As I write this letter, a teaching colleague is preparing to finish her career in the profession - a career which has spanned a glorious four terms. Her early departure is not through incompetence - far from it. She is a talent young teacher, only 18 months out of college, and yet already taking responsibility for ICT across the school. Or at least, she was.
During her first year of teaching, her only real expenses have been accommodation for herself and her young baby, childcare for him while teaching, and of course, the repayments on her student loan. Despite taking a part-time evening job, she can no longer afford the luxury of being a teacher. Even with the second job, she cannot make ends meet and has had to resign to return home to her parents.
No chance of fast tracking for this young star. No chance to hone her skills to become one of the highly paid classroom elite, no chance to progress to a lucrative headship of a successful school - simply no chance.
Name and address supplied.
