The Adventures After Teaching Podcast

"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 ✨