Any primary school SLT able to tell me if you'd want me to work in your school?

[primarywannabe]

I've taught in secondary for nearly 15 years, and for the last 5 or so I've really wanted to move to primary. I've never taught in a primary school, and obviously my PGCE is in secondary, so I've never been quite brave enough to apply, on the assumption that they wouldn't want to choose me over the myriad experienced primary teachers they have applying.
However, I am really keen to give it a try, and I think it's 'now or never' really. I don't want to get to retirement age and say, "I always fancied working in primary, but..."
So, I'm going to list my 'qualities' here and ask for your honest opinions.

1. I'm a consistently good teacher- I never seem to get outstanding, but often 'good with outstanding features'.
2. My students consistently make good progress and I have evidence of this.
3. I have a wide range of leadership experience- both pastoral (assistant head of year) and faculty based
4. I have completed MLDP
5. I run a Nurture group and have completed the relevant (masters level) training for this
6. I have done a lot of year 6-7 transition work and actually led on this for a couple of years.
7. I currently work closely with the SENCo - really I'm deputy SENCo but that's not my job title. (I'm a 'co-ordinator')
8. My qualification allows me to teach English and Drama, but in reality I've also taught Maths (to lowest years) History, Geography, RE, PSHE and SEAL. Oh, and ASDAN, which is a sort of practical qualification for KS4 children who are not expected to achieve A*-C grades or above.
9. I am a scout leader, so do have some experience of younger children. I also did some voluntary work running a junior youth club many years ago.

The jobs that have caught my eye are local SENCO jobs in primary schools. They are all lower TLRs than I am currently on, but I'd be happy to take the drop to work in the primary phase. What I can't afford to do, though, is drop my TLR altogether and go back to mainscale. I am the highest earner and my salary is vital, unfortunately.

So....would you want me?

(Oh, and if you know me in RL- please don't out me! I've been very specific here!)

Bumping this now people might actually be finishing work

Sorry, but I would probably go with someone wirh Primary experience. There are many subjects to teach in primary schools, most of which have to be delivered by the class teacher.

I would recommend training or experience in a primary if at all possible.

with

I taught in secondary for over 10 years, then switched to primary about 6 years ago. I started off by doing primary supply through agencies, then schools asked for me back and I was then given long term work and put on a contract. It didn't happen overnight, but it can be done. By the way, I would never go back to secondary teaching!

The problem is, the only way to get experience in a primary school is to work in one!
Thanks for your response.

X post happyteacher! Glad it worked out for you...thanks for sharing your experience!

My pleasure. I suggest you register with agencies for supply work. Secondary supply is dead anyway due to cover supervisors; luckily primary schools still use qualified teachers, so you should get plenty of work.

Supply is not going to work for the OP as she needs to keep her TLR.

I think it depends where you are. If you live in the area of the South East I have just left I think you would get a SENCo job. My last school advertised for a SENCo twice. The first time the only applicant was an ex-Head who had been axed through forced academisation of his failing school. The second time NOBODY applied.

Maybe not so easy in areas where the shortage hasn't taken hold so fiercely.

The problem with supply is we're absolutely dependent on my salary...I can't afford to take the gamble at the moment.
My plan is just to make a few applications and see what happens.
I'm not convinced the subject thing would be too much of a problem...as I've said, I teach a variety of subjects at the moment, and have moved around subjects enough to know I could easily adapt. I'm convinced I could do the job, I'm just not sure I can convince anyone else of that!

I'm in the midlands, charlesryder. Lots and lots of primary schools.

I just want to add, I'm not being arrogant or thinking it will be an easy ride or anything.
I am prepared for a hard slog, and a steep learning curve.
I just really, truly think I have the skills to do this, and do it well.
I thought it was just a fad originally, but the more time passes the more I feel that primary is where I want to be.

Sorry, I didn't read your original message properly....I guess you could try applying to primary schools and see what happens. SENCOs are one of the roles that can transfer easily to both schools, as mentioned above, so it's well worth trying to take that route.

Thanks happyteacher- I'm going to go for it I think. Can't hurt to apply.

If it fails, I will wait a few years until I'm in a better financial position and try your supply route!

We've just appointed a secondary trained teacher for a class teacher role in primary. Go or it!

As your specialism is English, I'd strongly recommend that you get some solid knowledge and experience of phonics and early reading under your belt.

Thanks spanieleyes.

Mara, I have a good amount of experience in this area. I led in EAL for a couple of years. I mostly teach English to children with a range of SEN, so we're working at P-levels at times, especially in year 7. I've done a couple of reading recovery programmes. Thanks for the suggestion!

In which case, go ahead and apply with emphasis on that experience in your application. I'm also secondary training and an English specialist but I used to work in an all-through school, and that would have been my only reservation about employing a secondary specialist in primary.

That's brilliant, thankyou! Just the kind of feedback I need!

I'm quite excited about this now- I have phoned a few schools for application forms. Just need to tell my current head I'm applying out before anyone contacts her for a reference!

I'd do some serious reading around Maths too. You could make a really good case for how your English experience is relevant and why a primary school would benefit from having you. But if I was interviewing you I'd want to know what you know about the progression of acquisition of skills in early Maths and the calculation methods which are taught at the relevant stage of primary education. You could try having a google for primary calculation policy - that will be bring up some good examples of progression. Then if there are methods there you are uncomfortable with you can do some further reading. Maths for Mums and Dads or Mathematics Explained for Primary Teachers (Haylock) would both be worth a look.

I am a newly qualified teacher currently doing supply. My qualification is in secondary but I have endless requests to do primary even though I have absolutely no experience. I did give in and do some days primary, but I prefer secondary, and can fill up the 5 days a week with that. However, it would be very easy to get into primary and build up enough experience to apply for permanent jobs.

We have a secondary trained and practised teacher who moved to primary. He has been with us two years now.
I won't say what his 'specialism' is as it may out me. Not common for secondary to transition into primary and vice versa.

(And I loved the days in primary, fab kids and staff, and they did ask me back , but the marking is crazy - do not want to spend my whole life marking....)

I would have thought your Y6/7 transition work would be worth pushing as well, especially for upper KS2 jobs. Good Luck

For us to employ you, you would have to prove that you can plan and teach all the other subjects Other than English. do you know what makes an outstanding lesson in year 3 maths, for example. Can you plan a scheme of work based around rivers? I only ask because you would be very expensive to employ but may need the same support to start off with that an NQT would need. I assume you are on UPS. Normally, when a school employs someone on this pay scale they either would have a curriculum responsibility or is an incredibly experienced and highly skilled teacher.
Would you be willing to take a pay cut?

Good point from Izzy. I took a pay cut when I transferred to primary, as I don't want any curriculum responsibility, or being responsible for anything, quite frankly!