If you’re a parent or carer interested in training to teach, you might be wondering whether it can fit around your family life.
Claire Harris had the same questions before she began her in-school teacher training. She wanted to know if it was possible to balance her responsibilities at home with a new career in the classroom.
With support from the school she trained at and from Kirsty Baker who leads teacher training at our local partner, The Blue Kite Academy Trust, Claire developed the skills and confidence to start her teaching career.
Support from the very start
When speaking with Kirsty before the starting the training, Claire mentioned that her daughter attended one of the schools in the trust.
“Claire said it would be beneficial to train in the same school as her daughter, as this would help with childcare arrangements,” Kirsty said. “Her daughter attended the breakfast and after school club there, so I worked hard to get her placed in the same school as her daughter. We make sure trainees feel supported and remove any barriers we can.”
“Being in the same school as my kids was really handy,” adds Claire. “It was a load off my mind because otherwise, I don’t know if I could afford to do the training, as I’d need to pay for wraparound care. Staff were offered a reduced rate on childcare.”
Claire also wanted to make sure she had a plan for the year ahead. “Before starting the training, I emailed Kirsty several times. What did I need to know? Is there anything I need to prepare? I wanted to make sure I had a plan for my children so I’d ask when staff meetings were and when we’d have assignments. Once that planning was sorted, I felt like I could get on and teach.”
Flexibility while training
While forward planning can help prepare you to manage training alongside caring responsibilities, the programme is also set up to help you succeed. “The programme really does consider work-life balance. There is an element of flexibility, for example finding what hours you work each day” Kirsty says.
“You might need to be in school by a certain time but as long as you’re fulfilling your responsibilities, there is flexibility. One person may start earlier and leave earlier, another may want to start later and leave later. Knowing that there’s that flexibility can be really useful, especially for parents when thinking about childcare.”
Claire shares how she made use of this flexibility: “From the start, the school was very welcoming to all the different situations the trainees had come from. The teacher I worked alongside was also a parent and she told me to work the hours that suited me. On some days, I would come in for around 8am and leave at 4pm and that worked for me.”
Wellbeing and workload support
Trainees are supported throughout the year with their workload and wellbeing. “There’s time for regular wellbeing check-ins and designated time for meeting with your mentor every week,” Kirsty says.
“We’re mindful of workload and mindful that people have things going on at home. We allocate our trainees an hour in school, normally on a Wednesday, for them to complete their self-study work. This work feeds directly into their training sessions on a Thursday. By having that time set aside in school, it means trainees don’t have to go home and do that work after school has finished.” As a parent, Claire needed her working life to change. “Before having children, I thought it was fine to have 12 hour days, drive here and there, and work until whenever. As soon as I had my children, I wanted to make more time for them so I went part time. Now I’m teaching, it’s a career that I can work around my children.”
Personalised support from a dedicated mentor
A mentor – an experienced teacher – offers invaluable support and guidance to trainees and is a key part of the training experience. Parents and carers will be matched with a mentor who understands the pressures they face.
“Where possible, we’ll place a trainee who’s a parent with a mentor who also has a family,” says Kirsty. “They bring a level of empathy, and they understand juggling work and family.”
Trainees spend the year as part of the school team and develop strong relationships with their mentor. “Trainees and mentors really get to know each other throughout the year because you’re in school every day. You’ve got your colleagues around you and I think being in school helps with that constant support,” Kirsty adds.
Treating every trainee as an individual
Every trainee will have different priorities in their personal life. “No journey ever looks the same from one person to another. We pride ourselves on looking at the individual, and everyone’s teacher training journey could look different,” Kirsty says. “We are here to make sure that everyone succeeds.”
“I get to know every trainee throughout the year and I think it’s important to understand the context of each person, instead of seeing them as numbers on a programme. I think once you understand the person and what they’ve got going on at home, you can offer the best support. When you know each person, you can approach them with empathy and understanding.”
For Claire, this flexible and locally based approach has helped her thrive in what she describes as “a good career change”. “I have the opportunity to be with my children throughout the holidays and it just aligns so well with my family life, and means I have more moments to treasure with my children.”
Our programme is designed with flexibility, support and inclusion at its heart to support anyone to thrive as a teacher. Find out more about our Teacher Training programme.
