Any college lecturers here?

[Nee2125]

I’m thinking of making a change from secondary school to college - any thoughts please? Please be kind I’ve been out of education for a little while

@Nee2125 Hello!! - just seen your post. I moved from secondary to FE 17yrs ago - had done similar in secondary before then. FE has its stresses but overall easier. However salaries are lower, you can feel less secure - constant pressure to market your courses - if your course doesn't run then you risk not being employed. Make sure you join a good/outstanding college - many always seem to financially on the edge. I have been okay, but it can be a risky move.

I did the move the other way. Started in Secondary, almost 15 years in FE and then back in Secondary for the past 5 years.

In my experience,

The benefits of FE are...

• No behaviour issues
• none of the extras (break duty etc)
• you just teach. No faff with the wider life of the school, tutor groups etc etc
• no exercise books, only essays to mark, although for me it was all A level essays, it was more sane because you only mark the essays.
• As your paid in hours, you can combine some admin as part of your hours. I used to have hours for being on the admissions / recruitment team. That was fun and I enjoyed that.
• You can specialise in your A level teaching. For example, at my college there was a history teacher who specialised in 20th century history, another who specialised in medieval history and they mostly just taught their specialisms. I found that because my timetable meant I only taught my side of the course and really knew it. The students used to say I was a walking encyclopaedia.

The downsides to FE...

• lack of job security. Every Sept you're scrabbling around for hours if a course doesn't run. I found that really stressful.
• lower pay. I earn the same in 4 days here, as I would back at my old college (and they paid well over the average for FE)
• lack of holidays. We got 4 weeks in the summer.
• Because the year is condensed, the hours term time are very intense.
• lack of opportunities/ promotion. Many of the jobs that earn a small tlr in schools are paid in hours in FE (at least at my college). So there's little opportunity to get promotion or more money.
• not as much diversity in teaching, I've always thought teaching in schools have so many highs and lows, whereas FE is more stable in the middle.

I'm now back in a school, working 4 days a week, on the same salary I would be full time. As my timetable is predominantly A level, I feel I have the best of both worlds now.

Thank you @sarahfic and @AliceBlueGown

Really lovely responses

@sarahfic I’m really confused what to do. The school I’m in I am basically the head if department but NO TLR. the school keep saying there’s not enough people in dept. For me to have a TLR. They’ve done same with other departments. I’m very unhappy with school and seen a job in a college practically the street from my home!

I don’t know what to do. Advice please anyone reading xx

I would research the job and consider applying. However check the contract, hours and also rate of pay. I moved to FE from secondary because on a day to day basis the job was less pressurised (moving from a very stressful job). We could afford the drop in pay - it was worth it for me. Pay in FE, unless you are senior management is well below schools.