Returning to secondary teaching

[likeafishneedsabike]

Hi, a returning secondary teacher here. I would really appreciate some advice or insights from any of you. The posts I've seen on here have been so down to earth and fair.
I took the best part of a decade out of secondary teaching with DS1 and DS2. Taught part time/contract work during that time doing lots of tutoring and quite a lot of casual lecturing. Enjoyed it all but need more steady/bigger income now that the DC are in primary school.
I decided to return in September and delighted to get a job at what is considered the best local secondary.
HOWEVER, it has been unbearably hard. Punishing, even. It was always going to be tough to get into the swing of things after years out, and to get to grip with entirely new GCSE and A-level specs and schemes of work. But the biggest shock has been the amount of sheer hard WORK that goes into behaviour. Behaviour management seems to be down to the individual teacher and their department with little support from above. I've been appalled at how exhausting and time consuming behaviour is in s school with such a good reputation. The fact of the matter is that I can't dedicate the time to behaviour admin (incident logging, contact home, detentions etc) , to planning and marking and to family life ticking along without doing some damage to my sanity!
My question is, is it worth trying another school before packing it in? I thought I had chosen the best one according to OFSTED, reputation etc but in all honesty I have bitten off more than I can chew with a full timetable, form group, Extended project candidates, pupil premium interventions at lunchtimes and everything else.
Any chance that working at a very successful school might actually be harder than an average one? The students certainly seem more resistant to a new teacher than I had thought possible.

I've been teaching for 16 years: it was as you describe when I started.

Do you think your skills may have decreased? (not intended rudely, it's just I honestly do not feel there has been a notable difference in kids' behaviour between now and say 2009.)

Have you considered private school? Far less time spent on dealing with poor behaviour.

I think it's partly the school and partly you (no offence!). When I say it's partly you, I mean that it's your first year back, lots of pupils will know you're new to the school, so will try it on. If you can stick it out for a few years in the same school, then behaviour incidences will gradually drop.

BUT, it's also the school - the best schools are managed in such a way that classroom teachers can just get on and teach, and that's all they do - plan their teaching, then teach, then assess that pupils are learning in some way or another. Anything else, eg. phone calls home are done by someone in the pastoral team, after school detentions are run by them as well etc.

So it's hard to know what to do really - if you're fairly happy there, then could you ask to go down to 4 days a week until you're more established eg. in a couple of years?

I've moved schools a lot in the last couple of years, because I came back from a career break, and the first 2 schools were awful, but it's really, really hard work every time I move schools, it's like starting all over again as an NQT. So, I wouldn't recommend moving schools unless you're desperate - it won't help with the workloads.

Thanks for your replies. It’s so helpful to hear other perspectives.
Not sure how to tag you astuz but that’s exactly what it feels like: starting as an NQT! Bad enough first time around when I had no responsibilities outside school. Argh.
I was a bit rusty for the first couple of weeks (8 plus years since standing in front of 30 teenagers) and although I am now back in the game, certain classes took their advantage early on and haven’t let that go. I’m sure you know what I mean.
Interesting to hear that in some schools, behaviour manage,met is centralised. Running your own after school detentions every day is very costly in time, and also feels a bit like a personal vendetta rather than a business like punishment.

Loopyloopyluna private school is a tempting prospect but I don’t think that I am a prime candidate to them as a returning teacher.

OP - I also get a bit fed up with people trotting out the line "just go work in a private school" - like we haven't thought of that! Sorry Loopyloopyluna - I know it is worth mentioning to certain people in certain circumstances, I just find it irksome when I can't get a job in one!

I apply for private school jobs whenever they come up, but never managed to secure a job in one, and I've been trying for 14 years, and I teach a shortage subject, and have a Ph.D. in that subject, with an excellent record of achieving results with my pupils, especially at A-level.

The problems are:

1. Where I live is not a rich area and it's fairly rural, so there aren't many private schools around, the nearest one is a good 30 minute drive away.
2. Jobs in the very few private schools hardly ever come up (about 5 adverts in the 14 years I've been looking).
3. Whenever a job does come up, every other chemistry teacher within a 25 mile radius has the same idea, so they are inundated with applicants.

Exactly: I notice on TES that loads of the independent school jobs are in the South East where we can't afford to live! There are a few in our area but, as you say, teachers tend to stay until they retire so turnover is minimal. There is one advertsising a maternity cover, so that could be a way in, but there's always the chance that the post holder will return full time and the maternity cover will be left with no job.

Sorry I do understand it’s not always easy/possible to just go get a job in a private school but it is certainly something worth considering before leaving the teaching profession altogether. Luckily I work in a shortage subject in an area with many private schools and there are always loads of jobs going. Private schools around here are so desperate they often hire people straight from industry often without any formal qualifications in the subject they will be teaching.

My DH works in a private school and is always moaning about behaviour : it isn't the answer, I'm afraid.

I wouldn't want to work in a private school anyway; I am totally opposed to them.

Local school (not independent!) states in their current advert that the role is teaching only. Behaviour management beyond a three step system is done by other staff. Detentions and contact home are even mentioned specifically in the advert.
I have booked a tour with them: the idea that each teacher is a King in his/her own castle building their own educational empire is really quite tiresome and I’m looking for a robust behaviour management policy as outlined by astuz (how do I tag?!)
Big sigh though at the idea of learning new systems, staff, checked of work etc etc etc. And being the new teacher again😭

Schemes of work, not checked of work!