I am part of the Teaching Crisis. In that sentence I wrote “the Teaching Crisis” with capital letters and a definite article as though it were a well-known, named thing like the Banking Crisis in 2008 or the Abdication Crisis in 1936. It isn’t but it should be.
Since September 2013, I’ve been the deputy head of a large primary school in inner London. The head teacher I work with is fantastic. We have a committed, talented team of staff and governors and the young people I teach are always entertaining. The pay is pretty good. I’m currently undertaking my NPQH (National Professional Qualification in Headship) so I’ll soon be ready to apply for the top job at a school of my own. But I’m not going to. In July I’m walking away from the profession that has been my life for more than twelve years and I genuinely don’t know if I’m ever coming back. I’m not alone.
This is the story of the Teaching Crisis.
I’m wandering off into the sunset after twelve years.
In 2003, during my third year at university in Sheffield, I started volunteering in a local primary school. After three years studying philosophy, as theoretical and abstract a discipline as you can imagine, there was a real thrill to feeling like I was doing something “real”- helping little people to read, write and do maths. Realising that I could inspire and motivate the pupils I was working with was really exciting and I decided that I wanted to be a teacher.
Even then, the primary education system imagined by Blair’s government was full of frustrations- primary schools were just stumbling out of the tyranny of the “literacy hour” in which all English lessons were taught (and inspected) according to a centrally-dictated timescale presented as a patronising diagram of a clock. The effectiveness of schools was judged largely on the contents of huge ring-binders full of arbitrary targets and tokenistic policy statements referred to, somewhat dubiously, as “evidence.” Worst of all, for me, lesson plans were tortuously shoe-horned into detailed, prescriptive Microsoft Word tables which required almost every box to be filled with some sort of jargon, just so it looked impressive in one of the aforementioned ring-binders.
Within this bureaucratic landscape, however, there was still (just about) time for the part of the job that mattered: getting to know the young people in your care, understanding what made them tick, and finding ways to reach them on an individual level. You could placate the various rampaging paperwork trolls with a couple of hours a week of judicious “copy & paste”-by producing just enough A4 sheets of edu-waffle to make them go away and let you carry on with your actual job. The KS2 assessments (what we have been incorrectly referring to as “SATs tests” since the 1990s) were constructed according to a rigorous and clearly-prescribed set of criteria and schools were held accountable for their performance in them- but this was only one part of what made a school “effective.” Back then, very few head teachers would have had to choose between their conscience and their job. For all their faults, it’s worth remembering that the cornerstone of the Blair government’s education policy was a document called “Every Child Matters.”
During the last three years of the Labour government, there was a real sense of light at the end of the tunnel. It felt as though, after more than a decade in control of primary education, they had finally come to understand it. Under the (actually quite impressive) leadership of Ed Balls, the rebranded Department for Children, School and Families started issuing edicts that actually kind of made sense. They ditched what remained of the primary national strategies which dictated how maths and English should be taught and they commissioned Sir Jim Rose to produce a comprehensive review of the primary curriculum, which suggested that traditional subject divides be replaced with broader areas of learning and stressed the importance of play, particularly for younger pupils. It promoted the development of good speaking and listening skills and the value of nurturing beneficial character traits in young people such as resilience and independence, as well as the clear focus on maths and English that already existed. The Rose Review was far from perfect but, having been authored by a former HMI director of inspections on the basis of broad consultations it set out a direction of travel which almost everyone that knew about education agreed with. Everyone, that is, apart from the new shadow secretary of state for Children, Schools and Families. And there was an election coming up. Balls out- balls up. Enter stage hard right, Mr. Michael Gove.
What’s strange is that the first two years of the Dark Lord’s attack on primary education were happy ones for me. Yes the government websites had been rebranded (the “Department for Education” now replacing the all-too cuddly-sounding DCSF) but the school I was working at during that era was led by a brave, inspiring head teacher with his own sense of what he wanted to do, regardless of the noises coming out of Whitehall. We rode out what one colleague of mine from the time once referred to as the “phoney war” in relative peace and quiet. We scaled back the bureaucratic burden (goodbye to detailed lesson plans and officious-sounding acronyms like IEPs and APP grids) and replaced it with a few simple, manageable systems for ensuring children enjoyed learning and developed confident, resilient personalities. Like anything else in education, what we were doing wasn’t perfect but I was a Year 6 teacher at the time and I have no doubt that most of the children I taught then had been much better prepared real life than those leaving primary school now.
2012 was the turning point. Ofsted’s obsessive focus on results and the threat of no-notice inspections for schools whose test scores dipped started to engender a culture of fear at every level of management. Terrified by the threat of losing their jobs in an academy takeover, head teachers began to make more and more absurd demands of their teachers’ spare time, particularly through unrealistic and unmanageable marking policies. The government stepped up their anti-teacher rhetoric in the media as they fought a series of battles with our unions over cuts to our pensions and the introduction, against all the evidence, of performance-related pay for teachers. The failure of the free school and academies agenda to provide sufficient school places for four-year-olds was causing rows between communities and local authorities over school expansions and “bulge classes” (one-off additional classes in particular year groups at particular schools.) Perhaps most seriously, the constant changes to primary assessment started to squeeze out everything from the curriculum that wasn’t directly concerned with producing short-term, measurable units of an increasingly abstract notion called “progress” in reading, writing and maths.
