Anyone changed from corporate career to primary school teacher

[spotttyshortsmanc]

I'm contemplating a career change from the corporate world to Primary school teaching. I'd love to hear specifically from people who have done this and their experiences. I'm aware the money is not as good. But I'd love to hear of positives and negatives to career changing to teaching.

What draws you to teaching? In particularly primary teaching?

How much time have you spent in primary schools?

Like every job, it has its pros and cons. Money is an issue in primary (no progression with TLRs etc like in secondary) but the teacher retention crisis is workload driven rather than pay. However, if you find the right school, it can be ok. It's not the job it was when I started but in my current situation, I think it's my best option. Doesn't mean I don't think about other options.

I’m in the process of doing this - I was a lawyer, big London form. Circumstances lead to me leaving and taking a longer than intended maternity leave. I took a TA job in school and loved it - far more interesting than my old job. Sadly TA wages are crap, and hours keep getting cut so I’ve taken the decision to do my pgce primary.

slightly regretting my choice as I’ve just found out that my first placement is in a mixed year 3/4 class with 33 children, four of whom have SEND….. so it will be a challenge!

i would advice to work as a TA if you can, it gives you a good taste of primary school life. It’s certainly no bed of roses, I find the behaviour of some children really hard work and challenging. There never seems to be any money or time. But no two days are the same and the children are brilliant to work with - there’s a huge satisfaction with watching them grown and understand things they had found hard previously.

do try to get an extended chunk of time in a school if you can (not just a morning or something) so you can really see the challenges faced by schools at the moment.

I did...about 12 years ago.

Now I'm considering leaving the profession and wondering where to next. It's not the job it used to be.

The expectations on the children are a lot. There's endless pressure on teachers to move mountains to get the data stacking up with little thought for the children behind the numbers.

TAs are worth their weight in gold but there isn't enough budget to ensure every class has the support of one.

There's been a definite shift in behaviour and parent engagement I've noticed since lockdowns. And certainly in the younger year groups, the parent expectations on staff and lack of understanding that some children in their child's class will have additional needs and that will present itself in different ways.

There's never enough glue sticks, colouring pens or whiteboard pens. I have a stash of small packets of raisins, hairbands and fancy dress in my cupboard because there's always some children that come in needing them. The difference you can make to those children is huge but the emotional toll on yourself is also a heavy weight too. I wasn't prepared for that when I started.

Pay isn't great and the hours are open ended. "The hours it takes to discharge your duties".

It's worlds apart from the corporate ladder.

@FrenchFancie this is exactly what I want to do! Will be a TA for the next year, to check its what I want to do (agree pay is shocking) then hoping to do a PGCE.

How do you find the work load? (Aside from the behaviour and parent issues)! I have a pretty full on job, which means I'm working in evenings and weekends.