I Quit Teaching in the UK. Here’s Why I’ll Never Go Back…

Thank you for watching my video. Please, if relate to this video, write a comment down below to discuss our experiences.

[Neena]

Thank you for sharing your experience and video.
Even though I am not a teacher, rather I am a Year 11 student, I want to share my thoughts and experience in the education system in the UK.
Throughout the whole video, I could not have agreed with the facts you have stated more, you and other teachers deserve to be treated with respect and kindness. I am so sorry that you have had to have such encounters at school as a teacher.

I am a year 11 student who is extremely passionate about succeeding and gaining knowledge. However, due to the fact that I currently attend a state (comprehensive) high school nearby, I am not able to highlight my passion at school.
I was bullied in high school for my religious beliefs and even though I tried to address this issue to teachers several times, I was always told that "it's fine, it's normal behaviour" and when my school planner got horrible stuff written on it during lesson, I told the teacher at the end of lesson to which I was told to just "cover it up with a plain label (instead of the student receiving a consequence).
I do believe that behaviour is a huge matter of concern which should be dealt with very seriously.
Due to the students poor behaviour during lessons, students who actually want to learn are left behind.
Supply teachers at my school do not even get a chance at all in the classroom to state their name, let alone teach for a whole hour. Thus, after the first lesson, the supply teachers do not even try to utter a word. That therefore means that another hour is wasted in my life. Instead of learning something, I am left questioning the whole situation I am forcefully placed in.
I had a supply teacher once state "f&ck teaching you all".

However, I have noticed that when students who would cause huge amounts of disruption behave for once, they are rewarded abundantly. This could just be my opinion, but I feel like this is unfair for those students (like myself) who have always been well behaved as we have never been rewarded. Also, I feel like this sudden treatment to those with bad behaviour lowers the expectations. They know that if they are extremely rude one day, but the next day they only choose to make a few bad choices, they will still be showered with rewards.

I have to say though, even though I am not a teacher, I can still relate with you.
You have to deal with students poor behaviour and I have to manage my way through year 7-11 with loads of disruptions in my lessons. Additionally, I have to also deal with some teachers who are rude.
There is this teacher at school who always has an attitude. I have never spoken abruptly with them nor have I ever misbehaved. Yet, their attitude towards ill-mannered students is much kinder than towards (for example) myself.
In year 9, I went to parents evening with my mother. The teacher was there and even though she was not my subject teacher, I thought that it would be nice to discuss my gcse options with them as they were not conducting parents evening meetings, they were standing near the entrance. I will not share the discussion we had in detail but it was regarding my previous grades and my passion for a specific subject. I had slightly mentioned in front of my mother that there were a lot of disruptions during lesson and that a specific teacher could not teach due to this. All of a sudden, the teacher snapped at me and literally barked on my face about how this was all my fault. They mentioned how they do not think I will succeed in my studies etc etc. That evening when I came home I burst out crying in the toilet. It was the worst night of my life. My mental health declined rapidly after that.
I later found out that I have been chosen to do that subject and that the teacher who had said rude things to me will be my teacher. I do not know how I survived the following year.
During the christmas break I literally had nightmares of the teacher shouting at me and showing attitude (like she had been while teaching).
Thankfully, I do not have them anymore for the subject.
I have had many other negative experiences with teachers, but their job is not easy at all thus I respect them.

My question is that do you think the behaviour is only this poor at state schools rather than at private grammar schools, and why?
To be entirely honest, I know that a lot of people may disagree with me, but I have seen that students at grammar schools appreciate every hour at school much more. Their lessons of full of passionate teachers sharing their knowledge with students ready to succeed and flourish. They have active engagement during lesson, whereas at my school the only engagement most children take part in during lesson is swearing and throwing equipment.
I do believe that at state schools the students highlight a lack of respect and are not taught basic manners. This therefore leads them in not appreciating education. Many bright teachers would say that they want to change this and that it is not the fault of those students as they have not had the same opportunities as private school students. However, I would once again disagree as both my parents are immigrants, they both do not know English, my father is a taxi driver and they did not receive a single bit of education. I have always struggled financially.
But, that does not mean that all doors are closed for me.
Instead, I have created my own path and I have searched for many wonderful opportunities myself and I have always self-taught myself (even the content we should be learning in school).

I honestly only have one dream in life - to be taught be people who are passionate about their subject without hearing swear words in the background, without chairs or glue sticks being thrown around etc.

Apologies for how awfully long this comment is!!

[lekuns]

I've been teaching in the UK for nearly 24 years. Here's my advice for any would-be teachers : Don't do it. It was a great profession when I started. Now its become job with a horrendous workload, toxic management and feral students, the products of lazy parenting. No wonder 40 thousand teachers quit the profession last year. Roll on retirement in a few years time 🎉🎉

[JohnMcPhersonStrutt]

I have a friend who was a primary school teacher in the Republic of Ireland. What he had to say was:- "It's like giving a 6 hour theatrical performance to an audience that just isn't interested"

[arron]

Take a london bus around 3:30pm-4:30pm and you will be put off teaching

[abenaappiah-k]

I’m not a teacher but my little experience with kids has given me a slight sense of what you guys go through. I always said, I could never be one because the level of disrespect and bad behaviour on a consistent basis is beyond. Some teachers must’ve a heart of gold and the patience of an angel to deal with these kids. I’m sorry u had to leave a profession u once loved but I understand. Your peace of mind and sanity is far more important. I’m sure you’ll find other creative ways to impact your knowledge to others in your own terms. Best wishes to you and all your future endeavours. God bless. 🙏🏽

[lizzy]

Honestly as a student my self I truly understand the behaviour aspect of why you left. After 2020 school just seems so optional.

