From secondary to primary...

[changingphases]

I have been a secondary music teacher for 8 years and I like what I do most of the time. It is, however, a struggling subject in terms of funding and school priority these days.
Recently spend a year abroad with dh job and did supply - ended up teaching junior/elementary music and loved loved working with the younger students. So much more than I thought I ever would.
Now, primary school music jobs would be hard to secure as there's even less funding for it in primary, but I am pondering what my chances might be of retraining in general primary and being available of course as a music specialist within that role.
I would probably be best at upper primary and have a wide range of A-levels that could be helpful (French, Music, English, Biology). Obviously I have QTS and first hand experience of the stress that comes with Teaching...is this something that anyone around here has done? Is it virtually impossible?
Thanks a lot for thoughts

I changed from secondary to primary years ago. I had taught history, geography, and psychology at gcse and A level plus i'd taught ks3 english.
I took a hlta post at a primary, really genned up on my maths and then made the move.

I find the pressure to be equal, but the marking load is much larger. Although behaviour is different, it is not easier. There are far more children with complex needs still in the classroom, and often you struggle with no help until they are the magic 2 years behind. The planning is much more time consuming, and never underestimate the difference taking a class all the time all year will make.

Then there are the extras: you'll be expected to run clubs and put on productions. Parental involvement is much more evident.

I would look at the year 6 ITAF for maths and english and see how you feel about it. Then go into a primary and volunteer.

Your music would be an advantage but tbh i've found arts being more and more squeezed out.

You won't need to do a conversion course. QTS is enough. My old school academised and since then have mostly employed unqualified or scitt anyway!

@phlebasconsidered I was really interested to read your response as I'm a secondary school maths teacher and considering making the move to primary, but it sounds from your experience it's harder ,do you regret the move ,

QTS is QTS: you don't need to retrain. You would need to convince a Head that you're up to scratch on the English & maths curricula though, especially if you're aiming at KS2.

Having music will be an advantage. You might find a school willing to take you as PPA cover to do music. You'd certainly be popular to lead all the productions & assemblies (esp if you're a pianist).

I've done both (primary to secondary and back again).
I think the main difference is that primary is more intense -same children all day every day for a year, being solely responsible for their progress in all subjects, ppa time in one block and no other pockets of time and as they are younger you kind of feel more responsible for them.
Having said that I find primary so much more rewarding and if you didn't like it you could always move back with some new experiences?

Thanks so much for responses. It's definitely food for thought and I will keep mulling over.

Look at private schools as they want specialist subject teachers.

I've been in private preps (primary) for years now and I vow never to go back to state.