To give up my Head of Department job?

[Justsotired2022]

I am just wondering if anyone else has done this? I am trying to think of ways to rediscover my love of teaching again and have been thinking about this for a while.

I teach at a secondary school and the children are the best part of the job. I love the actual teaching part. However, being a Head of Department, I spend all my time doing admin and dealing with school politics that I now look enviously at classroom teachers. I know that is comes with its own pressures but I just don't enjoy being a Head of Department.

I am good at my job and have a good reputation but my heart is not in the organisation and admin. I love lesson planning and teaching and learning but this has fallen to last on my to do list as the admin gets in the way.

I am also quite frustrated at the direction of the school and so can't really progress up to SMT as I don't agree with their ideas or values. I am getting less adept at hiding this frustration and I fear my suggestions for improvements will begin to effect my reputation.

I am wondering if I should move school (or whether it would be a similar set of issues there). Or whether I should step down to be a classroom teacher. However the drop in pay would be quite significant.

Has anyone been in a similar situation? Would be great to get some other perspectives.

My DH is doing just that, quitting HoD role (and I'm leaving secondary teaching too!). Good luck!!

@Monkeytennis97 Thanks for replying! Do you mind if I ask what you are planning on doing instead of secondary teaching?

Good luck to you and your husband in your new roles!

If you do manage it and you have any final salary pension then consider how to take action to protect it so that it will continue to use your higher position salaries for ever and not just the last 10 year limit.

I left my promoted post at the end of the contract (such posts as HOY/HOD/ principal, etc are not permanent jobs in Victoria) and a year later went 4 days for a year, then 3 and then retired.

Not a moment's regret. Lovely to be able to focus on the work of teaching. I had paid off the mortgage, though.