It was in January of that year that Sir Michael Willshaw, the chief inspector of Ofsted, had made his now infamous comment that “if anyone says to you that ‘staff morale is at an all-time low’ then you know you’re doing something right.” Four years on, as he prepares to stand down as chief inspector, I suppose we can only congratulate Sir Michael on having met his own success criteria during his tenure so completely.
And now, at the tender mercy of Nicky Morgan, this tragic tale reaches its conclusion. The primary assessment system has been overhauled completely and, unless you want Ofsted to sack your head teacher and give your school (and the land it’s built on) to one of Michael Gove’s friends (or if your school is already controlled by one of Michael Gove’s friends) you have no choice but to teach to a dull, uninspiring series of tests that have precious little relevance to the twenty-first century lives our pupils are going to have to navigate.
Me dressed as a SATs paper when we still had a sense of humour about it all.
We used to be inspiring young people, opening their minds to new possibilities and giving them a lifelong love of learning. Heaven knows what this strange game we’re playing now is supposed to accomplish. Teaching was once a creative, optimistic, energising job. Not in the Gove-Morgan world of coordinating conjunctions and “formal written methods.” Got a passion for music? Primary teaching is not for you. Want to inspire children with drama? Go hug a tree, you Corbyn-loving hippie. Think children should learn about their local area? Officially that’s fine (it’s on the meaningless, untested part of the curriculum) but just make sure you link it to your grammar objectives because any child that doesn’t understand the precise grammatical role of the subjunctive mood at the age of 11 will henceforth be branded a failure. I mean, do most Tory MPs even understand the precise grammatical role of the subjunctive mood?
Trying to inspire children with drama like a tree-hugging, Corbyn-loving hippie.
At my own school, we’re still (just about) able to strike a balance between what we believe and what is imposed from above but doing this is getting harder every year. Meanwhile, it seems teachers in most other schools are monitored, examined, scrutinised and graded as though working a 55-hour-week for 32 hours’ pay is a special privilege of which they should be continually proving themselves worthy. Being a teacher should be a privilege and it was a privilege not so very long ago. But it isn’t at the moment. Not like this. Teachers want trust, respect and the right to exercise their own professional judgement. They want the system they work in to be designed by people who understand education. They want a school system run for the benefit of pupils, not politicians. Most of all they want to be listened to. Without these simple courtesies (for that is all they are- all we’re asking for) it’s just not worth it.
And no, before you ask, the holidays don’t make up for it.
Tim Paramour 
I left the UK after 7 years teaching. I was pretty successful, going from NQT to HOD in 6 years. Basically, I was working such long hours I didn’t know who I was any more. I am one of those who left, and have worked in International Schools for 16 years. The vast benefit of this is that my own kids have been privately educated in excellent schools. The demand and standards in the schools are very high, so there is stress, but there is also a sense of being valued and trusted. I can put up with any amount of work if it is meaningful, relevant and valued. I miss the UK very much indeed, but I would never work in the state system again. I have had offers – I am qualified to teach in maths and science at the secondary level – but have turned them down. Sad, really.
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This, sadly, says it all. I took early retirement from an advisory teaching role in 2014, after over 30 years in the profession. I was thoroughly disillusioned and have had to make some very tough financial decisions, but I felt I could not go on within the system as it is.
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Very eloquently put. I feel the same about say many points mentioned above. I am in the thick of my sixth year ️teaching at Primary level.
I would love to hand in my notice and beigin a new career, however the fear of the unknown, the whatifs overtakes that decision.
Any advice on alternative careers without spending another four years at university level would be greatly appreciated.
I feel I need to find an alternative before throwing the towel in.
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If you are fortunate enough to have the freedom to move and would like an adventure, you should really look at international teaching seriously! It’s what the job should be – just research thoroughly first and check who owns the school and how it is run! I would have left the teaching profession by now if I hadn’t taken the plunge and it is the best decision I could have made!
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The rules are different in SEN schools. I defaulted i to SEN 6 years ago having decided mainstream was impossible to believe in any more. In SEN staff can focus on the holistic wellbeing of each child because a special needs child cannot learn to rote. The outcome is everyone is having fun.
And thats where the learning starts….
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Hi Ciara
Actually I may possibly have something of interest for you. I have been teaching since 1993 and 18 months ago I went part-time. This was a big decision as it came with financial implications. However, I do now have an unexpected opportunity in my hands. If you want to do something about your situation then I’d be happy to talk to you and you can decide if it’s something for you. Add me as a friend on Facebook (Jane Goldie) or email me: janegoldie001@gmail.com
😊
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I have taught abroad for the past five years and I feel that I now have my life back. I work for The British School of Kuwait. This is my package: £3,400 per month tax free. Free accommodation in a large two bed apartment. All bills paid for. One free flight per year home. A gratuity bonus for each year worked at the school. Summer holidays which begin in mid June and finish at the end of August.
