Career change from nursing to teaching. Is it possible?

[Ralph871]

I went to uni straight from school to study adult nursing and after 15 years I feel I'm ready for a change. I have wanted to work with kids for a few years now and considered health visiting and adolescent mental health however after a friend suggested primary teaching I can't shake the idea that it could be a good move.

I could be way off base but it appears primary teachers have great hours, great holidays, are well paid and well respected (certainly in Scotland where I am currently). From the POV of a critical nurse turned middle level management that sounds like a dream job and the thought of never having to work nightshift, deal with managers that care more about targets than patient care or stress over childcare ever again sounds incredible.

Goes without saying I am aware it wouldn't be an easy transition and it will of course involve further study, volunteering hours and a pay cut initially.

Keen to hear any advice or thoughts really. I'm very much at the start of looking into this.

So although my first response to the poster saying she doesn't work beyond 4 is disbelief, my second is to say good on you - I wish more of us did the same as we are sometimes are own worst enemies

It's hard at times and you ultimately will piss off the staff members who believe you should sacrifice your life to be a good teacher, but I refuse to put my own health and well-being below a job.

Thanks everyone for your responses. At the moment I'm on 41k basic salary however I work all nightshift and weekends so my average yearly salary is probably closer to 52k. I'm not in love with my current job but the hours work at the moment as I have two young kids so it means I only have to pay for 3 days nursery each as opposed to 5. Longer term I want to move to a mon-fri position once they are both at school/in funded nursery place.

After the feedback on this thread and looking at a few other things I have decided I will most likely pursue the school nurse or health visitor route. Both are one year post grads but the training salary is more than primary teaching and I would most likely find it easier to transition given I have a varied nursing background.

Thanks again

Sounds like a good decision. Good luck!

Not sure why you think primary teachers have great hours OP. Granted they're better than permanent nights but they're long and its exhausting.
My hours are typically 7.30 to 5.45 plus at least 4 hours additional work over evenings and weekends, often double that!
If you can handle the lack of flexibility over when you can have time off, the constant drive for data, the long hours, the never really switching off and the feeling that you're never done enough, go for it!As you can tell, I'm a little cynical and fed up after nearly 30 years at the chalk face.

My friend left teaching to become a midwife

@Givemebackmylilo do you teach in mainstream primary?

[quote somuchcoffeeneeded]@Givemebackmylilo do you teach in mainstream primary?[/quote]
Yes, however, have done a mixture of that and PRU over the years

Just to clarify, I'm not in any way saying it's a breeze

However, I do believe there are many teachers who believe you're crap at your job unless you sell your soul, and quite a few like to play the "well I stayed later than you last night making sure my marking was up to date etc etc etc" card when actually they could've got it done in half the term

It's not the greatest career, you've got to love it, but if you go into it then stick firm with the mentally that you will not bend over backwards for those who wouldn't do it for you

I have a close friend who was almost at the point of a breakdown from work related stress as a teacher (middle school, we have three tier here). Took some time off work and has got better and gone back with lilo's attitude.
She just doesn't do it now, says no. Its a job, and a job shouldn't break you.
I don't know practically how its done and I'm sure differences in school leadership and management play a significant part in if its possible. But she now works 8-6 and nothing at weekends.

@Givemebackmylilo I teach in a school with a very light marking policy but it’s still not physically possible to get my full time job of teaching, planning and marking (never mind the rest!) done within the hours of 8-4. I would love to know more about how you’re doing it!

[quote somuchcoffeeneeded]@Givemebackmylilo I teach in a school with a very light marking policy but it’s still not physically possible to get my full time job of teaching, planning and marking (never mind the rest!) done within the hours of 8-4. I would love to know more about how you’re doing it![/quote]
-marking in my school is fantastic. They believe in totally live/in the moment marking involving some simple highlighting and talking to the pupil
-I buy the lesson plans online (white rose etc) and just slightly adapt them where necessary
-volunteer for either breakfast or lunch clubs so I'm never expected to stay later

@somuchcoffeeneeded

Oh, and also lots (and lots) of peer or self marking in class. Do this for 1-2 lessons a day and by the end of the week that's half your marking done

I do think there's an element of the longer you stay in the job (especially in the same school if you find yourself in one that suits!) it does become more feasible to have a sensible workload. Obviously the curriculum and, at secondary, exams change with the tide and the whims of whoever's in charge but the more you teach something the more you've got up your sleeve to tweak to suit. I agree if you've got a school that uses highlighters, self assessment quizzes etc book marking becomes a lot more purposeful when you do have to do it but many schools are way behind the curve on that. I'm a bit dubious about peer assessment but luckily I'm allowed to make minimal use of it as long as something else takes it place so I just get them to peer assess each others' practical skills or something.

