The Adventures After Teaching Podcast

"Once I'd made that decision, I just felt like a weight had been lifted."

After 13 years in primary education - taking on the roles of phase leader, assistant head, and eventually acting head - Iain hit a wall. The workload became unmanageable, and he was signed off with work-related stress before handing in his notice in May without anything else lined up. Returning to a lovely new school in September, Iain quickly realised that the education system just wasn’t for him anymore and joined the Academy Spring Track in the New Year. 

Now Head of Programmes and Impact at the Hull KR Foundation - the charity arm of a professional rugby league club - Iain is using every skill he built in education, from curriculum design to stakeholder management, in a role that genuinely excites him. The role is just as varied, but with less pressure and more flexibility,  and for the first time in years, he's not counting down the days to half term. 

In this episode, we also talk about:

• Going off sick and navigating what comes next
• Traps we fall into that convince us to stay (when it’s not right for us!)
• Finding a new role that aligns with your values
• How the CV course and interview prep booklet helped at short notice
• Overcoming interview imposter syndrome 
• Picking up new skills quickly 
• Surprising teacher transferables
• Taking ownership of a newly created role
• It’s okay not to want to be in education anymore
• Leaving well

Links & Resources:

Hull KR Foundation

If you're looking for step-by-step support to find and secure a new job or start your own business, check out the Adventures After Teaching Academy which will help you successfully leave the classroom! 

Wondering what might be next for you? Take the Teacher Career Change Quiz to match your amazing transferable skills with a new job pathway ✨   

 "I feel like a nicer partner, a nicer mum, a better friend."

After 17 years teaching PE at the same school, Lucy had begun to feel the weight of an environment she describes as an "exams factory" - constantly performing, constantly visible, and increasingly exhausted by the relentless pace. Knowing she had transferable skills but unsure how to package them, she joined the Adventures After Teaching Academy and committed to the process: weekly calls, CV support, and slowly building the confidence to put herself out there.

Now a Project Support Officer working within the Civil Service on the UEFA Euro 2028 tournament, Lucy is thriving in a role that sits perfectly at the intersection of her organisational strengths and her love of sport. With hybrid working, genuine trust from her manager, and the freedom to do the school run, she's rediscovered her energy and is enjoying the balance that comes with a different way of working. 

In this episode, we also talk about:

• The surprising crossovers between teaching and project support
• Hybrid working, flexible hours and being more present with family
• Learning to work without micromanagement
• Fixed-term contracts and the opportunities that follow
• Navigating the Civil Service application process
• Why every setback is still moving you forward
• Accepting the career change journey and remaining committed to the process (whilst also being kind to yourself!)

If you're looking for step-by-step support to find and secure a new job or start your own business, check out the Adventures After Teaching Academy which will help you successfully leave the classroom! 

Wondering what might be next for you? Take the Teacher Career Change Quiz to match your amazing transferable skills with a new job pathway ✨   

"I don’t miss the school holidays."

After 25 years in the classroom, the last several as Head of Health and Social Care, Jessica reached a point of burnout and knew she no longer wanted to teach. A Google search led her to the Adventures After Teaching Academy, where she focused on rebuilding her self-esteem before even thinking about her next career move.

Now an Employment Advisor for a private company, Jessica is helping others identify their own barriers and find their way back into work. With control over her own diary, genuine one-to-one connection with clients, and her evenings and weekends firmly back, Jessica is thriving in a role that feels both rewarding and sustainable.

In this episode, we also talk about:

• Recognising burnout and giving yourself permission to slow down
• Using the Academy community to rebuild confidence
• Creating a "lifeboat" before you leap
• Searching for roles using job titles you hear in the community
• The power of a skills-based CV
• Variety and autonomy in a new role
• Leaving work at work and what that actually feels like
• Feeling valued and invested in
• Why teachers shine in one-to-one settings

If you're looking for step-by-step support to find and secure a new job or start your own business, check out the Adventures After Teaching Academy which will help you successfully leave the classroom! 

Wondering what might be next for you? Take the Teacher Career Change Quiz to match your amazing transferable skills with a new job pathway ✨   

" The biggest change for me is just noticing how much more energy I have for my children."