There’s no Ofsted. Informal observation are once per year, as you are trusted as a professional. As a primary teacher, I also have 7 hours of free periods a week to get my marking done during the school day, whilst the pupils are being taught specialist subjects like PE, music, DT, Arabic and French.
Look on TES. There’s loads of similar international teaching jobs out there!
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Omg! That is amazing!!!
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That sounds wonderful, I will be graduating this year and from my placement schools and experience can see the pressuer teachers and staff have within schools. Great I cant wait-NOT! Don’t get me wrong I can’t wait to get into my classroom and get to know the children but I feel there is myriad work I mean paper work ahead of me. Oh well will plod along and stay positive, have to give what I really love a go. Maybe in the near future I will work abroad, sounds exciting😊.
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I’ve been teaching since 1982, and I’m so glad I’m at the end of my career. I’m not sue I can go on until retirement age because of everything in this article. You have captured the state of education perfectly. I worry for the future unless things change radically, and they won’t do that quickly enough.
I’ve loved aspects of my job, but morale is at an all time low, so yes, they’ve finally crushed us into the mud.
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I left the profession in 2013 after 21 years, the last seven as the head of a successful infant school. Haven’t looked back, financially more challenged but stress and disillusionment gone. Still read the TES every week, mostly now in sympathy with teachers still struggling exactly like this article lays out.
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BRILLIANT! The role of teacher has been spiralling down since 1988 with the Education Reform Act. Every year change for change’s sake as different ministers of all parties reinvented, modified, tweaked, drastically overhauled, back to basics and designed for the future the wheel. Add to that the inspections, which were basically set up to fail state schools, and had no positive effect. They could not say, “Your class is too big.” or “This subject/department/school is underfunded”. No it was, “You are crap and it is your fault.” So glad to be out of the job after 33 years. 🙂
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Agree fully, I also retired early after 33 years, sadly I was wishing my life away to get to early retirement age so that I could take the pension I was promised when I started before that also got changed or reduced by yet more tax. Great profession when I started in the eighties, so much freedom by todays standards and the kids got a much better deal, partly because they benefited from greater discipline but mainly because they were taught by happy well motivated teachers who weren’t forever looking over their shoulders.
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Excellent. I took early retirement as the headteacher of a large, successful, secondary modern (yes we were still in the dark ages of selection in Kent) school because what I was being asked to do was diametrically opposed to my own personal philosophy about what education and good teaching and learning should be. I had strived for 13 years as deputy and then head to create a forward thinking, 21st century, dynamic place for learning. But then Gove and the Tories came along. Sadly, I eventually found it impossible to “sell a message” to my dedicated and talented staff, that had become morally repugnant to me. I could no longer protect the students or the staff from the onslaught, so in December 2014 I took early retirement (10years early!). I wish the person who is now at the helm good luck but I suspect she has been set up to fail.
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Handed my notice in last month after 20years secondary teaching. Can’t do it anymore. It feels morally wrong. I used to love my job and often was told by ex pupils how inspiring I was. These days I’m telling them not to think and write the ‘correct’ answer in the box. Jump through the hoop and you get to do something interesting. So sad. So wrong.
Thank you for writing that.
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So relieved to get out after thirty plus years, fed up with the goal posts and head teachers with one agenda and one opinion. Lack of care for staff, as long as the job was done , the camaraderie of the staff room disappeared no one had time to sit in it , food was eaten in the classroom trying to get the next task done etc. I loved teaching even in the roughest of school but would I do it again , NO
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I too, left in 2014 after 20years in the professon. It was necessary for my own sanity. Without professional integrity and passion or creativity left, I felt frustrated and powerless. Moreover, it was so sad to see how the curriculum left many children uninspired and some demoralised and depressed.
There is life outside teaching. I made a big change and now work shift hours but take home the same pay and when I go home my time is my own. It has been a new challenge, one worth rising to!
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What is your job now? I would love to leave after 22 years teaching but don’t know what else I could do. Well done for taking the plunge!
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Hi Rachel
Actually I may possibly have something of interest for you. I have been teaching since 1993 and 18 months ago I went part-time. This was a big decision as it came with financial implications. However, I do now have an unexpected opportunity in my hands. If you want to do something about your situation then I’d be happy to talk to you and you can decide if it’s something for you. Add me as a friend on Facebook (Jane Goldie) or email me: janegoldie001@gmail.com
😊
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My daughter is 6. She loves reading and learning and is a bright, articulate child with a wide vocabulary and constant questions. At least, she was. Two thirds of the way through year 1, and preparation for next year’s spelling and grammar KS tests in full swing, she is now sleeping badly and comes home from school weeping with stress. The school ‘doesn’t set homework’ – no, it’s just pages of KS maths and English workbooks, plus phonics practice, ‘mathletics’, spelling lists, reading practice and occasional ‘special projects’ which (if we attempted to do them all) would add up to an hour or more a day of extra work. My daughter no longer writes her own stories, carefully illustrating them with felt tips, as she used to do in Reception; she no longer wants to spend time finding out about volcanoes on the internet; she no longer wants to do anything connected with learning in her precious spare time. When I expressed concern to her lovely but harassed class teacher, he shrugged, sighed, and said ‘there’s no room for creativity in the curriculum’. I hope that your sabbatical gives you what you need, but please don’t leave the profession – we so badly need teachers who want to educate children, rather than just tick the boxes.
