Hi
I posted this on chat and was advised to post it here for advice 😊
I currently work as a supply teacher ( still an ECT so can only do this for 5 years ) . Hate teaching , to the point a permanent job almost caused a break down . The thought of going back into it fills me with fear , anxiety and dread . Can’t go back to uni to retrain I’m almost 40 and spent a long time training . It is not fair to go back to studying after my husband supported us for 5 years . I have a PGCE but by degree is in Education and Family studies .
We have debt and I know I need to be bringing in money . I have seen a job ( nothing to say I would get it ) in the civil service and don’t know if to apply , or apply for a full time teaching position or stick supply for a bit longer . Here are my options :
Currently as a supply I can take home £500 per week if I work every day, it doesn’t always work this way. Currently in a full time , long term so guaranteed the £500 per week until end of term , aside from a bank holiday and teacher day coming up , plus May half term. Then the 6 weeks holidays comes . In school holidays I work part time at a holiday club . I do 2 days usually - very long days, low pay . Usually take home £600 - £700 for the whole 6 weeks , paid at the end . If we go away then I’ll have that week off . Sometimes get UC but not much due to husbands wage as for eg in a 5 week assessment period I would have taken home £2500. Usually get some in the holidays but it’s not something to rely of due to dates etc . I like to have some of the holidays off with the kids although I have options if I needed to work more, I would never have time off with them or in general as both jobs are 0 hours so no holiday or sick pay. This holiday club isn’t open at Xmas so that is a struggle . I do need/ want some time off in the holidays with the kids .
I could get a permanent teaching job easily I know that . That would be £1900 ish take home . That’s every month , salaried . However - I know this will have a detrimental effect on my mental health and I can’t stand the thought of doing it . But I do know I need to bring in a proper wage - we have a lot of debt and high living costs ( not fun things , bills etc , rent is v high ) . I would be off in the holidays . But off doesn’t mean not working as many teachers know . Would get no UC .
Finally , I have seen a civil service job - on the phones HMRC . This is a role that I have skills for ( my part time job before teaching was customer service but not in the CS - it was phone based . I did it in 2 different companies over a period of 17 years . This job asks for no experience , full training given .) I know it’s competitive but it’s just a thought right now . The take home would be around £1650 . Salaried so every month . I may get around £300 UC but this wouldn’t be every month and depends on the weeks in an assessment period so I wouldn’t count that in just in case ( I could have 2 wages in one occasionally and my husband is paid weekly so it’s not something I would rely on ) . This job is hours between 745am and 8pm , mon - sat with one late 8pm finish per month and up to 6 Saturdays per year . 36.5 hours per week . There will be an element of working from home - not sure of the details but from what I’ve read home working is an option with some work in the office that isn’t too far . Working from home would be good as I would be able to be there when the kids come home . To be honest being able to be at home sometimes during holidays would be good . I know I wouldn’t get the school holidays off but I’m sure I could use some annual leave - so even if I got maybe 2 weeks or some days in some weeks during the holidays that would be a nice balance ?
But - the CS job would mean a £200ish pay cut per month . Not on what I earn now but on what I could earn . Am I selfish to do that ? Knowing I could earn £200ish a month more and have holidays off ? Based on what I earn now if I think “ but I earn £500 per week - that’s £2000- £2500 per month …,” but that on the face of it . There are 13 weeks of the year I don’t earn that and there are weeks where I’m on day to day supply that I don’t get every day and there are holidays to think of ( for eg these Easter holidays I’ve earnt £80 one week and I’ll earn £250 for the second week- this is only because the school im in have different term dates so they are off when the other schools go back meaning I did one day at holiday club in week 1 and ( hopefully ) I’ll get a few days next week on supply in other schools so I’m basing it on having 2 days next week but I’m not certain as so far nothing ) .
As a guide this past tax year on supply I have taken home just under £17k. Admittedly there was a few months where I was working part time due to an accident my husband had . Had I worked every day term time then in the academic year plus the holiday club say 2 days a week I would take home around £21k.
The CS take home is £20,106.
Teaching full time in a permanent role I would take home £22959.
The teaching pay scale goes up each year but I’m still in M1 until I’ve done another term ECT then I would be at M2 until I completed the other three terms ECT then it would be M3 and that would go up dependant on performance review etc .
CS I know offers progression .
No progression in supply .
I don’t know what to do .
My husband would support anything I chose . He says my happiness is more important and we will manage but my happiness doesn’t pay the bills