How do I get a graduate job in teaching?
A graduate career in teaching has so much to offer. It’s a responsible profession where you will never stop learning and developing your skills, and as well as attractive financial rewards there are great opportunities for career progression. To top it all, teachers are in the very privileged position of inspiring children and adults of all ages and making a positive difference to their lives.
How can I become a teacher?
If you want to teach in a primary or secondary school you will need to follow one of a number of recognised routes to gain qualified teacher status or QTS. These include undergraduate, postgraduate or professional certificates in education, or an employment-based route. If you want to teach at further, adult or higher education level, or English as a foreign language, different qualifications are required.
What qualifications and skills do I need to train as a teacher?
If you already have a degree, you can apply for a postgraduate teacher training course (PGCE) or an employment-based route into teaching. You do not necessarily have to have a degree in a subject in order to teach it, for example, you could become a maths teacher with a degree in computer science. Different teacher training institutions have different entry requirements so it's worth checking on the policy of providers you are considering.
What’s the competition like to get onto a teacher training course and how do I apply?
There are more than 100 teacher training providers in England and Wales. You could face stiff competition, especially if you want to get a place to train as a primary teacher, so it’s important to submit a strong application and know what to expect at interview. Getting some relevant work experience in schools is also essential. The closing date for primary and middle years applications is 1 December while applications for secondary courses should be in by 30 June. The earlier you apply, the better your chance of getting a place on the course of your choice. Applications for postgraduate courses are usually made through the graduate teacher training registry. If you are undertaking initial teacher training in England, you will also need to register provisionally with the General Teaching Council for England before you start your course.
What are my job options as a teacher?
Teachers provide learning in a range of different areas within the education sector:
- Early years education
- Primary education
- Secondary education
- Sixth form and further education colleges
- Adult education settings and universities
You could also specialise in teaching children with special educational needs, whether in a mainstream school or in a special school. Around one in ten children in England and Wales is educated in a fee-paying or private school and you may want to consider teaching in the independent sector. Teaching English as a foreign language offers interesting opportunities within the UK, such as working with immigrants or asylum seeking, and abroad.
How will I go about finding a teaching job?
Many local authorities recruit newly qualified teachers (NQTs) via pools or applicant databases. Posts can also be advertised in the national and local press. You could also do supply teaching for a while. Whatever the recruitment method, you will usually need to fill in an application form before being invited for an interview, which could include meeting pupils and giving a sample lesson as well as answering questions from an interview panel. You could improve your chances of getting a teaching job by being prepared to move away from the area where you did your teacher training. You will also need to pass skills tests in numeracy, literacy and information and communications technology before you can be employed as a teacher.
- Help with filling in application forms for teaching jobs
- Advice on interviews for teaching jobs
- Key education employers: contact local authorities in England and Wales
How much will I earn as a teacher?
The starting salary for newly qualified teachers in 2011 was £27,000 in inner London and £21,588 in most other areas. There are two main salary scales for teachers – the main and upper pay scales. The highest salary on the upper pay scale in 2011 was £45,000. Beyond the upper pay scale comes the leadership pay scale for head teachers and other school leaders, which rises to £112,181 in inner London. There are other financial benefits, such as assistance with housing and pension schemes, as well as ‘golden hellos’ or ‘teaching grants’ if you have trained in one of the shortage subjects in teaching.
What about career progression?
If you are ambitious and want to make the most of your skills and abilities, teaching is a great career arena. Teachers can choose to take on management responsibilities (eg as a head of year or subject area) – the ultimate position being that of a head teacher. For those teachers who prefer to develop their career in the classroom there are chances to co-ordinate areas of the curriculum or develop their expertise as an advanced skills teacher. Within five to ten years, a primary teacher should have a chance of becoming a deputy head teacher, while a secondary teacher could reasonably hope to take on the role of head of department.
What are the highs and lows?
According to teachers, the highs include the opportunity to be creative and innovate, working with interesting young people and watching them develop, the chance to develop your knowledge of a subject you feel passionate about and inspire others (especially at secondary and higher levels of education), seeing positive changes in your students’ intellectual and behavioural capabilities and the fact that there are many opportunities for career progression. If you choose teaching because you think it’s a 9 am to 3.30 pm job with nice long holidays though, you will be in for a shock: working days extend well beyond school hours, especially at the beginning of your career, and it can be emotionally demanding at times.