Can I take home £700 a month after childcare for 2/3 days a week?

[fisil]

Or is that just asking too much?

I don't want to give up paid employment entirely cos we don't want to make the necessary lifestyle changes (sorry to be so brutally honest), and because I know that I need the intellectual stimulation for the sake of my mental health.

But I am not sure about going back to my current job full time (as I did after ds) because I did not enjoy having to take 10 weeks off with mental health issues, and I feel that I need to be honest and admit that maybe my mental health just cannot cope with a full time job and two children, even though it really does hurt to think that.

I could do supply teaching, although I wouldn't get the same enjoyment from that as from being head of a large department. But has anyone done supply teaching - how do you reconcile the unreliability with childcare, or has anyone got a relationship with a school so that they do a certain day if required? I can't teach part time as I teach maths and so it would mean split classes, plus I really would miss being HoD.

I could do consultancy work. I could run courses, examine beginning teachers, help struggling HoDs or teachers. Seems a bit scarey, though - considering that my only reason for making the move is for the sake of my mental health, not sure I could deal with basically running my own business.

I could also take on tutees, which would be in the evenings anyway. But I'd have to do other stuff too.

I've looked at the other threads on this too, and there are ideas like taking in secretarial work etc., although I have no experience in a business or retail setting (or anything apart from education!), but I do learn fairly easily.

So, any consultants, supply teachers etc. - any tips?

Hula, it's so good to hear "The main aim for prison ed is to get all inmates attaining Level 1 in Literacy and Numeracy by the time they leave. Quite a few men come in at pre entry level (they can't read, write or count); these then have to work through the entry levels E1, E2 and E3."

I bet it wasn't like that when M Howard was Home Sec.

No idea; only been there since September. But seems a sensible idea to me. Inmates can't do any other course or workshop (and several of the jobs) until they are at E3 literacy.

Fisil I work round them. In both cases I don't have to go on at all. brainmass sends emails when there are questions waiting in my "area of expertise" (hee hee). I look at them and decide whether to answer or not. AQA I can log on when I like, for as long (or short) as I like. Mainly I work evenings (or will- just waiting to go through my first review). I joined AQA after reading about it in a paper. had to send in my CV, take a test and then had a trial period (which I've just completed). Can't recommend it enough- it really is fun (I used to work for channel 4 in a chat room - am very keen on working from home using the net). Because of constraints with ds1 (no holiday care available obviously) I needed to find work that is completely flexible and entirely under my control.

Also do network marketing stuff. One with ghosty (Usana) and Mini IQ and Phoenix cards. In the case of Mini-IQ I'm planning to do one party a week- preferably during the day (so I can take ds3) and build a team (so turn into a trainer rather than a saleswoman). Phoenix I do in a low key way- take some bits along to mini-IQ parties. Usana - at the moment is quite low key- mainly a case of telling people what it is. I'm training to be a homeopath - and Usana is a health and nutrition company so will be important when I do more homeopathy stuff.

jimjams and Hulababy, both of you sound so positive about your chosen areas of work. Really nice to hear what you are doing with your time. And it shows there's life after mumsnet!

congratulations, jimjams and hula for seeking out and embracing these new opportunities. good for you both and hope it continues to go well

good luck, fisil

fisil - i've got a couple of friends that do supply. the one with a kid has a very flexible childminder. my other friend has found that once she has started off with a brief stint of supply at a school she tends to get offered a term or rest of the year their.

jimjams, I'm really intrigued and impressed with the work opportunities you've found! Can I be really nosy and ask what the pay is like? Presumably its paid per question or whatever, so could you end up spending far too long on something if you weren't disciplined? And does your continued flow of work depend on feedback on your responses?

Fisil, I don't know if you are interested (it might be too soon!), but there is an advert in my local paper for Hulababy's line of work, in London prisons.

There is an open afternoon this Monday at HMP Holloway - numeracy is one of the areas they are actively recruiting for.

If you are interested I could scan and email you the advert, or just post the whole thing here.

sounds interesting - yes please!

i met a gp who works in holloway recently, she was lovely, said the work there was challenging but v interesting

email or post here?

either, you can CAT me

Have CATed you!

fisil

In the Guardian this week there was an advert for an open day about teaching in prisons in the London area. Most prisons are run by colleges (mine is City College Manchester) and this is a college that deals with 4 of the prisons in London.

The Open day is 12noon onwards on Monday 11th. However, I know because of work you may not be able to get to an Open Day but thought that, if they were in suitable locations (I don't know exact locations compared to where you are) you could phone the college and ask them to send you more information.

HR Office
Amersham and Wycombe College
01494 735524

They offer education in:
HMP Belmarsh
HMP/YOI Holloway
HMP Pentonville
HMP Woomword Scrubs

I will have a look and see if I can find who/which colleges serve the other London prisons.

Just found that the same college also covers these prisons:

Amersham & Wycombe College successfully bid for and were awarded the contract to deliver education to a number of Home Office establishments in the South East of England including Kent, London and Buckinghamshire. The contract commenced in January 1999.

The College demonstrates an excellent working relationship with the management of the prisons for which we provide educational services namely:

HMYOI Aylesbury
HMP Belmarsh
HMP Cookham Wood
HMP Elmley
HMP Grendon/Springhill
HMP Holloway
HMP Pentonville
HMP Rochester
HMP Standford Hill
HMP Swaleside
HMP Wandsworth
HMP Wormwood Scrubs

Also my employer CCM covers :

City College Manchester has successfully bid to deliver the education service in twenty-two prisons and secure training establishments throughout England. Seventeen of these are under the management of the Prison Service Agency and five with Group 4 Securities.

www.ccm.ac.uk/ccm_gateway.asp?NavID=397
City College Manchester
Personnel Department
Fielden Campus
West Didsbury
Manchester M20 2PQ
Telephone Number: 0161 611 7589
E-mail: [email protected]

fisil, just noticed you posting on the meet up thread.

Did you go to the open afternoon yesterday? How did it go?