Former teacher John-Paul reached a turning point during a difficult first term following a job move and the birth of his daughter. Knowing something had to change, he sought support from those around him and found the Adventures After Teaching community, giving him that reassurance that he wasn't alone in how he was feeling.

Now a Bursar for an organisation he'd known for years, John-Paul is managing a Grade II listed estate, overseeing a significant budget and building strong relationships with contractors - all with the flexibility and autonomy to make the role work for his family life.

In this episode, we also talk about:

• The value of a community that ‘gets it’
• Using transferable skills to frame your experience
• Finding opportunities in your own network
• The variety in the day-to-day role of a bursar
• Budget management for teachers without financial experience
• Relationship-building and working as part of a small team
• Work-life balance and flexible, autonomous working
• Persisting through the knockbacks
• Top tips for teachers moving into operations roles

If you're looking for step-by-step support to find and secure a new job or start your own business, check out the Adventures After Teaching Academy which will help you successfully leave the classroom! 

Wondering what might be next for you? Take the Teacher Career Change Quiz to match your amazing transferable skills with a new job pathway ✨   

"We underestimate how brilliant we are as teachers."

Former primary teacher Rachel left the classroom when work-related stress began affecting her physical health. Despite loving the classroom, the long exhausting days and a particularly challenging final year made her decision clearer. After leaving at the end of August without a job lined up, Rachel took time to decompress before securing her current position.

Now Head of Communities and Development at a charity, Rachel is enjoying the benefits of hybrid working and using her teaching skills in fundraising and development whilst finally experiencing what it's like to leave work on time. She's regained her evenings and weekends, and no longer feels that dreaded "Monday morning sick feeling."

In this episode, we also talk about:

• Prioritising health as a catalyst for career change
• Colleague reactions to handing in your notice
• Taking time to recover before job searching
• The power of a skills-based CV
• Transitioning teaching skills to fundraising
• The importance of community support from people who "get it"
• Timescales to exit the classroom 
• Finding roles that align with your values
• Top tips for teachers considering the charity sector

If you're looking for step-by-step support to find and secure a new job or start your own business, check out the Adventures After Teaching Academy which will help you successfully leave the classroom! 

Wondering what might be next for you? Take the Teacher Career Change Quiz to match your amazing transferable skills with a new job pathway ✨   

“Everything I put in, I know I’m building something.”

Sarah had always admired entrepreneurs but never imagined starting a business of her very own. After years in teaching and reaching a point where she knew she couldn't continue full-time in the classroom, she discovered Adventures After Teaching and found her path to becoming a Virtual Assistant (VA). 

Now running her own VA business part-time alongside teaching, Sarah is enjoying the freedom to be her own boss, cherry-pick the creative work she loves, and build a future with genuine excitement - all while reclaiming some of the flexibility that teaching never offered.

In this episode, we also talk about:

• Building a VA business alongside teaching
• Setting boundaries and choosing your priorities
• The variety of work that VAs can do
• The power of community support from other transitioning teachers
• Acquiring your first client through conversation
• Overcoming imposter syndrome when starting a business
• The "can do attitude" teachers bring to VA work
• Financial planning and identifying your must-haves
• Top tips for teachers considering working for themselves

Wondering what might be next for you? Take the Teacher Career Change Quiz to match your amazing transferable skills with a new job pathway ✨   

"I definitely wouldn't have got there as quickly as I did without the support from the Academy.”

After 18 years as a headteacher and over 30 years working in education, Kate found herself struggling with mental health and burnout. When off sick, she discovered Adventures After Teaching, taking part in our free ‘Stay or Go?’ event and then making the decision to invest in more support - a choice she describes as "absolutely worth it." 

In an accelerated transition of just three months, Kate secured her current role as Deputy Diocesan Secretary and Director of Operational Support for the Diocese of York. Now she's coordinating operational support for churches, using her leadership experience in entirely new ways whilst maintaining the community engagement work she's passionate about.