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That’s the point , teachers DO want to educate children , but as far as govt is concerned children (and teachers)shouldn’t be enjoying school , they should be jumping through hoops ! As a primary teacher who worked 55-60 hours a week for 39 hours pay, being told by Mr. Willsher that teachers had to get used to leaving school after 3 p.m. every day just about made me explode . I left teaching early after 35 years in the job , because to me an education system that was set up to fail (and fail to nurture) children whose talent was practical/musical/creative rather than academic , wasn’t an education system I wanted to be part of .
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I moved to year one with my reception class.
I too go home weeping and exhausted.
All we do is cram for tests. I hate it so much. I’ve got no time to even talk to my children and we’re doing work that is far too hard for them just so they’re “ready” for year two.
No room for art or even topic work. All my bouncy creative learners are bored to tears and acting up.
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Very well put. The current “Teacher recruitment crisis” was seen ages ago as an inevitable result of the progress since 1988 and the Late Sir Keith Joseph’s desire to “weed out the dead wood” – 15000 teacher we were told then (strange how this figure keeps popping up). My career came to an end after 33 years, the last 8 as head of a high achieving school (though hamstrung by the Ofsted measure of improvement which was impossible to achieve due to the level 5 ceiling on KS2 – as if this is a true measure of ability/success/progress) with a trip from school to the local hospital in the back of an ambulance. There are too many people out there who have stuck it out and have ended up contributing to the statistics of short retirement, ruined health and death in service or very soon afterwards. Average length of retirement of a (male) head who retires at 60 is 7 years. Male heads staying in post after 60 have a 50% chance of dying in post. The writing has been on the wall for years but no-one in government seems to have been reading it.
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I fully agree with the sentiments expressed. I spent my working life in comprehensive schools in South Wales, the ILEA and Wolverhampton and was Deputy Head for the last 19 years. However, the prospect of a teaching profession denuded of professionals who think for themselves and dare to question the prevailing orthodoxy is a dismal one. Do we want schools of the future dominated by teachers who dare not speak out? I have no magic answer but I have the temerity to suggest that only by some of us hanging in there will we be able to effect real change from within. I know from first hand experience how draining and frustrating that can be. But I do hope my grandchildren will be taught by people with ideas of their own who dare to stand up to the endless onslaughts on state education.
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I struggled to my retirement ending up loathing a job that used to be a profession I loved. I now fear for my grandchildren who will suffer the boredom and tedium that is being set out by politicians who play games with their future. I watched enthusiastic little ones become stressed and anxious from the tender age of 5 years. And quite right the holidays never make up for the overload. I remember my friends thought I had died in bed when they couldn’t rouse me whilst I slept the clock round for the first 10 days of one such holiday, merely rising for a drink now and then. I feel very sad because I know and learning should be inspiring not suffocating.
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Having gone from starting my PGCE in FE part time whilst lecturing full time, to Team Lead and then Curriculum Lead in just over four years, and now having RESIGNED work with nothing to go to, I am just one of many who has become thoroughly disheartened and totally jaded by the education system. I am NOT a victim though. I made a positive choice to get back my life and be there for my children whilst they still wanted their mummy. I am lucky as I already have an alternative profession to return to (law). It is sad though. My life experiences gained through living life that gave so much to my learners is now lost to them which is a shame as that is I why wanted to teach. Whilst some will say that I couldn’t have been that committed as I left so quickly, I will respond with this: my children will not lose their parent to an unappreciative and ‘take but no give’ ‘profession’. Too many of my learners had parents who were teachers and were worn out. Too many of those learners were themselves disillusioned with teaching as they didn’t see a lot of their own parents because they were on a school trip, locked in their study marking or preparing. Is this the legacy that teaching will leave to the children of existing teachers and lecturers? It seems so. I will have no more to do with it.
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My parents were teachers. My father was disillusioned and took early retirement. My mother used to work ridiculous hours. I never wanted to be a teacher. It was not an option for me.
After reading this I am now concerned about my own children who have not yet started school.
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Sounds just like Sweden. I gave up my job here when following the curriculum meant ignoring the handicapps of the pupils I worked with. I also had real problems with the physical and psykological punishment of the pupils- something that is actually against the law, but happens in certain schools especially where handicapped children are concerned. Unfortunately I was so exhausted with frustration that I had no energy to report my local authority.
I have still not had my qualifications from college in England recognised – here they are very rigid- you must teach what you are qualified for. I took my certificate in 1973 and haven’t taught Geography or Music since then. My forte has been English, and in addition Maths (I have read all the Maths att teacher training college here and have a University course too).
Why is our situation so bad? When will we be allowed to teach and inspire? I hope to go back as an assistent and work with small groups where the pupils have fallen out of the system, who are not expected to achieve and help them to prove the system wrong. Here retirement age is 65, but having had a foster child with sickness and learning disabilities I have been at home too much and will have a pension under the European poverty line. So, I expect to have to continue work until I am 70.
