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© 2026 The Adventures After Teaching Podcast
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Sharing inspirational stories from teachers who have chosen to walk away from classroom to successfully transition to a new career. Advice, tips and ideas for exhausted teachers who know there's a difference between "giving up" and "having had enough". Join me to explore all things teacher burnout, career and business coaching and get plenty of ideas for your very own adventure after teaching.
106 Episodes
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"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. ...
" 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 ...
"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 bene...
“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 creati...
"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, Ka...
"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 ...
“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 satisfactio...
"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...
“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 up...
"Life is far too short." Former primary school teacher Emma spent 10 years in the classroom before making the leap to a Programme Officer role at a university. While she knew early on teaching wasn't her "forever career," the decision to leave was still incredibly difficult. After facing rejection in education-adjacent roles, Emma found support through the Adventures After Teaching community, learning to translate her experience and work through the grief of "if I'm not a teacher, then what a...
“It’s the best feeling when you’ve made that decision … it took a weight off my shoulders when I said ‘I’m gonna do this.’” Former primary school teacher Barbara spent 12 years in the classroom, mostly teaching years five and six alongside middle leadership roles. By her seventh year, some of the excitement that she once had for the classroom had waned, and trying to fix it by changing schools or year groups just wasn't cutting it. Facing burnout and declining health, she made the brave choic...
"There is light at the end of the tunnel." Former secondary school French teacher in Scotland, Laura left the profession after five years, having experienced burnout due to staffing crises and increasing workload pressures. As the only consistent staff member in her modern languages department amid post-Brexit staffing shortages, the isolation and pressure eventually led to her being signed off with workplace stress. Now an Employability Team Leader, Laura is enjoying the freedom and flexibil...
The right role at the right time for the right people. Two former primary teachers, Emma and Victoria, share their inspiring journey of leaving the classroom together - though they'd never met before! After teaching for 12 years each, they both secured roles as primary curriculum writers for Developing Experts. Now they're enjoying creative freedom, collaborative culture, and the chance to use their teaching expertise in exciting new ways - building curricula from scratch, integrating r...
"I've never had so many people literally bending over backwards to support me with anything that I want to do." Former secondary science teacher Jen left the profession after 23 years, feeling lonely and lost about what to do next. Initially unsure of her direction and at "rock bottom," she found the community and structure she needed in the Academy. Now a Project Support Officer in the Civil Service, Jen is working to support various projects - from organising team away days to risk an...
"If all these people are able to get jobs, I'm able to get a job." Former teacher Rich had been in the profession for a long time when the stress and lack of sleep began taking a physical toll. Despite working at a school he loved, he knew he needed a break from teaching itself and, after personal life events put things into a new perspective, Rich knew it was time to make the career change he'd been contemplating. Now an Apprenticeship Coach, Rich is enjoying a transformed work-life balance ...
"I definitely felt loaded with more tools and belief in myself." Secondary English teacher and Head of KS3, Camilla left teaching a few years ago, seeking different ways to make an impact outside of the classroom whilst still taking the bits of teaching that she loved with her. Now a Sustainability Consultant, she's enjoying working across different industries and projects, with growing confidence and increased leadership responsibilities. She's also recently taken on the role of a school gov...
“I just knew that I had to make that change.” In a supportive school but with her own changing priorities, Primary and Early Years Teacher Georgia was tired of missing out on quality family time and feeling exhausted by the demands of teaching. Leaning into her subject specialism as R.E. Curriculum Lead, she’s found her “dream role” as a Regional Advisor for an education group, providing curriculum programmes and specialist support to schools. Now working remotely, Georgia enjoys increa...
“If they can do it, I can do it.” Former Primary Deputy Head Natalie was on her second maternity leave when she decided to explore her career options outside of teaching. With creeping anxiety about returning to work and worries about not being present enough at home, she shares that “it had been a long time coming for me.” Now a Neurodiversity Family Support Practitioner with the NHS, Natalie is enjoying flexibility, renewed confidence, time for professional development, and family balance i...
“It’s about the right role at the right time.” After spending 14 years teaching mostly in Further Education, Head of Faculty Gareth left the classroom to pursue new opportunities. Whilst he found his time in education both valuable and enjoyable, particularly at the start of his teaching journey, he began to question the work-life model he was providing to other members of his team. Now a Senior Product Manager at a university, Gareth walks us through his top tips and offers a skills br...
This week, we hear from the wonderful Selini, a former primary school teacher who has made an inspiring transition to become a Community Education Coordinator for a large international charity. Selini shares her journey out of the classroom and into a role that allows her to continue making a real difference in the world on a much wider scale. As an Academy member, Selini embraced the support and resources available to explore new possibilities after feeling the need for a change from teachin...
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