Should I apply for a new teaching job?

Whether to stay or go is a tough decision in any career, more so in teaching with its emotional attachments. So what should you do? Sue Cowley has some advice...

Before …

Anna has been teaching at her current school for three years, having started there as a newly qualified teacher. Her school is in a deprived area and there are many children in her class with very challenging behaviour and significant learning needs. Anna has found it tough going and she often struggles to get as much support as she would like. However, she has made friends with several teachers and she really loves her children.

Anna has been asked whether she would be interested in a promotion at her current school. She’s unsure whether to take on a new role where she is, or to look for a new post elsewhere.

The makeover

It’s always tricky to know when it’s the right time to move on to a new school. Some teachers like to move every few years; others prefer to stay in the same school for a much longer time. Make lists of the ‘pros’ and ‘cons’ to help you decide whether a move is right for you.

We recommend that Anna begins by writing a list of all the positives and negatives for both her current post and moving on to a new school. It’s hard to be objective when you are attached to the children and the staff with whom you work. Listing the cold hard facts should help her see the bigger picture. Once Anna has created her list, we would suggest that she sits down with a friend or colleague to talk it over.

Think about your long-term career objectives – where do you see yourself in five or 10 years’ time? Do you plan to move up the career ladder into management, or will you stay in the classroom?

At this early point, Anna may not have considered her career path, but doing this will help her come to the right decision. There are often more career opportunities in difficult schools because of a higher turnover of staff, and the challenge of working with troubled children is great for improving your classroom and behaviour management skills. By staying in a difficult school, you can make a huge difference to the lives of the most deprived children. At the same time, though, you need to consider what is right for you and how much stress you can handle in the longer term.

Remember that the longer you stay at a school, the easier your job becomes. After several years you will know how the systems work, and you will also become a familiar figure for the children. The longer Anna stays at her current school, the more straightforward her working life will become. This effect is often more pronounced at a ‘difficult’ school, because teachers have to learn to think on their feet and build up a bank of strategies to use in their classrooms. As Anna gets to know all the children and families, and they get to see her as a permanent ‘fixture’, those relationships will make a big difference to her daily working life. She should take these factors into account when making her decision, as a new school will always present new challenges.

Be clear with your school about the value that you add, particularly if you teach in a difficult environment. Learn how to ask for the support that you need in a polite but assertive manner.

We recommend that Anna set up a meeting with her headteacher to talk over her future. She should let the head know that she is thinking about moving on to a new post, but also that she is interested in taking a promotion and in her own professional development. By having a frank and honest discussion, she may find that her headteacher steps up and offers her the support that has been lacking.

After …

Anna wrote down a list of the pros and cons about staying or moving on, which she discussed with a teacher friend. She had a long hard think about her future career plans and realised that she was particularly interested in working with children with special educational needs. Anna arranged a meeting with her headteacher and explained that she was unsure about her future, and that she sometimes felt she could do with more support. Her headteacher made it clear that she really values Anna, and is keen for her to take on a promoted role. Her headteacher suggested that the school fund some training for her in special needs such as autistic spectrum disorders. Anna has made a decision to stay on at the school for at least a further two years.