In this episode, we also talk about:

• Taking small intentional steps towards burnout recovery
• Finding a safe space for senior leaders
• Values-led job hunting - a shift in perspective
• Standing out by narrowing your niche in the job market
• Transferable headteacher (and class teacher) skills for charity roles
• Working strategically without interruptions
• Enjoying more flexibility in working hours
• Managing boundaries and catching old habits in a new role
• Why investing in yourself through the Academy is invaluable
• The importance of peer support from other teachers in transition

If you're looking for step-by-step support to find and secure a new job or start your own business, check out the Adventures After Teaching Academy which will help you successfully leave the classroom! 

Wondering what might be next for you? Take the Teacher Career Change Quiz to match your amazing transferable skills with a new job pathway ✨   

"Don't be afraid to speak up and negotiate your terms."

Former Deputy Head and SENDCO Catherine left a role she loved when burnout, wearing too many hats, and increasing expectations became unsustainable. Despite her specialised knowledge and passion for the work, she found herself physically, emotionally, and socially exhausted - struggling to perform her multiple roles as effectively as she wanted to. 

After using the Academy's burnout recovery materials to heal and rebuild, Catherine embarked on a "squiggly journey" that included supply work, a remote Education Navigator role, redundancy, and ultimately a return to a school-based SENDCO position - but this time, completely on her own terms. Now working just two days in school and the rest from home, Catherine has reclaimed her boundaries whilst also venturing into consultancy work supporting families with special educational needs.

In this episode, we also talk about:

• If I’m not this then who am I? 
• The tipping point from passion to burnout
• Taking time to explore a meaningful exit
• Learning from others in the community 
• Navigating a non-linear career change path
• Setting boundaries and negotiating terms in a new role
• Returning to school - but with huge differences
• Recognising and resisting self-inflicted pressure
• Enjoying renewed energy for other aspects of life 
• Trusting your value and not being afraid to speak up
• Opening up opportunities by looking beyond role titles

If you're looking for step-by-step support to find and secure a new job or start your own business, check out the Adventures After Teaching Academy which will help you successfully leave the classroom! 

Wondering what might be next for you? Take the Teacher Career Change Quiz to match your amazing transferable skills with a new job pathway ✨   

“For the first time in my life I was very unsure about where I was headed and what I could do differently to teaching because I'd been doing it for so long.”

Hannah, a primary school teacher for nine years, left the classroom seeking better work-life balance so she could be there more for her teenagers at home. Now a Youth Participation Advisor working globally to end malnutrition, she's enjoying flexibility around core hours, meaningful project work, travel opportunities, and the satisfaction of using her teaching skills in entirely new ways.

With support from the Academy's resources and community, Hannah navigated the confusion of career transition, overcame imposter syndrome, and ultimately received two dream job offers on the same day. She now helps young people lead community dialogues that drive policy changes, creating resources and managing grants programmes that make a real difference.

In this episode, we also talk about:

• Dealing with conflicting feelings over leaving
• Getting back on track with community support
• Project management training and its real-world applications
• Redefining what success looks like outside teaching
• Shaking off old ways of working
• Enhanced transferable skills and renewed confidence 
• Building your network through LinkedIn
• Overcoming imposter syndrome and believing you haven't "missed the boat"
• Coping with rejection 
• Tips for finding roles in charities and NGOs focused on youth work

Wondering what might be next for you? Take the Teacher Career Change Quiz to match your amazing transferable skills with a new job pathway ✨   

"There is another side, and it's life-changing."

Former Head of School, Sarah spent 13 years in teaching before deciding to listen to her inner voice and pivot towards a completely different path.

Now an Employer Engagement Manager working in the not-for-profit sector, Sarah has found a role that utilises her communication and engagement skills across different audiences whilst offering the work-life balance and well-being she was missing in education. She's no longer in constant "crisis mode" and finally has quality time back for the things that matter.

In this episode, we also talk about:

• Comfortable timelines for career transitions
• Treating your job search like a strategic project
• Recognising stress addiction and living in crisis mode
• Why engagement roles are perfect for teachers
• Hybrid working and reclaiming your evenings
• The difference between being tired and being mentally drained
• Sarah's only regret: not leaving sooner
• Hugely transferable teacher skills

Wondering what might be next for you? Take the Teacher Career Change Quiz to match your amazing transferable skills with a new job pathway ✨