Returning to work after having children can feel like a bigger decision than simply finding a job.
If you’re searching for school hour jobs in the UK, working in education could be an option worth exploring.
From Teaching Assistant and Learning Support roles to SEN, Behaviour Support and teaching positions, schools across the UK rely on a wide range of education professionals.
Why consider working in a school?
For many parents, one of the attractions of working in education is the school-day structure.
Depending on the role, your working hours may broadly follow the school day, which can make school-based employment worth considering if you’re trying to coordinate work with your own family routines.
However, it’s important not to assume that every school job is part-time, term-time or automatically suitable for parents. Working hours, contracts and holiday arrangements vary between roles and schools.
That’s why it’s important to look at the details of each vacancy and consider what actually works for your family.
For some people, the appeal might be school-day hours. For others, it could be supply work, a longer-term placement, a change of career or simply finding a role closer to home.
What school jobs can you do?
When people think about working in education, they often think about teachers.
But schools need much more than teachers.
Depending on your qualifications and experience, you could find opportunities in roles such as:
- Teaching Assistant
- Learning Support Assistant
- SEN Teaching Assistant
- Behaviour Mentor
- Behaviour Support Assistant
- Classroom Support
- Early Years Practitioner
- Sports Coach
- Cover Supervisor
- Supply Teacher
- Qualified Teacher
Each role has different requirements, so don’t assume that one qualification or experience level applies to every position.
Some roles require specific qualifications. Others may ask for relevant experience working with children or young people. Roles supporting pupils with additional needs or complex behaviour may have additional requirements.
You’ll also need to complete the relevant safeguarding and recruitment checks required for working in schools in the UK.
What qualifications do you need to work in a UK school?
This is one of the most important things to check before applying.
If you’re applying for a teaching position, you’ll need the relevant teaching qualifications and status for the role. For support roles, requirements vary. A vacancy may ask for previous experience working with children, a relevant qualification, specialist experience or a combination of these.
SEN and Behaviour Support positions can have particularly specific requirements depending on the pupils you’ll be supporting.
And because you’ll be working with children, the appropriate safeguarding checks are an essential part of the recruitment process.
If you’re unsure whether your background is suitable, one of our education recruitment consultants can help you understand which roles may be appropriate.
Returning to work after having children
One of the biggest challenges of returning to work can be feeling like you’ve fallen behind.
Perhaps there’s a gap on your CV.
Perhaps your previous career feels a little distant.
Or perhaps you’ve changed since becoming a parent and you’re not sure you want to go back to doing exactly what you did before.
That’s okay.
You don’t necessarily have to return to the same career you left.
Your previous experience may give you skills that are useful in education, depending on the role.
Think about your experience in:
Childcare
Have you worked professionally with children or gained relevant childcare experience?
Sport
Have you coached, encouraged or worked with young people through sport?
Care and support
Have you worked in a role where patience, empathy and communication were essential?
Youth work
Have you supported teenagers or young people?
Mentoring
Have you helped someone develop confidence, skills or positive behaviours?
Administration
Are you organised, reliable and comfortable managing multiple responsibilities?
Teaching or tutoring
Do you already have educational experience but have stepped away from the classroom?
These skills don’t automatically qualify you for a particular school role. But they can be worth highlighting when a vacancy specifically asks for relevant experience.
What about school hours?
If you’re a parent, your search may start with one very specific requirement:
“I need a job that works around school hours.”
A job being based in a school doesn’t automatically mean you’ll work your child’s exact school hours.
You may have an earlier start, a later finish, staff meetings or other responsibilities outside the classroom day.
Some roles may be part-time. Others may be full-time. Some may be temporary, while others are permanent. Always check the advertised hours and contract before applying.
What if you’re a qualified teacher returning to the classroom?
If you trained as a teacher before having children, you may not want to start again from the beginning.
Supply teaching can be one route back into education, depending on your circumstances and the opportunities available.
Supply work can include day-to-day assignments as well as longer-term placements, giving qualified teachers different options depending on what they’re looking for.
For someone who has been away from teaching, returning through a supply or temporary position may also allow you to rebuild confidence in the classroom before considering a longer-term commitment.
What if you’ve never worked in a school?
Don’t automatically rule yourself out.
Instead, look at the requirements of the roles you’re interested in.
If a vacancy specifically requires previous school experience or a particular qualification, you’ll need to meet those requirements.
But if a role asks for relevant experience working with children, young people, care, mentoring, sport or another related area, your previous career may be more relevant than you initially thought.
This is where speaking to a specialist education recruiter can be useful. They can help you understand where your experience could fit and which vacancies are realistic options.
How to find the right school job for your family
Before you start applying, make a list of your non-negotiables.
Hours:
What time can you realistically start and finish?
Location:
How far can you travel each day?
Contract:
Would you prefer permanent, temporary or supply work?
Age group:
Would you rather work with early years, primary or secondary pupils?
Type of support:
Are you interested in mainstream education, SEN, behaviour or pastoral support?
Qualifications:
Which roles do you already meet the requirements for?
Childcare:
What arrangements do you have for before and after school and during school holidays?
Once you know these things, your job search becomes much more focused.
Looking for school jobs in the UK?
The Supply Room recruits education professionals for schools across the UK, with vacancies varying by location and role.
Register your CV with The Supply Room and get chatting to one of our recruitment consultants. Tell us about your experience, what you’re looking for and where you’d like to work, and our team can talk you through the opportunities that could be a good fit for you.
Whether you’re looking for a Teaching Assistant role, SEN position, Behaviour Support opportunity, supply teaching work or another education role, registering your CV is a simple first step towards finding your next opportunity.
Register your CV today and start the conversation with The Supply Room.
