Thinking of retraining as secondary Spanish teacher: advise pls!

Hi
I am thinking of re training as a Spanish secondary teacher and have a few questions.

I have been thinking about it for a little while and have done research/attended school open evenings/ have a day at a school booked in etc etc but am still not sure....

One concern is money as I would be a mature student (39) and have 2 kids and mortgage etc so know what my initial year would be hard

Secondly not sure route to take: PGCE at college or school led training

Thirdly not sure I am a strong enough person for secondary teaching!

Any tips/advice/experience most welcome!

x

Reply 1

emmalgale

I went to an information evening about Schools Direct last night run by the lead school of a local alliance. It was really good actually - they gave a salary comparison between the salaried and non-salaried School Direct options, and for some subjects you are actually better off doing the non-salaried version (I have a feeling MFL was one of them because of the bursary).

I suggest you go to some information evenings at the providers you would be interested in applying to. I was able to meet the teachers, staff from the university and ask any questions I had.

For your third question, I think you will only know that after you have done some work experience.

You will be surprised at how many other people, especially on the School Direct route, are mature students. I would say around half of the people at the event I went to yesterday were mature students (i.e. those with children & mortgages).

Reply 2

junglebook1

OP

1

Thank you for your reply. I have also been to an open event at a school which was v useful and am going to a SCITT event at a school in a couple og weeks

I think I would get a bursary of £15k but would have to pay £9k tuition fees so although not bad still a big drop! Plus would have to factor child care costs too!

x

Reply 3

emmalgale

Original post by junglebook1

Thank you for your reply. I have also been to an open event at a school which was v useful and am going to a SCITT event at a school in a couple og weeks

I think I would get a bursary of £15k but would have to pay £9k tuition fees so although not bad still a big drop! Plus would have to factor child care costs too!

x

Apparently you can get help towards child care costs if you are on the non-salaried route because you are classed as a student. Remember that you can get a student loan for the tuition fees, so you don't have to pay the £9k out of your pocket. I am not sure how long ago you did your previous degree, but student loans are the best way of borrowing money, so I would really advise you to get the loan rather than consider paying it yourself. I am not even worried about getting more student loans. I will never pay off my first lot of loans (unless I suddenly start earning £100k or something), because they get wiped off after 30 years or something (check that though)!

Reply 4

Juichiro

18

Original post by junglebook1

Hi
I am thinking of re training as a Spanish secondary teacher and have a few questions.

I have been thinking about it for a little while and have done research/attended school open evenings/ have a day at a school booked in etc etc but am still not sure....

One concern is money as I would be a mature student (39) and have 2 kids and mortgage etc so know what my initial year would be hard

Secondly not sure route to take: PGCE at college or school led training

Thirdly not sure I am a strong enough person for secondary teaching!

Any tips/advice/experience most welcome!

x

Why do you say "re"training when you have never trained as a teacher?

Reply 5

junglebook1

OP

1

Meant it in terms of re training career wise!

Original post by junglebook1

Meant it in terms of re training career wise!

Will you be able to offer a second MFL?

Reply 7

junglebook1

OP

1

Yes my degree is in French and Spanish. Would do a SKE course though as my French isn't my stronger language.

Just not sure if it's the right thing to do! Am going to observe in a school next Tuesday and will then need to decide as will need to get on with the application process if I decide to do it.

x

Thinking of retraining as secondary Spanish teacher: advise pls!

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