[ocher]

Teaching can’t plug the gaps of a failing society.

[ardiankotori]

All kudos to you. I’m sure their loss will be someone else’s gain. You seem bright and brave enough to chart a new career path. Teaching in this country is a thankless profession, which has lost its way a long time ago.

[petro.Trishab]

I left teaching in the U.K. after 14 years! I share some of what you’ve said. Especially that I wanted to do more! And on the behaviour topic, it’s not just the pupils behaviour, I did not feel supported by staff. They expect you to magically ensure all pupils make progress whilst magically manage behaviour of all pupils, whilst delivering the lesson, with no TA to support.

[addmin]

As a ex- UK pupil and now teacher I completely agree.
I'm an ECT year 1. The school dumped me with some very low ability classes and its a struggle but i'm managing mainly because i know i have to be rude back to them.

It's unprofessional, i know, but you have to match their energy.

Common phrases i use is "did i ask you?"
"If you speak for the remainder of the lesson, you're staying behind after class"
"I'm ignoring you now"

This is all balanced with positive reinforcement of course. Some of my classes hate me, some like me; it doesn't matter at the end of the day, i'm here to deliver a curriculum and if we can be civil along the way then that's great.

[LiliasMummyxx]

I work in a school, not teaching but as support staff. I agree that there is so much bullying among staff. Schools preech about bullying with students yet forget some staff. The ironic thing for me is, I work in the inclusion department yet this is the most I have ever felt excluded in a job.

[vancouvercairnes]

I’m a teacher and I think everything here is accurate. I’m in my fourth year teaching secondary and I plan on staying. Behaviour is getting worse and worse, they don’t care about school because their role models aren’t doctors and lawyers, it’s influencers who are on top. Why should kids pay attention to a school curriculum when all they need is a tripod and some products to review and they can be richer than all those teachers put together?B”BUT who will teach this generation respect if all the teachers give up? Who will teach them basics like how to spell the word “throw” (you’d be surprised)? The first two years teaching are the hardest. The longer you stay at a school the easier it is to discipline the kids because you know them and they know you. The UK needs good teachers now more than ever exactly because these kids are feral. There’s a job to do.

[elywananda]

Brilliant video, thank you for sharing. I used to teach ESOL to adults which I loved. Eager, motivated, friendly students and it was so fulfilling to see their progress. Then the college I was teaching at started making us teach Basic Skills to young students who were studying things like plumbing, but who didn't have the basic literacy needed. And that was what quickly ended my short teaching career. These youths had zero interest in learning and it was like trying to herd cats. I spent the lessons in damage limitation mode, trying to keep the peace.

[GooberProject]

Being a teacher for the ipad generation must ne MENTAL

[SebWill]

I work in a school, not as a teacher, but in the IT side. The amount of disrespect I see is unbelievable. Kids wandering around all day refusing to go into lesson, calling members of staff awful names, and just being absolutely awful for no reason at all. I tried lunch duty and quit after a month after being called a pdf file by a year 8 for breaking up a fight they were having with another student. I'm 22 and it was never like this when I were in school. I have no idea what has changed but its not looking good at all.

[staceymorrison]

Well done for having the courage to step away early. I'm 12 years into teaching in the UK, I'm mid-30s with 2 kids and a mortgage. Basically I am trapped by my UPS salary and childcare. Yes, the holidays in teaching are handy when you have school-age kids because you don't have to worry about childcare but anyone that says teaching is "family-friendly" is just plain wrong. I miss so many of my kids school events because I just can't get the time away from my own school. Not to mention the guilt and extra work if one or both is ill and I need to set cover work. On top of that, you've got toxic management, a broken SEND system, disrespectful kids and unsupportive parents. If you are reading this and are considering a career I teaching, I implore you to avoid it like the plague!

[keimaye]

Every single school I've ever worked in was an absolute cesspit 💀 not even because of the children - it was the adults. I avoided all of the staff rooms like the plague. Always bitching about each other, complaining, managing people out, micromanaging, judging etc - sure you'll find these things across other sectors/jobs but speaking on my own experience thus far... All of these things were far more concentrated in the schools I happened to work in.
I've moved into the learning design / digital learning space, been here for the last 6 years or so - there's a lot of transferable skills from teaching that can crossover. Having a much better time now.

[ThisandThatwithNavelette]

I left Teaching 13 years ago for many of the reasons you mentioned and I worked in Further Education. The Education system in the UK is broken and has been so for years, and Politics in the classroom plays a major role.

[aeafilmsuk]

I’ve been teaching for 17 years across 3 schools in the UK. I keep quitting and going back only to quit again simply because after a while, you realise the students and the system are draining. School has become more a pupil management system and even the better schools feel mundane and repetitive. Still a noble profession, but with the cost of living being what it is, do it somewhere else where parents and students value an education!

[emmawilkins]

I was planning on becoming a teacher when I graduated but I decided against it because of the behaviour of the kids. At my chids secondary school it was common for students to accuse teachers of being homophobic, islamaphobic, racist etc to scare them into not challenging bad behaviour. Uniform rules, rules about phone usage were just ignored because the kids knew the teachers had no power. If kids are 'punished' the parents usually side with the kids and if a child is excluded, they see this as a badge of honour and a win because they get time off school. The UK education system is messed up.