A rewarding career in the classroom for you
As a Secondary School Teacher you will be educating children between the ages of 11 and 18, in a national curriculum subject area, preparing them for their future education and careers
There are several ways to become a secondary school teacher.
For all of them you’ll need: GCSEs ( A to C) in English, maths and a science; passes in numeracy and literacy skills tests; at least 10 days’ work experience with younger children; enhanced background checks by the Disclosure and Barring Service.
You can qualify as a teacher by taking a Bachelor of Education ( BEd) or a BA ( Hons) or BSc ( Hons) with qualified teacher status ( QTS).
If you’ve a degree in a national curriculum subject, you can qualify as a teacher with a postgraduate certificate in education ( PGCE) course. You can also study for a PGCE while you work. See the School- Centred Initial Teacher Training ( SCITT) and Teach First.
If you’ve experience in the armed forces, you can train under Troops to Teachers. A good teacher will need:
• Organisational and planning skills; creativity to design activities and materials. You’ll teach children in state or independent schools. When teaching for exams like GCSEs and A levels, you’ll usually specialise in 1 or 2 subjects. Your day- to- day tasks may include:
• Planning and preparing lessons; setting and marking essays and exams; checking students’ progress; developing new courses and teaching materials; keeping records and carrying out other admin
• Going to meetings and going on training courses. Your starting salar y is £ 22,500 moving on to £ 28,000 and £ 38,000 as you gain experience.
There are separate pay scales for teachers with advanced skills or who move into management. You could get extra pay for taking on additional responsibilities.
You’ll usually work 28 to 37 hours a week during term time. You’ll usually work Monday to Friday, from 9am to 3.30pm or 4pm.
You’ll usually spend extra hours planning lessons, marking work and taking part in activities like outings, parent evenings and training.
With experience you could become an advanced skills teacher, supporting other teachers. You could specialise in teaching pupils with special educational needs or move into private tuition.