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I left SEN after 8 yrs. Stressed, disillusioned and very unhappy. I worry constantly still about those children. They have no voice, their parents have no choice. When I saw my class , a require 1-1 outside, 12months on , I recognised the speech therapist, not A SINGLE member of staff. 32+ staff left in 3 yrs. OFSTED rated management as good. Yet the acting head has been named on another person’s OH report as having tendencies to bully. Madness.
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Very well put!How tragic for the profession to be losing such an excellent teacher. I am amazed that anyone wants to enter this once noble profession any more!I l loved my teaching career 1964-2003,but would actively discourage anyone to enter it today!
Sad, sad times….how can we move forward?
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Totally Agree. I spent 37 teaching. Some abroad and many ‘at home’. The first years were inspiring and FUN both for me and for my students I believe. An age where it was possible to respond to the young people and use their interests, energy and natural enthusiasm for learning to create an environment where every child was able to progress. Abroad in Pakistan and Japan; even though not part of the country’s official system, my training in UK was very much admired. Student and parents were respectful and appreciative.
On returning to UK the changes were startling and the constant monitoring and target setting had already begun. My career progressed in the secondary sector and eventually I was an assistant Headteacher on a senior management team of 6 in a school of around a 1000 with special needs of 35%. My role to line manage monitor and guide several departments. In stead of line managing the SENCO I acted as the SENCO because we couldn’t recruit one, line managing a behaviour team of 5 and 25 Subject TAs. At the same time also line managing the Heads of the Transition team (years 7 and 8) as well as the Heads of History and Geography. My teaching timetable commitment was 50% including GCSE classes in Business Studies and Geography, PSHE and a couple of IT classes (because there was not enough teachers).
I retired early in 2007 after having suffered two periods of clinical depression, the first of which became apparent after a real breakdown on the way to work one morning.
My niece recently trained as a primary school teacher while working as a TA. I admire her greatly even though I tried to persuade her against it! This year in her reception class of 30, she has 3 children who arrived not being able to speak, they cannot form sentences and generally point and grunt. I don’t mean not able to speak English, they are from native UK families in the most deprived area of our town. Their young parents a result of the education system since 1988. How can we expect them to be able to understand the precise grammatical role of the subjunctive mood by 11??
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Not surprising that so many people are now opting to home educate, or even unschool. If there is no joy for the teachers there can be no joy for the kids. Interesting that the children out of school by and large reach similar goal posts as they do in school, many exceeding that because they have learnt to seek out information rather than passively receive it. It is not important their educational standard at 16 or 18, it is important that they have goals and want to continue learning. Home educated children are ready to learn when they are ready unlike the schooled children who now need gap years before college to deschool from the stress before starting their further education. When we were young we did not need gap years!
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Just sent you a little email asking if you’re up for a reblog. I’m deputy editor at TES. ed.dorrell@tes.co.uk
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I worked for 14 years in an Inner East London school. I loved my job and I loved London. I never saw myself leaving the profession but I knew I couldn’t sustain the level of work needed and each year the work load just increased. I was ‘graded’ by OFSTED as an outstanding teacher but trying to keep that ‘title’ was killing me. So instead of leaving the profession I love, I left London and the U.K. and returned to Australia where I was fortunate to find a job in a private school. I now have a work/life balance and instead of being observed by someone telling me how to improved we are treated like the professionals we are and given opportunities to self reflect with the help of cognitive coaching. I am valued and I have found that love for teaching once again. I miss London. I miss the kids I taught and I miss my friends, but I DONT miss the UK education system which stifles and crushes creative and passionate teachers.
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I taught for almost 30 years, was graded as an outstanding teacher. I finished as deputy head teacher of a large primary school. I loved the children. I loved teaching. Ofsted and continual assessment of the children drove me to retire 5 years early. The relief has been immense. I usually avoid news about Education as it makes me so angry. If you have a broken bone you go to a medical professional. If you was to educate, go to a professional teacher NOT a political beaurocrat. More and more academies and schools are now being run by non-educationalists. No wonder they are failing. I feel very sad for the teachers and the children today. Teaching and learning used to be fun and turned out rounded, well prepared youngsters. Not any more!
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This article made me cry. I work in FE and my wages are now the same as when I graduated in 2007, £22k but thats nothing compared to what the students go through. 45 glh to go from entry 2 to level 2 or fail. Meanwhile they have to work 35 hours for £95. I honestly believe in a conspiracy theory to dumb down the nation, get tje richest in London and sod the rest.
WTF do politicians know about education anyway.
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Speaking of conspiracies,the sentence ‘and the land they’re built on’ should make us sit up and pay attention
But I agree with you 100% dumb down the masses whilst pretending to strive for excellence whilst teaching grammar that’s too hard for them age 5
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Hi, thanks for reading.
