Realistically, if I have a family, what sort of funding is available to train to be a teacher?

[Notplannedforthis]

After much soul searching, I've decided that I'd like to change careers and would love to train to become a primary school teacher.

The only element that's putting me off at the moment, is the financial side of training.

I've looked at student loans and would be entitled to a tuition fee loan and a maintenance loan and 'potentially child tax credit or a grant from the university'.

I was hoping one of you who has been here before me, can give me a vague idea as to how much money I could expect per month? I already have a degree. I live with my husband and 2 children, outside of London. My husband earns £28,000 per annum.

I really am passionate about training to be a teacher, but I need to ensure I can keep my family afloat financially.

Many of the routes into teaching now are 'train on the job' type roles where you are trained within a school for a year and paid a basic salary.
They are pretty intense though as you have a large teaching commitment pretty much from the off. Look at teach first (or school direct?)

www.teachfirst.org.uk/training-with-us

In our city there is a school based training programme that is run by an alliance of local teaching schools who sort the placements etc so perhaps find out if there is something similar where you are.

I trained years ago via a school based PGCE so not quite as intense but received a £6000 bursary instead. Not sure if this exists any more. I presume your local uni would be able to give you more information on this type of route and if there is any financial support available for living costs etc.

Funded routes are available but they're obviously much more competitive. The people round here who tend to get the funded places have years of experience e.g. as a TA

I'm currently doing a PGCE.. married, 3 children. I get the tuition fee loan and about 6k of a maintenance loan. Nothing else at all. We're managing but nothing much left for anything nice after mortgage and bills are paid.

But I keep telling myself it's only a year....

I'm currently a TA and will be doing a salaried school direct course in September. The funding for these courses was cut for primary this year so actually my first round of applications were all rejected as places were pulled, but I did end up getting one. You're paid as an unqualified teacher on that for the one year course. There is also an unsalaried version but you can get student finance for it. The Get Into Teaching service was really helpful so I'd definitely say to get an adviser there. Being a TA definitely gave me an edge in being accepted into the salaried course.

Teach First is a two year course. Primary is full for September 2021, many placements this year were cancelled so I suspect deferred placements filled it up. TF you are the teacher from day 1, I believe, it's a bit more full on and the schools that take part have different requirements from ones that accept SD trainees.

There is still a uni led route but this will include a couple of placements so you still get school experience.

You won’t get tax credits if you are not currently claiming them. It would be a claim for universal credit. I am no expert with UC as have managed to avoid it but I think you would need to be available for work - your local Citizen’s Advice would be able to help, I’m sure. There may be a financial support person at the uni you want to go to so have a look there too.

It's worth contacting universities you're considering applying to directly. When I did my teacher training the university I studied at had grants to cover 100% of students' childcare costs. That was what allowed me to train at all. This is in Scotland.