School Administrator....what next?

[Anono2022]

Hi

I'm just wondering what avenues can you progress to after school administration?

I started at the beginning of this year and though I have no immediate plans to leave I am certain this isn't a long term role. I was sold a dream and so far every day is pretty miserable. Poorly managed, badly organised. I love my job as I feel everything I do it for the benefit of the children but I feel overworked because of the poor organisation of senior staff. I get my job done but I feel so devalued it's untrue. I work my arse off and some appreciation would be nice. And don't get me started of the level of responsibility you have and workload that really doesn't reflect the pay!

Above aside, as I'm certain this won't last more than a few years, what comes next? School work is ideal as I have a primary aged SEN child however I know generally poorly paid in education so what jobs would use the skills well, ideally better paid?

Thanks

Respect goes both way, doesn’t it?
Is enhancing (or at least ensuring) communication part of your role?

I'm watching this with interest because I'm in the same situation. I've been in my school admin job for a few years now and am getting increasingly annoyed by the extra responsibilities that get shoved my way for no extra money or even a thank you.

Larger secondary schools and MATs will have more opportunities. Data Manager, Exam Officer, Headteachers PA, Office Manager?

It doesn't matter how much you communicate with your manager and try to put better processes in place. Nothing gets done. The staff turnover is embarrassing. We have supply staff and don't come back after a few days. They don't respect you. As long as the work is done they then come along and act like they did it.

It's the responsibilities for me. Some of the things I get pulled in to are far too senior for my level. And the very fact that the responsibility is so huge and my expertise isn't makes me fear being sacked for making a mistake

After a career break to raise my family, I worked for a while as a school administrator, then left because a change of HT led to a similar situation you find yourself in. I went on to work in charity administration for a small, locally-based organisation.

I really like the fact that I’m part of an ethical set-up, well treated and decently paid and it has afforded me great flexibility which is invaluable while now caring for elderly parents.

I am a generalist, but have good organisational skills and have worked hard to build experience and other skills to cover all required bases. I feel appreciated and respected, so am very happy to see myself doing this until retiring in a few years’ time.

Interesting you say about the change in HT. SMT all changed just before Covid.

I left a long term job of 7 years where I was highly thought of and was very good at what I did. I left as I couldn't progess and the company allowed no flexibility around my child. I thought a school move was the way forward. But I don't like how my job makes me feel. And I don't like being held responsible for someone not doing their job meaning I can't do mine, despite numerous attempts to get the information required for me to get things done in time. I hate that asking for the information you are being made to feel like you are an inconvenience, which has been raised many times but nothings changed.

I'm glad to know there is something out there suitable.

You can get qualifications to become a school business manager- usually quite a well paid role

I moved from the (secondary) school office into the classroom as searning support. The money is still terrible, but I far prefer the job. I may end up retraining as a teacher at some point or else doing something else with young people. I wouldn't do office based work again unless I was paid really well for it, as it is so stressful and you are stuck in the same place all day.

I'd definitely say that ime there are a lot more opportunities in a secondary school as they are bigger.

Feeling the same here. Larger schools do have more job roles yes, but people generally stay in them for 20 years or more, so hard to move into them. Also very cliquey so if a role does become available (as in my school) it's taken by the Head's favourite before anyone else knows it's even going to become available. I agree about the level of responsibility and skill required for very very poor pay. Treated badly by some senior staff but every day managing huge events, keeping incredibly delicate information safe, multi-tasking like you wouldn't believe, using more people skills than a politician, taking abuse, managing child protection information, etc etc.

Having been spoken to quite rudely this week by a member of SLT, I too am wondering what else I could do now that DC getting older.

You will have lots of transferable skills. Just dont stay too long.

You could try other schools as they arent all the same, but also charities, nhs, universities etc need similar skills set.

My school were lovely and appreciated what i did, but I had zero say over anything which could be annoying at times.

