Classroom teachers aged 50+

[Chr1stmasCarole]

Just mulling over this after a conversation with a colleague.
I suddenly realised that at 48 I'm the oldest fully class based teacher in our school.
There are a couple of other part-time intervention teachers but all of the other full time class based teachers are younger than me by ten years.
So I just wondered, how many teachers aged 50+ do you have in your school and if there aren't many..... where do they go?
I'm too young to retire and am a single parent so need to work full time.
If classroom teaching is for the youngsters what do the 50+ brigade move on to?

It's all too common unfortunately@Chr1stmasCarole Experience doesn't seem to have much value in Education nowadays.

I am the second 50+ teacher to be managed out in our school( going at Christmas). We notice that the remaining older teacher is already starting to get the treatment.....

Really sorry to hear that, @hels71 It's appalling that so many dick headteachers get away with it.

@hels71

I am the second 50+ teacher to be managed out in our school( going at Christmas). We notice that the remaining older teacher is already starting to get the treatment.....

Oh no, that's rubbish. It always upsets me to hear about teachers who end their careers this way. After most of them have worked their backsides off for the school over the years

I’m not 50+ but I’m in my 30s and I can see this writing on the wall so I am getting out.

I retired from secondary at 60 along with three or four others of the same age. I worked for a subsequent 8 years in FE (0.8), retired from that job earlier this year largely because of Covid - would have stayed until 70 otherwise.
However have started recently at another FE provider and looks like I’ll be back teaching again early next year. I get bored otherwise.

My SLT would have loved to manage me out but couldn’t because my results were so good. I enjoyed their ongoing discomfort.

@borntobequiet

My SLT would have loved to manage me out but couldn’t because my results were so good. I enjoyed their ongoing discomfort.

Good for you!!

@borntobequiet maybe FE is the way to go then? Do you enjoy it?

@Chr1stmasCarole I loved my time in FE - had no idea I’d find it so rewarding. I taught ages 16 - 60 (sometimes together). So many interesting people and so many delighted to find they actually enjoyed learning (of course some didn’t). The downside with FE is underinvestment and insane paper chasing and tick boxing that can frustrate effective, learner-centred provision.

@borntobequiet how did you get into it? It's something I might have a look at. I've got a lot of relevant SEND experience so might enjoy that for a few years (although the paperwork would probably drive me bonkers 😛)

@Chr1stmasCarole I’ll pm you

I’ve left teaching recently. I was in my mid 30s and finding it tricky after returning from maternity leave. I looked around to see who I could ask for advice about a particular ‘odd’ class and I realised I was one of the older/more experienced teachers in the school. It had become a very toxic school while I was on MAT, after I left 50% of the teachers left in the following year. I dread to go think the average age now. I think SLT wanted teachers who would just be yes people and realise the SLT were not very competent.

At my school (private prep- 2 form entry) the majority of staff are 50+. 7 of us had our 50ths this year! We have two teachers in their 60s and two LSAs in their 60s. We only have 5 teachers in their 20s/30s.

With all the worry about Covid and the shortage of teachers which is likely in Jan due to Omicron, they are looking to try and draw retired teachers back to plug gaps…. It like they did with GPs last year.

Suspect they might find people won’t be interested….especially if they weren’t treated well and driven out at the point they left.

In the end, they will reap what they sew won’t they! If they are unpleasant to older teachers, they can’t then expect favours when they want them.

We have lots of 50+ teachers in my Outer London Secondary at all levels from ECT to SLT. It doesn't appear to be an issue at my school.
In a secondary school, departments work well when there's a mix of youth and enthusiasm combined with years of teaching and life experience

I wonder if it's worse in primary?

I’m mid 30s and definitely stuck in my toxic school. I’m M6, been a teacher since 2007 so have over a decade’s experience teaching throughout primary. Desperately trying to get out, but everywhere I look wants NQTs it’s very disheartening

@TFMinx

I’m mid 30s and definitely stuck in my toxic school. I’m M6, been a teacher since 2007 so have over a decade’s experience teaching throughout primary. Desperately trying to get out, but everywhere I look wants NQTs it’s very disheartening

Sorry to hear that, I think at that stage it has to be a case of up or out doesn't it? Does senior leadership appeal to you?

I’m only in my 2nd year of teaching primary, at grand old age of 49 (got my PGCE years ago and worked as TA for couple years in school first).

I had the same thought recently: we don’t have lots of 23 yr old NQTs but lots in late 20s/ 30s. I’m the same age as one of the DHTs and AHTs, but only one class teacher older than me.

I don’t worry I’ll be managed out because of my age - I’m new so cheap! - but my goodness, KS1 is a young person’s game.

I find it absolutely physically exhausting. I can see why on average teachers currently last 5 years. My youngest DC is in y5, and I think it might be time for a change when she starts secondary school.

@Snowisfalling33 it did when I was in my previous school, however now I’ve had everything metaphorically beaten out of me I couldn’t think of anything worse. My DC is about to start school in September and I’m sorry to say that it’s the convenience of the holidays that are keeping me. I love the job itself, in class with the children is where I’m meant to be, but not at the expense of my health.