It’s not just that though is it, it’s their staffing budget. Costs more to employ two part-timers than one full time.

I job shared for years. It doesn’t not need to be any of these things. It can be a fantastic experience for a class who do not have a teacher who is wiped out by a Thursday. Also you tend to have people who teach their strengths. I’m terribly at art but great at technologies. We spilt the curriculum down those lines. Team work with a job share is no different than without.

@Iwantthesummersun

I job shared for years. It doesn’t not need to be any of these things. It can be a fantastic experience for a class who do not have a teacher who is wiped out by a Thursday. Also you tend to have people who teach their strengths. I’m terribly at art but great at technologies. We spilt the curriculum down those lines. Team work with a job share is no different than without.

I agree.

I’ve seen lots of part time and job sharing in primary schools. Deputy head jobshare too. Even heads at one school! Many schools prefer to retain good teachers and have them part time. Many schools I know wouldn’t have enough teachers if they were not flexible.

Starting with 3 children and one with sen will be ultra tough. What help can you access? What other jobs could you do? Teachers do get decent holidays and many of my teachers friends retired before 60 with excellent pensions. These are massively better than many other industry pensions or what the self employed can expect. But you won’t get a company car you pay income tax on!

Be aware that anyone starting teaching now will not be leaving with a brilliant pension before 60. I started in the 90s and won’t be in that category. Yes there’s a good pension but it’s contributory and you will not be in a position to retire pre60 on excellent levels.

Thanks everyone for your comments, I've read each one and it's helped me gain an insight. I'm going to put it off for a year and have a think about what it is I want. I haven't really stopped since divorce/house move so I think this is best. The money side of things is worrying as I hadn't factored having to fork out for the course upfront. A lot of the course is online which I don't think I'll enjoy anyway. Thanks again for the replies, it's really helped.

@Iwantthesummersun
The employer pays a huge contribution too! Teachers are still getting a great pension when compared to nearly everyone else. And plenty still retiring at 60. That’s a great deal too. So maybe a career to consider in a few years? Good luck.

I career changed into teaching OP. I used to be a solicitor so switched from something also with long working hours.
IME there are teachers that go in early, stay late but rarely take stuff home, and those who have a shorter day in school but do marking and other work in the evening once their kids are in bed. It's about finding a pattern that works for you and also finding a school where management are not ridiculous about work load.
I would say I definitely work harder and for longer than my old job and it is more stressful. I really love it though, so I wouldn't want to do anything else. You have to enjoy spending time with the kids. The trainees I can think of that left teaching early on didn't enjoy that core of the job tbh. They mostly started teaching for other reasons.
Before anyone says I'm new and naïve I've been teaching for 8 years. I've done it as a singleton and as a mum of 2!