I can sympathise a bit, I’ve been school admin (primary) for nearly a year and a half. It’s the hardest I’ve ever worked in my life. I am exhausted by it, and yes, the fear of not meeting important deadlines or letting people down in some way is huge. The workload stresses me out. My head is filled with hundreds of things I have to remember. I work unpaid OT and through lunch nearly every day just to get things done (and even then I’m still not on top of it so go home guilty) It’s really not an easy “little job” at all and at nearly 50 I don’t have the energy anymore to keep the pace up so not sure how long I’ll manage to stay in post. I won’t be doing it till I’m 60 I know that much.

difference is, my SLT DO appreciate me and the rest of the staff. I like and respect them and we have a laugh. They work their socks off themselves. They know how much pressure everyone in schools is under and give us little treats and thankyous all the time. They have high standards for the provision they want the kids to have and rightly so. But Sometimes I think they forget the grade people are at though and while SLT expect to do extra for nothing and work evenings and weekends at home they seem to forget that someone on a grade 3 earning 16k shouldn’t be expected to have the same desire to give their soul to the job.

Not paid enough for what they do, at least in primary. It is a huge job, with loads of responsibility.

WFH jobs can provide a lot of flexibility once children older. My sen teenager needs me at home but not a huge amount of care. I went the school route and terrible treatment by SLT and HT and poor pay meant I jumped as soon as my child went to secondary. I now see a huge number of vacancies for these jobs in my area you earn more working at a supermarket than most school admin jobs. The SBM jobs are poorly paid for the skill and hours required and you still have the awful treatment by senior staff and teachers to deal with.

I think it's like how you describe working in education in an administrative capacity unfortunately. It never seems to get any better yanbu

Sounds like it's very common of the job then. I honestly cannot put into words the enormity of the workload. And how everything is urgent and needed immediately whilst having the know the whereabouts of staff, children, visitors, take and action calls, sit in safeguarding meetings, set up and coordinate events and create the presentations, run children/visitors around the school. I could go on. And then I get paid and think, wow I'm earning only £40 a month extra than I was for probably 3 times the workload. I also work unpaid OT to keep on top and just get told you need to manage your workload better but they seem to forget I cant manage my own workload as I'm given everyone else's!

@Lulumo yes I've found out that supermarket workers and McDonald's workers at paid more an hour than me

Yes, it's the convenient hours that drag us in and then we get stuck (well that's me)

I work in the private sector and you do work like a dog during the term. It’s a thankless task. I’ve been there nearly 5 years and am ready for a change. One admin bod left and I ended up doing her work. Bearing in mind she worked three 20 years and was probably in good money, they saved a fortune. I really had to push for a pay rise.
Anyway, I’m looking for something else too, but as I’ve just had a bereavement and am off work, it’s got tricky.

Echoing your sentiments here, I just left a job exactly like this after 3 years. Treated so badly and on 11k it was atrocious. I was a senior manager in my last job and the way I was used and abused here was shockingly bad.
our school cant recruit and when they do, staff leave asap when they relaise its a sinking ship. I'm working in a warehouse now, earn more.

Funnily enough I joked this week that I felt trapped now because the job suits my life with a child so to give up the school holidays would be really hard. It also doesn't help that it's not a liveable wage, especially now. Work like a dog all day and then come home to barley be able to run the home, feed us and never have any kind of excitement or social life.

But if you has to pay for holiday clubs and additional childcare if you did full time work (including in school holidays), would you be that much better off financially?

Had to*

My phone hates me

I've left a role in school admin last year. Exactly as everyone describes! People leaving and rather than replacing them, I just had to absorb their work. Somehow... No respect from (most of) SLT. An unbelievable amount of responsibility. And all for £14k a year.
I'm now a firefighter. 😆
Don't get caught up in worrying about a sensible next move. Just think about what you actually want from your life, and take steps to get there. You'll be great!

Is your son currently at the school where you work?

OP is there some part of your job that’s transferable to county level? A friend changed from working in a school office where she did finance amongst other things, to working in school finance at the LA. Term time and a lot of WFH. None of the other hassle and constant interruptions etc.