I'm a teacher (I have been for 7 years but within that time I've had a baby and so had a year out for mat leave). I'm 32 and I would ideally like to have another child in the next year or so. I also only just returned from Mat leave when everything became very 'up in the air' due to covid and this school year has been so busy/unusual there has been little time to focus on my own career goals.
I teach in a reasonably large secondary school which on the whole is a nice place to work. I've been there for 6 years. Wellbeing of teachers is largely prioritised and I work alongside colleagues who are also my friends. I'm a decent teacher (I would say). But, there isn't really any career progression. I'm paid well (I have moved onto the upper pay scale) and on the whole like going to work but I feel like I'm a bit wasted. I'm not hugely ambitious but I feel a little like I'm stagnating. I enjoy supporting with PGCE/NQT mentoring in my department and I'm completing my Masters on the side but I feel like so many other people who completed their PGCE around the same time as me are now HOY or HOD and it's just got me feeling like I'm falling behind.
Any teachers (or people who don't teach) with any words of wisdom? I worry that if I don't have a bit of progression now people will start to ask questions about why I haven't moved up through the ranks (but saying that I like being in the classroom and don't hugely want to feel like that is taken away from me).
If I take a step back from it all I do value my work life balance but I also want to feel challenged in new ways.