Don’t Let the Grass Grow…

Taking a break from your teaching career can be a necessity or choice…

And there are many reasons why one would do so.  Health, travel, lifestyle, children, work-life balance, family commitments – any one of these or a combination of a few, may have contributed to your decision to take a break from your career… but, when the time comes to return, it can feel like the grass has grown under your feet.  This can be daunting and leave you lacking confidence, but we at Key Education can help make the path back a smooth one… here are our top tips for helping you return to the classroom!

Key-education.co.uk1. Support is Key

The national teacher shortage means support is available to those looking to return to the profession….  Languages, maths and physics teachers can register via the ‘Get Into Teaching’ website and be assigned a teacher training adviser to help get you up to date. Teachers of other subjects can access some great advice from the same organisation and some handy practical tips on returning to work.

If you are returning after having a child, there is excellent support from an organisation called the MTPT (Maternity Teacher Paternity Teacher) project. The MTPT Project was founded in June 2016. It is run by a team of volunteers and advocates across the country who run an informative Twitter account and organise informal meetings and workshops for teachers who take a break from teaching whilst raising their families.  The group also has CPD projects that can be completed whilst out of the classroom.

2. Do your homework!

Taking time out of the classroom can make it easy to lose track of curriculum changes and alterations to teaching standards. Take some time to get up to date with any changes within the education sector – it can be beneficial to register for updates from The Department of Education and become familiar with the latest version of The National Curriculum.  Doing minor revision will help you feel more confident and in control when applying for new roles.

3. Celebrate the Gap

Use your career break as a talking point – don’t be worried that a gap in your work history will automatically go against you.  Use it as an opportunity to tell the story of you!  If teaching is a second career or if you’ve had a break, talk about that and the skills you have acquired – it will all help paint a picture of the person you are.

4. Volunteer

Are you thinking of returning to teaching but feel nervous? Volunteering is a great way to get used to being back in a school environment. Contact local schools directly and offer your time to read with the children, work as a classroom assistant, help with forest school or school trips.

5. Register for Supply

A really fabulous way to get your hand back in and re-skill quickly is supply teaching.  Schools are always looking for people on short and long term contracts to cover sickness, long-term absences or just ad-hoc days.  The best thing about it is that you get to choose.  It’s a great way to ease back in and update skills at the same time.

Choose Key Education?

We at Key Education believe that the key to learning is great teachers.  We have grown our agency organically since 2006 through offering a tailored service to teachers, assisting them on their chosen career path by listening to their circumstances and understanding their requirements.  We are a small independent agency and are immensely proud of our ability to provide that personal touch.  If you need any further help or would like to discuss your next steps, please get in touch with Claire, Sam or Mark, who will help you every step of the way.

Samantha Dyson is the Managing Director of Key Education Services Ltd.. an Independent Supply Teaching Agency offering teachers flexibility and schools local, passionate and experienced staff since 2006.