Making savvy choices for your teaching career

With more than half a million teachers and leaders working in state schools across England, the education sector provides a wealth of opportunities.

New insight from the Department for Education, titled Working Lives of Teachers and Leaders – Wave 1, reveals how you can be savvy with your career choices.

The report, published in April, looks at job satisfaction in the sector and can help you to make smart career decisions, especially if you’re thinking of a new career or a change of classroom environment.

A career change into supply teaching?

If you’ve been a teacher for a while, or are considering a move into the classroom, have you thought about a career in supply teaching?

According to the report, two-thirds of teachers said they spent more than 50% of their time on non-teaching activities, with that figure rising to 77% of those in secondary schools. Three-quarters of teachers said that administrative work took up ‘too much’ time, while other tasks such as data recording, analysis and behavioural logging were also a cause of frustration.

Opting for supply teaching is a sure-fire way to remove this administrative burden, freeing you up to focus on what matters most – delivering memorable and engaging lessons in whichever classroom environment you end up in. You’ll be able to make a real difference to the lives of youngsters each and every day.

Take control of your workload

Teacher workloads often hog the headlines, and rightly so, given that 72% of teachers and leaders disagreed when asked if their workload should be deemed acceptable. Some 62% of teachers said they didn’t have enough control over their workload, another potential reason for picking teaching supply work.

A major benefit of supply work is that you can pick when you want to work and how often, giving you plenty of flexibility to make your work-life balance exactly how you desire.

Put your development first

Teachings is packed with career development opportunities, assuming that you have the time to complete it. Some 66% of teachers said competing priorities or their heavy workload limited their continued professional development opportunities, with cost another commonly cited factor.

However, if you take a role via Tradewind Recruitment, you’ll have access to top-quality CPD from The National College – a platform packed with over 2,500 courses, webinars and expert resources. Thanks to this exclusive partnership, you can put your development top of the agenda.

Secondary opportunities?

A quarter of teachers and leaders quizzed in the report said they would consider leaving the profession for reasons other than retirement within a year, mainly as a result of workload, policy changes and inspection pressures. The figure was higher among secondary school staff too.

While it’s important to recognise that some staff are looking to leave the profession, don’t overlook what it could mean for you. From new job openings in schools across the country, to other opportunities in supply teaching and beyond, the education has an abundance of roles which could suit your skills and experience.