Absolutely right- that wasn’t just a throwaway comment. There’s a very interesting piece by Michael Rosen about the land issue here: http://michaelrosenblog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/gove-nicked-our-schools-and-handed-them.html?m=1
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The saddest thing of all is that many of the hoops….. contents of files and ridiculous perameters that have been used to persecute teachers over the last fifteen years or so have been designed by teachers. A special breed who’ve left the classroom long before they left the school environment. They have never tested the efficacy of their work and we suffer the consequences.
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The poor teachers, the poor children. I was a primary teacher qualified in 1976. It was a demanding but exciting job. I left to start my own (successful) business in 1999 when the writing was on the wall for the profession and for me if I stayed there trying to make sense of it. Handing in my notice was a very happy occasion. What on earth is the future for education?
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Reading this after dragging myself through my front door, after a tiring 11 hour day, in a school where I feel under-appreciated and over-worked. I find myself crying most nights in frustration; I used to love my job, but I have become throughly disillusioned. And this is only after four years in the profession.
I’ve had enough. I want out. But I don’t know where to start. I want to take the plunge and take my career in a completely different direction, but have no idea how.
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Actually I may possibly have something of interest for you. I have been teaching since 1993 and 18 months ago I went from full time to part-time teaching . This was a big decision as it came with financial implications. However, I do now have an unexpected opportunity in my hands. If you want to do something about your situation then I’d be happy to talk to you and you can decide if it’s something for you. Add me as a friend on Facebook (Jane Goldie) or email me: janegoldie001@gmail.com
😊
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I led a successful primary school in Norfolk for three years before succumbing to stress then battled with the LEA for over a year before leaving the profession. They were unsupportive of the fact that the school had been turned around by a concentration on drama, art, sport and music…subjects that enthused the children, encouraged creativity, boosted confidence and contributed to improvement in core subjects. They wanted us to remove children from these ‘afternoon’ subjects to do yet more literacy and numeracy. Because I openly criticised their strategies I was threatened with dismissal for gross misconduct! I got out with a hefty severence and haven’t looked back. Teachers possess unlimited transferable skills. I now teach art and craft privately to home educated children, at evening classes and in retirement homes. To those who are saying they are worried about leaving for fear of what else they might do…don’t put it off. Take anything as a stop gap whilst you rethink. You have one life…I lost 15 months to stress related illness and it took about three years for me to get my confidence back ( during which time I did a part time law degree!) Don’t wait until the job makes you ill. It’s very sad…I used ti love teaching, but no one will thank you for it.
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Rebecca,I’m interested to hear of yr experience of teaching art n craft in retirement homes etc.cd you tell me some more? Message – Naomi Hopwood
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I have been teaching for 17 years. At the end of the last accademic year I felt I could no longer sacrifice my family life for my profession. I opted for a management position in my school and although it has many challenges, I am no longer working til 11 every night or on my days off. Did you know teachers are only paid for 24 hours a week? I’m not sure why but I think it has something to do with not getting paid for the holidays and having the hours spread over 12 months??!! Anyway ridiculous hours aside I felt i no longer had the freedom to get to know my class, to have fun afternoons outside on the field or show and tell. Every minute of every day has to have a learning objective and evidence of progress. What are we doing to these kids?
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I totally agree with most of the sentiments expressed in this article. However if all the teachers who care walk away, and who can blame them, what becomes of our schools and children then? Is there another way forward?
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I’ve wrestled with that myself but collective resistance through our unions appears to have failed. So I don’t know what another way forward would look like, sadly.
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I am a teacher and a mum. I feel really fortunate as I love my job as a music specialist (I know, we are a dying breed!) and work in a supportive school which still tries to support the Arts. But, it is hard, staff are struggling to keep up with the fast pace of change and the huge amount of assessment they need to do to prove that they are doing everything they can to get the children through these difficult assessments.
However, as a mother, I am heart broken. My 12 year old daughter is losing all her hair. There is no reason for this other than stress and the only stress she is being put under is school. What are we doing to these children? How are they going to function in society when they are being put under such huge amounts of stress before they are even teenagers?
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I’m a first class graduate with a military background. I began a School Direct secondary english course in September and was frankly horrified by what I saw in schools. After three months of 100hour weeks I came to the stunning realisation that the theoretical ideals of the profession espoused in the university-based portion of my course (which are fantastic) cannot be replicated in practice, in any way, shape or form, inside the classroom under the current administration. Regrettably, I have now abandoned my studies in order to follow a different career path.
Furthermore, my wife, who is a greater teacher than I could ever have hoped to be, is frankly miserable at her primary school, along with the rest of her faculty, and undoubtedly it won’t be long before the pupils will be taught by the janitors.
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I qualified as a primary school teacher in 1973 and my memories of those first years of teaching are such happy ones. I had a break of ten years to raise my own three children then returned to teaching in the late eighties. It was still a vocation even then, none of us ever imagined doing another job. Gradually and insidiously education became a political football, the great GERBIL sank its teeth into us first, courtesy of Mr. Baker and from then on it was a downward spiral , one new ‘strategy’ after another, never staying long enough to be tried and tested. There was still some room left for creativity however which was what got me through up until 2003 when I finally realised that I wasn’t going to be able to make it to the finishing line of age 60. I reluctantly took retirement aged 51. I did carry on doing supply for another few years but despite the fact that I have a much reduced pension, I have no regrets. How we expect our present generation of teachers to work on until age 70+ for their pensions is beyond me. My six year old grandson is under intense pressure at school because he is not reaching the expected levels that he needs to reach for his KS1 tests. Learning to today’s children is not a joy but a series of insurmountable exercises. I feel so sorry that his teacher will never experience the joy that I had in teaching a broad, creative and exciting curriculum.