The other thing is certainly in secondary people seem in a rush to get promoted and take on too much then get burnt out with all the extra mental and physical workload of being responsible for more people, outcomes, what have you. A bit longer in the classroom putting more things up your sleeve to get the workload routine right is time well spent.

Mind you, that's easy for me to say, it's August and it's not exam results week so everything feels a bit easier than it does in term time. Ask us again in November 😂

Sounds like a good decision OP. My friend is a school vaccinator on band 6 and loves it

Wow band 6 to give jabs wouls be a much better choice than teaching!

probably been said by others, but here's what I know from primary teaching relatives in Scotland:

great hours - actually very similar to other jobs. You don't start and finish when the bell goes. When will you find time to mark and lesson plan and attend staff meetings?

great holidays - I might be wrong, but I seem to recall a TA friend telling me holidays aren't paid. The annual salary seems good but its spread out during term time.

targets- definitely lots of targets in teaching

management - I know lots of teachers who have had to report bullying

Also, you don't seem to be thinking about how you would pay mortgage/rent/other bills whilst doing your course?

Its extremely hard to get onto a teaching course, I know from trying. They like it if you have experience in an education setting either paid or voluntary. There are more applicants than there are spaces. You will also have to do some entry interviews and/or assessments and they are quite intense too. Lots of people have to keep applying to get in.

@BridgetJonesPanties

The hours appear far better than my current rotating roster of full time 12.5 hour nighshifts covering most weekends and then having minimal sleep during the day as my wages only just stretch to cover my £1200 in nursery fees each month for my two boys to go to nursery three days each.

The holidays are pretty great though aren't they? Also my SIL is a teacher and has confirmed that the salary averages out across the year. On top band as a non promoted teacher she earns £2400 per month after tax and pension. Teachers also teach the top of their pay scale much sooner than nurses.

Believe it or not as an adult professional with a mortgage and two young kids I have in fact considered how I would pay for things if I was to consider a career change. As stated above the £1200 per month I currently pay in childcare fees is over a third of my salary and my plan of course would be to wait until both my kids were in school before I considered leaving my current job. My car is owned outright and I have a very low mortgage as live in a really cheap area housing wise.

I am also aware of how competitive primary teaching is as I have several friends who tried to get on to courses and failed. Perhaps I am wrong but I think given my experience in another profession, life experience and willingness to volunteer if I needed to, I reckon I would stand a good chance of getting a spot.

All that being said I have decided against it. I can probably struggle along on nightshift for another few years given that I am so well paid for it. My plan will then be to go into some sort of community type nursing role when I have both the funds to take a pay cut and the time to study for yet another nursing qualification.

Thanks for your input

Bit snotty op people are trying to help you and you did ask for information 🙄

The hours appear far better than my current rotating roster of full time 12.5 hour

How many of those shifts do you do a week to count as full time?

I’m often in school doing 11 hour days.

I could be way off base but it appears primary teachers have great hours

Hmmm

Ok, I’ll bite. Why do you think primary teachers have great hours, but not secondary teachers?

You could take a different position within nursing though which doesn't consist of night shifts. Admittedly not the same pay, but would be much more than a trainee teacher, and still a lot more than a newly qualified teacher. I work shifts too and working 5 days a week plus doing work at home weekends is different than getting them over in fewer days.

@Howshouldibehave

I could be way off base but it appears primary teachers have great hours

Hmmm

Ok, I’ll bite. Why do you think primary teachers have great hours, but not secondary teachers?

Lol I'm a secondary teacher and I would say the literal exact polar opposite 😂 primary workload seems absolutely relentless to me, I couldn't deal with the same year 7 all day for five days a week never mind any younger!

@Quick99

Bit snotty op people are trying to help you and you did ask for information 🙄

In fairness I have been very polite and courteous to all the other posters on this thread. I think you will find that my snotty reply was to a rather snotty comment.

@Peacrock

You could take a different position within nursing though which doesn't consist of night shifts. Admittedly not the same pay, but would be much more than a trainee teacher, and still a lot more than a newly qualified teacher. I work shifts too and working 5 days a week plus doing work at home weekends is different than getting them over in fewer days.

Yes this is what I have decided I will do. I can afford to drop to a band 6 once my kids are both out of nursery.

@Howshouldibehave

I work 1945 - 0815, three nights for three weeks of the month and four nights in the fourth week as the NHS deducts an hour of pay each shift for a break that I often don't get therefore we need to work an extra shift each month to make that up. However since the hospitals are currently so short staffed we are at risk of collapse this week I am working seven 12 hour shifts in a row as I literally have no one else to cover.

To be perfectly honest if asked outright I would have said that primary and secondary teachers keep similar hours. However since I have a degree in nursing and not a specialist subject that would enable me to teach secondary school I didn't mention it in my post.