Should I move Schools?

I'm not going to pretend that it doesn't work for some people.

When you're weighing up your options for getting out of the situation in which you find yourself within your teaching career, I would certainly recommend you asking yourself a few questions about the way that you're feeling. This will clarify how likely it is that moving schools might make things better for you.

You need to try to be analytical and ask yourself - exactly what is it that you hate so much about your current position? Because if the answer is the workload or the behaviour of the children, then it's unlikely to be substantially different in another school. 

On the other hand if your main beef is the SLT or your Head of Department, then possibly a move might be more appropriate. 

I do find a lot of people I have met through various groups I belong to who know that they don't want to continue working in the position they are, yet who still want to continue in education. For example, I have known teachers quit to go on supply or become a classroom teaching assistant. Let's deal with these seperately.

Teaching assistants. I think we all know that a good TA, doing their job as well as they can, has to work very hard for a fraction of a teacher's pay. Now, if the workload with the planning, assessment and marking is your main problem then it might be appealing. But just remember the huge drop in salary, and the fact that you're still spending all day in the classroom. 

Supply Teaching. I do know teachers who think that going on supply is the best thing they've ever done. Working when you choose to. Not having the huge commitment to planning and marking. Personally I would always have begrudged an Agency taking a cut out of my hard earned, and it wouldn't have been an answer for me since I would still have been in the classroom. 

There are other roles in Education which can help you get out of the classroom, although some do require training and you need to be aware of this when making your plans. 

I do know many people who want to get out of the classroom yet never consider leaving education. Which is fine if you actually want to stay working in education, but not so fine if the only thing preventing you from looking further afield is fear of the unknown.


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