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I feel that terrible that after 10 years I am walking away from teaching. It’s hard to know where to start but I don’t even want my own children in the system any more so my family are immigrating. I think I may have been able to keep on going if I totally sacrificed my personal life but then what would I have had to teach them beyond the prescribed blurb? Well done for speaking so articulately about it. Sometimes I wonder what will happen when so many of us will walk away but it serves as the greatest statement and puts teachers back on the political agenda…come on we have seen it happen before.
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I to am leaving the profession at the end of the year. Having taught in a lovely infant school for the past 16 years, the last six as deputy head, I cannot face another year trying to teach these still little Year 2 children this unbending, unimaginative curriculum. So yes, another one bites the dust this July.
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Retiring from the teaching profession was the best career decision I ever made!
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I taught secondary school science for 12 years. Retrained in 2008 as a dentist.
I absolutely love my new career and have no regrets about the student loans I’ve accumulated. Previous teaching experience has made it easier to deal with child patients and educate people of all ages about oral hygiene.
Teaching made me stressed and unhappy. I had no life, no time for the gym or friends, no weekends to chill and have fun. I’m so glad I got out when I did.
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Exactly as you said: I’d lost sight of who I was. So sad that this government wants to trash state education. My kids are bored, restricted and uninspired. Wish I’d just home schooled them to be honest (am a QT, but now do private tuition and write books!) At my kids’ first school all the teachers were leaving to go to Abu Dhabi over a period of about 5 years. I can see the temptation for young teachers wanting to clear their student debts. Too sad for words.
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I love my school,the children and staff but your article says it all. If I could think of something else I could do I would leave immediately. The holidays don’t even work now as I’m in a different school to my children and our holidays are different. I just wish it was taken seriously by people and especially the media.
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Hi E.Tate
I don’t know if you saw my reply to an earlier post, but I have been teaching since 1993 on a full time basis til 2014. I have been teaching part-time since. I may have something of interest for you. Please feel free to email me if you want to find out more: janegoldie001@gmail.com
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How sad that the majority of replies are from those of us who have made the break and got out of the profession. Probably because those still in the job don’t have the time to read articles like this! I, too, retired very early due to medical reasons. I couldn’t go on any longer with the hours demanded of us, the constant ‘initiatives’ and top heavy management leading to weaker lessons due to being watered down in order to include the 71 part lesson nonsense. Sad. So sad. For anyone wondering what to do with life after teaching, I would recommend taking the plunge, getting out and getting your life back. We downsized significantly, moved away and although I’m lucky to have an enhanced pension, I would otherwise have got a job locally – one that finishes at 5pm with no homeworking required. Just for a couple of years to regain sanity before looking at other more involved jobs. Good luck to you all.
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De-politicise education and the health service and let us do our jobs the way we were trained to……and then we will return! Education and Health are caring professions which do not require performance targets. We never wanted to be sales people and we do not strive to receive awards, prizes and bonuses. We chose these professions because we love people, we are not driven by financial gain, status or fast cars. We just want to make a difference. We want to be valued. An honest day’s pay for an honest day’s work.
Find something else to win the votes for politicians and take the politicians out of Education and Health and you will be amazed at what we can achieve for this country. Let teachers teach the way we were taught to teach and nurses to nurse the way they were taught to nurse. Leave us, the professionals, alone to get on with it! You will not be disappointed!
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Sadly I really think no one is listening . I think everything that makes/made up our society – nursing , education, postal services,public transport- are being sold off for a short term profit . In order to make the people who own these things i. e. You and me , agree to the sale you have to destroy any respect people have for the institution and those who work in it , which successive govts have succeeded in doing . I loved my job ,I loved seeing a 5 year old realise they were reading and I hate what is happening now to our children’s confidence and creativity .
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I took early retirement in2010 because I could not be part of a system which has lost all pleasure and creativity of learning. It makes me sad to see children so stressed about education. I spoke to my grandaughter ‘s teacher about a week she had spent in Sweden looking at their education system. She said it was wonderful, children starting school later and learning through play and creativity. I asked her what aspects of this system she was going to implement in her classroom and she said none. We have to do as we are told!
A) what a waste of money paying for her visit, B) why ignore evidence that we in UK are getting it all wrong and C) why are government allowed to make my bright 8 year old grandaughter hate school!!!
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Einstein said imagination is the most important thing before anything. Ask the children , they like variety too be happy. When my grandson was about six he told his mum that she bore him but Nana gave him his imagination.
