Are there any primary teachers here that have made the move to secondary?

[StarryEyeSurprise]

Just that, although I'm not sure if there's a Scottish education part to mumsnet. Please PM me or write on here as I'm looking for some further info.

I knew someone who started the quick converter course ,first placement hated it and about turned back to primary. Their degree was languages. They were appalled at behaviour ((it was a really good school) and by lack of use of textbooks or pre prepared courses. Some secondary subjects have a real surplus and an even worse job market than primary at present.

Thanks Lidl, I'd ( hopefully) be ok with behaviour as two of the schools I've worked in have been in the top 3 for having the most high tariff children in Glasgow. I prefer the older ones too.
I've had a permanent job since I qualified and currently looking to relocate. The secondary I saw a job advertised in would be challenging also.
Someone in a teacher group had said that the move is possible with just HT sign off. Will try and find some more info out.

In the past I've worked with secondary teachers who were primary trained only. They taught both maths and English to third year level but weren't able to teach certificated classes beyond that. Quite rare though. I would imagine you'd need the conversion if you wanted to teach beyond third year. I've only ever known people to convert the other way.

I would recommend! I love it. Couldn't imagine teaching in Primary School.

What subject would you want to teach and what's your degree? When there was talk of creating "hybrid" Maths and English teachers to straddle P6 to S2 I considered doing the course. The idea was shelved but my DH was pissing himself as I had to go on a P7 residential (once) as part of the pastoral aspect of and I hated every minute. I couldn't believe how much they had matured by S1 - primary teachers are magicians.

One of the joys of secondary is having everything from new wee S1s to AH in day. And having over 200 pupils is another bonus.

We had some peripatetic primary PE teachers redeployed when the council scrapped the role, and PE departments found timetabling a nightmare as they couldn't teach certificate classes until they undertook modules at the appropriate level and obtained GTCS registration for Secondary.

I did teach somewhere that employed a nurture primary teacher to support in the BGE mainly in Maths and English.

Thanks forfuck / Lidl.

I would teach business ( my degree is in Business and Management). It sounds like it won't be as straightforward as I'd been advised. I'll perhaps contact my EIS rep. I do enjoy my current school but looking for a change of scenery. I know you both would have had a s*itshow to contend with during the past year and I don't see covid going away anytime soon so any move will be a steep learning curve to say the least!

And I couldn't leave unless it was for another permanent job so couldn't risk going onto a course with no guarantee of a role after.

I am a secondary teacher, and have worked with many who were originally primary trained. You could go into ASN based roles where there are few certificate level pupils and the primary training is really needed in terms of first and second level which we just don't have the training for, especially in huge mixed ability classes. Many schools will gladly let you teach up to N4 level in core subjects as it frees up more experienced staff to do N5/H/AH. My current school the head of the DAS department is primary trained, no conversion. The PT1 of maths is primary trained. There are ways and means around different jobs, just keep your eyes open for specific adverts if you don't want to do the conversion. I could never do primary, they are genuinely wonderful in their organisation!

Business is a great subject!

Business is a great subject and schools that really embrace all the possible courses provide great opportunities for learners. Nat 5s in Retail or Admin actually open the Senior Phase up with very employable qualifications for some reluctant learners that otherwise might plateau at Nat4. Mine sadly doesn't. The conversion course is quick but how you combine that with (quite rightly) only moving for a permanent post maybe complex. Good luck!

@Lidlfix

Business is a great subject and schools that really embrace all the possible courses provide great opportunities for learners. Nat 5s in Retail or Admin actually open the Senior Phase up with very employable qualifications for some reluctant learners that otherwise might plateau at Nat4. Mine sadly doesn't. The conversion course is quick but how you combine that with (quite rightly) only moving for a permanent post maybe complex. Good luck!

Didn't even know these existed! Schools could be such exciting places for young people.

Starry something else just occurred to me. My DF is a Maths teacher - her degree is Business Management but has enough Maths content to satisfy GTCS, was there any Computing content ? Computing teachers can pick and chose where they go.

Apologies all, I've not been on here for a while!
I did study statistics and economics as part of my degree, I wouldn't feel able to teach maths at secondary level though - long division is probably my limit!
Computing I'd feel much more comfortable with - I used to work very closely with IT on projects in my previous career. I'm not sure how much relevant experience I could put forward from my degree however, beyond the typing up of essays etc!
I've decided not to go for the job I saw but will keep an eye out incase another comes up in an area I want to move to and will see what happens!
Thanks all and to the teachers who replied - I hope the term's going smoothly ( or as smoothly as it can do ) so far.

Bumping this thread too.