nxylas

I am a UKC married to a USC and living in South Carolina. My wife is a schoolteacher and we are thinking of moving back to Bristol, where I am from, for various reasons which I can't be arsed to go into here.

My wife loves the teaching part of her job, but hates all the bureaucratic red tape that comes down from the school district. I tell her that it will probably be the same in England, but I would like more information to be able to make a more detailed comparison. I have seen the Government's "Teaching in England" website, which paints a very rose-tinted view of life as a teacher, but I wonder if anyone can point me to a website or other resource which gives a more honest appraisal.

dunroving

Maybe the best thing you could do is get on the Times Ed site (www.tes.co.uk, I think), and get onto the chat room where you can talk to real teachers and ask them (though I think you may find a higher proportion of "complainers" somewhere like that, it is still useful). The chat room is called "Staff room".

Good luck - I taught in the UK for a few years in the late 70s early 80s, and am returning this summer to teach there again (though higher ed this time).

Englishmum

Perhaps there will be less 'red tape' if she chose to work in a private school?

However, anyone planning to work with children will need to have clearance from the police to check for criminal records as understandably they need to check for sex offenders.....can you get this from your State/municipality before leaving the US? At the very least I would give the local police station a call to ask how to go about getting clearance.....I know that in the UK it can take many weeks for prospective employers to obtain this info from the various police authorities so if you can get it before you leave the States it might be beneficial for your wife (even if you only find out the correct contact details for a UK employer to contact the US police or State dept.)

dunroving

Maybe someone who has returned to the UK already can comment on this. When I asked at interview what I should do, whether I should get a police certificate here, they said no. It was slightly weird, because I was making the point that I've been out of the country for 23 years and the UK police had no idea what I've been up to, but they (interview panel) didn't seem to think this was important.....

Bob

but then how many uni students are you going to try and have a fiddle with?

dunroving

I know you are kidding, but you have no idea how far off the mark you are ...

Bob

well dealing with kids and dealing with adults, would have thought it be a lot different, even if some of those adults were teens...

nxylas

Thanks. I had a look and there is a looong thread on there about work-life balance, which is exactly what I was looking for.

dunroving

Glad to hear it. My brother teaches and I think he gets on there a lot and finds it helpful.

Good luck!

honeymommy

Don't know if it helps but......

I am a nurse and on our return to the UK, they only took a week to get a police check done on me here. Squeeky clean may I add... )

It may be worth going to your local police station in the US to ask for a letter (you will have to pay). Also if you have police clearance in your teaching job in the US you should have a letter from that. I had an FBI check done before leaving the US,also squeeky clean. Cost about $50, but that was through a nursing course I was on. May be able to get one done though...

Hope it's of some help. )

nxylas

Yes, my wife has clearance from both the FBI and SLED (State Law Enforcement Division).

draper5

Hi
I teach in UK and rules have changed (in Norfolk at least) I have been in my present post for 8 years, but if I wanted to go teach in another Norfolk school I would have to have another police check!!! (as the last one I had was over a year ago) This has had implications for supply teachers obviously! and may explain why the interview panel said don't bother getting a police check at that point - it could be out of date too soon!
As for red tape - there is an ever-increasing amount and although I am very lucky to be in a great little village school, I have seriously considered change of career (only thing stopping me is can't afford the drop in income after teaching for 16 years and getting to top of payscale)!

honeymommy

Great... Then the police check for the UK job will be done when the job is offered. Shouldn't take too long to get the reply.

britnyank

I am a teacher from Calif. and have been teaching in England for 3+ years. First of all, the U.K. does not recognise any teaching credential from the U.S. I have been teaching for over 20 years and have been an acting principal in a very prominent S. Calif. school district.
The powers that be in the U.K. would like me to complete some very time-consuming training coupled with observations and producing a portfolio of at least 300 pieces of documentation. If successful, I would be paid only as a newly qualified teacher, roughly £18K.
Having been hired (luckily I might add) at a Fresh Start School (under-performing) I am being paid about £18K only because the school receives extra money and the headteacher is kindly paying me more than she is required.
If you think that there is red-tape in the U.S., it is the same in the U.K. and then some. The hours are incredible, there are very little resources (textbooks) and there are many unhappy teachers both new and experienced. Also, if you think that things are similar to the U.S., think again. I feel very over-worked and am constantly exhausted.
Don't get me wrong, I love the country and the people, but if I knew then what I know now, I would never have made the move as a teacher. My British wife and I are moving back to the states.
Note: Last year one of our teachers taught in North Carolina, and has returned to the U.K. She complained a bit about how things are done in the U.S., but has changed her tune completely. She is fed up with the U.K. system as well.
Note#2: Without the internet, it would be nearly impossible to teach where I am living. Can you imagine teaching history without a history book? Literacy (Language arts) without any book at all? No math book! No Science book! Not one textbook! Mind you, this is in elementary school...
Any other questions send me a private message.

Yank (husband of Brit!!!!!!)