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And the new breed of leadership!!! Ast etc with about 4 years actual class experience who talk about “playing the game”! I’ve been in the same school for 23 years. It is not a game! It’s people education. Their life chances! It just becomes more and more fragmented. The governments find it easy to blame ‘lefty’ teachers because that is easier than facing up to generational failure to deliver aspiration to the electorate. I try and I keep trying but I know I’ll fail in the end. I used to care, now I survive and despair
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I agree completely. I’ve only been teaching six years but at last school the now ‘principal’ (horrible acadmy term) was acting head in her third year of teaching. Ended up with lots of experienced teachers having yo resign because they saw through the latest initiatives and were made out to be ‘dinosaurs’ for daring to disagree.
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I entered teaching mainly because I had such a lovely, creative education myself and I was inspired to do the same. My PGCE year was amazing too- at university I was witnessing ‘mock ups’ of the most amazing lessons that I couldn’t wait to repeat. However, what I learnt from being a teacher in our current system was that I couldn’t do creative, inspiring lessons unless they had a clear literacy or numeracy lesson objective, regardless of what subject was being taught.
I was at a very restrictive school where every staff meeting revolved around ‘ticking ofsted boxes’ (regardless of whether there was an actual impact on the child). I’m now at a school with a much more holistic approach but it’s apparently ‘coasting’.
My (rambling) point is that we’re not only losing great teachers from the profession but also that this uninspiring curriculum is definitely not going to inspire our current generation of children to want to go into teaching, so if we think the teaching crisis is bad now it’s going to get a hell of a lot worse.
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I’ve had enough of teachers moaning and going on strike. Yes it’s a hard job with lots of work – but it was your decision to choose that career.
You’ve now decided to walk away, yet are still taking your NPQH. Why? You’re wasting tax payers money.
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Oh the irony. You complain about teachers moaning because it was ‘your decision’ without realising that you too are moaning, about a blog that was your decision to read. If you don’t like teachers moaning, why not walk away? Or do you care too much?
Teachers are leaving the profession in their thousands, faster than they can be replaced. That may not matter to you, but we have a growing school-age population. Who’s going to change your colostomy bag in the retirement home when we have a generation who have been through school taught in classes of 40 by someone with no qualifications themselves?
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Anonymous….have you even read the article?! Yes it was our decision to become a teacher but if you had read it you’d realise that the system/profession that people CHOSE to work in has changed beyond all recognition now! So the comments are mainly from people who have left because the career they CHOSE has changed. And I’ll also add that those CHOOSING to enter the profession now (as their own choice) are leaving in droves as well. Most don’t stay past they’re first couple of years. And also, nothing, NOTHING prepares you for a life in teaching until you’re actually in the thick of it. So yes those that chose the career years and years ago are leaving as its not the career they chose any more and those that are entering the career if their choice are leaving fairly early into it as its not the career they expected. Read the article and that’s the message anyone would get from it.
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My partner and I left the UK in 2013. He is a secondary teacher and I’m a school librarian. Working in state schools in the UK was making us both miserable. I was being bullied by senior leadership (having to have therapy and medication to deal with it) and he was being worked to the point of collapse. It was unbearable. I was at the point of leaving altogether and never going back. Now we are overseas and loving our jobs again. We leave work tired but happy and we are both trusted and respected. We work hard but it’s all for the benefit of the kids. I never want to go back but if we have to, I will never work in the UK education system again. I’d rather stack shelves in a super market.
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30 years in teaching Chemistry in a wide range of schools, including 4 brilliant years in Milan, and am applying for sales jobs!
At my sixth form college, because of ‘Area Reviews’ ( yes it does sound like Hitler made that one up’, we are now making SCIENCE TEACHERS redundant. I used to be a funny vibrant sort of person. I’m fit and healthy and have a lovely 6 year old daughter so cannot retire. Fit and healthy apart from the antidepressants. Am now on a job hunt outside of teaching. Whether anyone will want a teaching cast off who knows but I can bare the back biting this government has caused no longer.
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Brilliant – what a waste to the education of children that you are leaving – PLEASE EVERYONE, GET TOGETHER AND SAY “NO MORE!” – we are acting like lambs to the slaughter and letting this pathetic excuse for an Education Department rob us and the children we love teaching of our future hopes and dreams – we all feel the same, but just accept that this is how things are – WHY??? Let’s do something about it!!!
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I left the profession 7 years ago, after 18 years totally demoralised and have absolutely no regrets. It was sad giving up a career I had wanted to pursue since the age of 5 . However I felt strongly I had to put my children and my own mental health first, inspite of our greatly reduced finances. Recently I have started working as a teaching assistant at my children’s school and love it. A few weeks ago I saw an inspirational speaker called Guy Claxton from U.C.L who said detailed research showed that success/happiness in later life was not related solely to academic achievement and that schools should aim to develop skills such as resilience, perseverance ,initiative, creativity etc.Why can’t the government get this? I have a son in year 6 and it is horrifying to see the pressure he is under. He is already getting stressed about the SATS. Never mind that he writes with fluency and imagination.He will almost certainly be branded below average under the new harder writing tests as his spelling is poor. I fail to see how the grammar terminology he is expected to know such as relative pronoun etc. is going to help him in later life. I have an English degree and I was never taught these words!
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