I want to leave

After just three years I seriously want to leave teaching. The pupils are unbearable and I want out. As soon as possible. What can I do instead?

That’s really sad, because at one time, just over three years ago, you were all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed about becoming a teacher. So what has turned it round so drastically?

The trouble with wanting out as soon as possible is that you have missed the 31 October deadline by a month, so the next resignation date is at the end of February, to leave at Easter.

I’m not sure that you could - or should - put up with what seems like unbearable behaviour for another four months. So as well as preparing your exit, I think that you need to ask for serious support at school.

But do make sure that you are 100 per cent familiar with the school behaviour policy and that you are implementing it consistently, so the school is reassured that you are doing what you should be doing.

As for other careers, teachers have a large number of transferable skills. You can coordinate, manage, plan, set priorities, work to deadlines, work cooperatively and develop effective professional relationships with a wide variety of people. And that’s just for starters.

If you Google “alternatives to teaching” you get some particularly useful documents from some of the universities, which clearly get asked this question a lot.

However, before you head off in a completely new career direction, you might like to consider a sideways move. You could, for example, teach in a different environment such as an independent school or by doing some form of tutoring or training outside schools altogether. You are trained in teaching and have acquired considerable skills in this area over the past three years, so putting those skills to work in an alternative context might be a good first port of call.

But do see about getting the support that you need - and are owed - to make your current post less stressful.

Meet Theodora Griff online on the TES Jobseekers forum or in person at a TES Careers Advice Service seminar or individual consultation. For more information, visit bit.lyuWhqN2.