The Adventures After Teaching Podcast

"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 ✨

“I do not feel that sheer tiredness that I did when I was finishing a school day.”
Former Early Years Teacher Tina spent 13 years in the classroom, working as both an Early Years Lead and Forest School Lead, before making the decision to leave teaching. Now a Team Support Administrator at a large national energy company, she's enjoying hybrid working, better sleep, and a workplace culture that genuinely celebrates wellbeing.
Tina's journey wasn't without its challenges - from the emotional ups and downs of supply teaching to standing out among 400 applicants - but she successfully leveraged her transferable skills in organisation and relationship-building to secure her new role. Tina shares her honest insights about what she wishes she'd known earlier, the power of building rapport in interviews, and how she's learning to shed the teaching mindset around urgency and productivity. Despite some initial imposter syndrome, Tina is thriving in her new role and looking forward to what the future holds. 
In this episode, we also talk about:
Starting your transition earlier to lay the foundations
Supply teaching as a bridge - and its unexpected challenges
Pivoting from initial career ideas when they don't align
Standing out in competitive interview processes
Teacher transferable skills for thriving in administration roles
Reframing urgency and letting go of the "it will get done" mindset
Working through imposter syndrome in a new role
Company cultures that prioritise mental health and wellbeing
The messy middle - and remembering it's temporary
Life after teaching: happier for both Tina and her family

Sign up for our FREE webinar 📆 From Classroom to Project Management to discover how your teaching skills translate directly into PM roles ✨
Wondering what might be next for you? Take the Teacher Career Change Quiz to match your amazing transferable skills with a new job pathway ✨