Are you ambitious?

[VorpalSword]

Hi. Totally just being curious what your ambitions are in schools. Master your craft as a classroom teacher or on a fast track to being a Head?

I am a career changer and still trying to figure out what I want so thought it would be nice to hear from others.

My ambition mostly is to make it to the end of the term, or the year.

I'm currently deciding whether to chuck it all in or hold on until I'm 60.

I wouldn't want to be a HT in the slightest.

No, not ambitious. Was SLT for a while and it was the most miserable experience of my career. I am happy to be a class teacher.

I agree @BackforGood. Most days my ambition is to get to the end of the day and whilst biting my tongue. Not overly interested in the traditional career ladder of working towards headship - more interested in doing the best I can and maintaining a healthy work / life balance.

I never wanted to be HT or even SLT, and have been lucky enough to carve out my career involving lots of mentoring, coaching and CPD to give variety alongside the classroom.

I don't want to stay in classroom teaching forever but nor do I want to become a head. I imagine moving sideways into something else education related... We shall see how easy that is!

I used to be. I got as far as HoD but didn't enjoy it all, although I was successful at it. From September I'm going back to being a line teacher and will assess from there. I would still like to progress at some point but I can't do HoD again, not in my particular subject.

I was HoD for 4 years then stepped down to leave a toxic school. I'm now lead practitioner with a whole school remit and it's my perfect job, I think.

I was a career changer too (at 33, with a background in civil engineering consultancy and project management). I was a deputy head at Christmas of my 3rd year teaching, then a SENCO/DH, and have now taken a step back to being a phase lead in a much bigger school. I've been in current job 2 years. I think I'll probably go part time over the next year, with a view to getting out of teaching within the next 4 years or so. I don't like it much anymore.

I definitely was, SLT pre dc but took a big step back when they were little.

I definitely never want to be a head, but think I probably aspire to deputy in the end. I’m going back to slt next term & quite looking forward to that.

DH is very ambitious and I think will make head in the end though I worry about him taking that on. It is such a stressful & lonely job.

I am ambitious. I'd like to be a Deputy at some point; not sure I want to be Head.

Thank you all. I do wonder if HoD is the worst of both worlds, lots of management with little influence to implement change.

Lots to think about over the summer.

From experience I would agree HoD is the worst of both worlds. Very little timetable reduction, lots more work and accountability, not much chance to make a whole school impact for as you're knee deep in your own data and outcomes. But, if you can handle it then it's a well trodden path to a more senior role if you want it. I did it for 4 years but a move back to the UK has given me an opportunity to step back down and have a think about what I want. I'm pretty sure it's not HoD again.

@VorpalSword

Thank you all. I do wonder if HoD is the worst of both worlds, lots of management with little influence to implement change.

Lots to think about over the summer.

Yep! I'm good at my job, but I want to move up because I want to make some actual changes, as opposed to just effectively carrying out other people's ideas.

@VorpalSword

Thank you all. I do wonder if HoD is the worst of both worlds, lots of management with little influence to implement change.

Lots to think about over the summer.

It probably is (well I think HoY is probably worse in terms of lack of time given to do the role effectively, dealing with lots in the moment & hard to plan ahead / manage time eg you can’t decide to leave a behaviour issue for 2 weeks when you’ve got a bit more time!) but I guess it’s seeing it as a necessary step towards SLT.

I’m not sure I’d bother if I didn’t want SLT in future though.

I've never been interested in upper slt but did enjoy middle management in my area of specialism. Also very much enjoyed going down the sen route.

I've since been v lucky to hone my interests in subject specialist teaching within sen. Only part time so pay isn't massive but the work life balance is mostly bearable (it will get better; we've spent far too long on curriculum stuff for a few years) - bearable because I'm passionate about my subject.

So I'm going sideways; if I had no small kids it would branch into research, and could in the future. I've also become involved with a few organisations outside teaching as a result, sitting on working parties etc. Again, no extra pay really but it interests me and benefits my job.

I love being a HOD. The power to shape my department without having to be a 'yes man' which seems to be the role of slt. I am ambitious for what I can achieve in my department, but not at all in terms of rising to SLT.

I don't know why any sane person would ever want to be a Head, which probably explains why most of the Heads I've worked under have been total megalomaniacs.

@RuleWithAWoodenFoot

I was a career changer too (at 33, with a background in civil engineering consultancy and project management). I was a deputy head at Christmas of my 3rd year teaching, then a SENCO/DH, and have now taken a step back to being a phase lead in a much bigger school. I've been in current job 2 years. I think I'll probably go part time over the next year, with a view to getting out of teaching within the next 4 years or so. I don't like it much anymore.

@RuleWithAWoodenFoot Hope you don’t mind me asking: what do you think you’ll do if/ when you move out of teaching?

I did my NQT year this year, 20 years after doing my PGCE… and with getting COVID, lockdown, remote learning, my mum being diagnosed with 2 cancers a year to live, 3 kids, and a lovely husband finding the change in routine tricky…it has been one of the trickiest years of my life.

I love the kids, but won’t be the only one to dislike the education system and the lack of money/ time to support the increasing number of SEN children at our school. If I don’t win the lottery, I need to have another plan!

I'm not a fast track to head type but I am fairly ambitious. Had a few years as a classroom teacher before becoming a key stage co-ordinator for 2 years (secondary, core subject). Then got assistant head of faculty which I have done for 2 years and I am continuing with next year but will cover the HoF role for 2 terms as well as HoF is pregnant.

I really enjoy my current role as it's a big role in my school and I work closely with the HoF to develop our faculty which I love. I really like my school too which is a massive help.

Hopefully, I am starting my MA in Education Leadership in September as I have done the NPQML.

Eventually, I want to run a department myself but will probably wait a year or two before I look for a HoD post

I am with @RuleWithAWoodenFoot on this. Late career changer - HoD then AHT within a short time period. I then took a major step back after the old school had 3 heads in 4 years, I liked the first but the last two were more about self-promotion than the school community. And now at the new school, I have been asked to be HoD again but the Head has turned into an absolute narcissist over the course of Covid and I do not want to be that close to SLT.

My plan is to run my own business.