Have you been out of the classroom for what feels like ages? Whether that be from a career break, raising a family, wanting to try something different or just needed a breather. Well whatever the reason, if you are thinking of returning to teaching, the good news is that Sussex schools would love to have you back.
No need to fear, this will be more simple than you may think so let’s walk through it together.
Schools all around Brighton all the way to Hastings are crying out for experienced teachers, more so in primary and SEND classrooms. A headteacher typically loves a returning teacher as you have already done the job before, so it’s easier to get you settled back into school life. Compared to those just starting their teaching journey, they may need additional support and you know what, it’s also okay if you would like additional support when you first return. That is completely understandable if you have been out of the role for some time.
The best part about returning teachers is that your Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) never expires so no need to re-sit anything, get more training or start from scratch. There are teaching jobs in Sussex just waiting for people like you to get back into classroom. Whether you are after Brighton and Hove teaching jobs or something perhaps a little closer to home, or even something a bit quieter to help get you back into the swing of things. We have you covered.
Like any job, of course there will be paperwork but there is no need to feel scared of it. All you need before your first day is the following:
When you ask for our help we will always do compliance checks so nothing will come as a surprise and will ask for everything up front whilst keeping you informed of progress.
Like most returners, the biggest hurdle tends to be confidence rather than competence but we can help you along the way and there are plenty of resources out there that can help. This includes short refreshers online to longer sessions to help you feel at ease. Worth noting that the Department for Education also offer free return to teach support.
If you still have contacts, we would also recommend spending a day in school, whether that be shadowing a class or helping as a TA for a day or two. Don’t worry you will be paid for it and you will be surprised at how much you still know.
This also gives you an opportunity to catch up on big shifts from changes in Curriculum, assessment changes and new behaviour policies. Always read the policies before walking in and never be shy to ask questions on your first day, nobody expects you to know it all even if you have done the role before.
The easiest solution to returning to teaching is by taking a support role rather than a permanent position, this gives you the opportunity to really decide if going back is right for you. It also helps to take some of the pressure off you and really settle in before jumping in the deep end again.
Being a supply teacher lets you become more flexible from working one day, one week to 3 days the week after. It really just depends on your schedule and what you feel comfortable doing at that moment in time. It also allows you to cover across multiple schools so can fill in at a Primary school in Hove to then covering a secondary school in Crawley. This helps you find what year group/ school works for you with no long-term commitment.
Don’t ever feel like you need to apologise for your career break, just be honest about what the break was for such as ‘I took a few years out to raise my children’. That is more than enough explanation, from there you can then move straight into how you are/ will become a better teacher compared to when you left.
Most importantly, the transferable skills you picked up. Those that left to become parents, you probably have more patience than ever before, if you worked outside of education for a bit you most likely have built more confidence speaking with adults. A good step could also be volunteering at a club as it shows commitment. Just don’t be afraid to put all of this down on paper.
Once you get the interview, you will often find that the process itself is more relaxed than what you remember. Often asking the questions such as, What makes you want to get back into teaching? What support will you need? How will you handle tricky behaviour? If you want our advice, just prepare honest answers rather than what you think they want to hear and a good little tip, if you can. Read their behaviour policy and ask some questions of your own about it.
Pink Tile is a small supply teaching agency in West Sussex and we think of this as a benefit. As an independent local agency we really have a great understanding of the schools that we send you to. Making it the right fit for everyone.
Simply give us a call and we can chat about what you want from us and we an find you your dream role back into teaching.
You’ve got this!
