Teach First as a single parent

[firsttimemumma5]

I'm looking at doing my teacher training and was hoping to do Teach First.

Has anyone got experience of this as a single parent of an under-3? Just wondering what hours/workload are like and how this balances with home life.

Thank you!

I did it when my son was 2/3. It's hard work and I wasn't a single mum. It is doable but you won't have much of a life other than work or mothering!
Have you got family that will look after your little one when you need a break? What subject?

Feel free to pm me

My parents are around and have offered to help with childcare and my sister is also about when we need her, so I’m not alone by any means which will be a massive help!

I’m looking at doing secondary school history, but I wasn’t sure about how much of a workload it would be in terms of having my evenings/weekends free (although my ex will have our daughter every other weekend).

I want to get back to work full time, but I don’t want to miss out on my daughter’s early years (especially as her dad is so unreliable)!

I'm a TF tutor - not history, but happy to chat about workload in general. I have had parents with young children - mostly mothers, not fathers - do this course as tutees of mine, though none as far as I am aware were single parents.

Things to be aware of:

TF schools have a particular demographic, which may make them challenging places to teach for a variety of reasons. Most have excellent staff and support from leadership, though, which is crucial.

Your timetable will be close to or actually 80%, which is the same as an NQT, you will be teaching from day 1 and will not be supernumerary, which means you will have the responsibilities of a qualified teacher. As an employee of the school you may also be required to do some break/bus duties - you won't be a form tutor, though towards the end of the year you may be attached to a form to learn about it.

You will be required to do two assignments in each of your two years. This includes some training days - usually in the week, occasionally on a Saturday. Your tutor will support you, but it will be extra work across PGCE and NQT years from September to May time in each year, usually with deadlines after Christmas (busy with the kids!) and May-ish (exam season, your own QTS assessment time in your first year).

I have seen many excellent trainees excel in their training and quite frankly, if you can complete the course and succeed, you have every chance of succeeding in a teaching career. Also, I have found my opposite numbers in TF (tutors are employed by universities which work in partnership with TF) to be excellent and TF as an organisation to be hugely supportive of their trainees.

Good luck, what ever you decide

I tended to get to school early 7.30, leave at about 4.30pm pick up my son and then work when he was in bed. I didn't work during the day at the weekends. Teach first is relentless though, every half term or holiday there is an essay to write so you don't stop until the end of the summer term. Have a look at other options too.

@Joopy @TheBitchOfTheVicar

Thank you both so much for your replies, this has helped a lot in giving me a better idea of what to expect!

I have worked with heavy workloads etc before, but it's reassuring to hear there is support (even if the programme is very hands on). I guess it's even more worrying now as it will be the first full time job I'll be working as a mum. But if others have done it (even if challenging), it can be done!

I think the big appeal of TF to me is the salary - I really don't want to run up great debt/not be earning as is the case with the general PGCE way into teaching.

Is it a good idea to start preparing (if I get a place) in advance of the summer training? I'm tutoring history at the moment so I read lots around it anyway, but supposedly reading about teaching & classroom management now is a good idea?

They recommend 'teach like a champion.' Could you get some experience in a school, cover superviser or TA? TA would maybe be better as you would be able to watch teachers. If you are accepted into the course you'll have to do a maths and English test and spend a week in a teach first school shadowing teachers.

Have you been offered an SKE? Subject knowledge enhancement course, which helps cover a range of skills, knowledge and understanding you will need to know about.

I also recommend looking at TLAC stuff.

I agree that the salary is attractive. It does of course come with higher expectations of workload, which I am not always sure that some trainees really appreciate when they look at the salary and decide to sign up. A strong commitment to social justice may make the more challenging classes and situations that little bit easier to cope with.