Want to share your love of learning with students, encourage them to become their best selves and pave their way to a bright and successful future? This guide will give you the inside track on what life in the classroom is all about.
Plus, it will cover the following areas...
Find Work Experience and Graduate Jobs in Teaching
The rewards of being a teacher
Teachers don’t just have an influence on the child they teach, but also the adult they become. Teaching is a career where you know you can make a real difference and have a positive impact on a local community.
Each one of us had a teacher who believed in us and empowered us to become the people we were meant to be. Now you can do the same for others.
Here are the real rewards of being a teacher:
Teach something you love
Use your passion for your subject to inspire. If you love something, you’ll love teaching it, and there’s nothing better than seeing young people inspired by things you’re passionate about.
Lots of holiday
Teaching gives you more paid holiday than most careers (13 weeks to be exact) which means more time to rest and explore other interests and passions such as travelling, baking or volunteering.
Enjoy every day
No two days are the same in teaching. One day you'll be marking coursework or writing reports, and the next taking pupils out on a Biology field trip to Epping Forest.
Fantastic salary
With a minimum starting salary of £31,650 and the opportunity to earn at least £43,607 within 5 years, shaping lives has never been so rewarding.
Pathways into teaching
To start primary or secondary initial teacher training, you’ll need to have a degree or equivalent qualification.
You’ll also need to:
Do your research
It is important to decide if teaching is for you, and what age group or subject you want to teach. The Get Into Teaching website is a great place to start. You can attend an event, speak to an experienced teaching professional and read about other people’s stories and experiences.
Consider school experience
Before you commit to a training course, you may want to spend some time in a school. This can give you valuable first-hand experience of what it’s really like in the classroom, and the kind of activities involved. It can also be very useful if you’re unsure which age group or subject you want to teach.
Choosing your course
Once you have settled on a subject or age group that you want to teach, you need to consider how you want to train. There are a few different options for this - so here are a few things you may want to consider...
How long you want to study for
If the course is in a convenient location for you
What end qualification you would like
Whether you meet the eligibility criteria
What funding you may need for any tuition fees or living expenses.
Once you've decided what you want to teach, it’s a good idea to search for a course in more detail.
You may also want to take into account the individual course providers. You can look at their websites, attend one of their events, or look at Ofsted inspection reports for schools.
Applying for a course
To apply for a course, you will need:
A written personal statement
Two references
GCSE (or equivalent) and degree certificates.
After you have applied you may be asked to provide copies of any supporting documents such as your degree certificate, or evidence of other qualifications.
What is a graduate teaching job?
Are you a university graduate looking for a role in education? If so, a graduate teaching job could be the thing for you. As a graduate teaching assistant, you’ll work in primary, secondary and SEN schools, creating and implementing strategies to build students’ knowledge and confidence in a particular subject.
Teaching graduate jobs are permanent positions that equip you with new skills, such as how to manage classroom behaviour, network with education professionals and accept responsibility over the children in your care.
The most common route into teaching is a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). But you can enter the profession through Teach First too.
Postgraduate Certificate in Education
PGCEs are popular higher education training programmes that prepare you for primary or secondary school teaching. They’re theory and practical-based, allowing you to apply what you learn in the classroom to real life situations on placement.
To get onto one, you’ll need:
A degree or equivalent
GCSE passes (graded C or above) in Maths, English and Science
Experience at a UK school, helping children in the age group you’d like to teach
DBS checks.
PGCEs can be one year full-time or two years part-time. In case you’re wondering, St Mary’s University, Twickenham is one of the best places in the UK to do your PGCE training.
Teach First
Teach First’s fully funded teacher training programme is two years long and pays you to teach students from the lowest socio-economic backgrounds in the UK.
You’ll be supported by Teach First experts and mentors right the way through your programme. Once you finish your training, you’ll receive qualified teacher status, meaning you can teach in any state school around the country.
To get onto the scheme, you’ll need:
A 2:1 degree or above (or 2:2 for secondary teaching)
GCSE passes (graded C or above) in Maths and English Language
GCSE passes (graded C or above) in Science (primary teaching).
To enrol on the Teach First programme, just fill in their online application form. And you’re good to go.
Career progression in teaching
Start in the classroom – but from there, it’s up to you. There are ample opportunities to progress in and out of the classroom, with routes that fit into your personal interests and ambitions.
With a leadership role, you’ll have the chance to create real impact within a school. You could take charge of a year group, a key stage, or even become a deputy head or headteacher - leading, managing and motivating staff.
Alternatively, pastoral care roles provide opportunities to support, mentor and develop young people beyond the classroom.
Funding your training
Tuition fees and maintenance loans
You can apply for tuitions fee loan of up to £9,250 to go towards your course fees, and apply for a maintenance loan of up to £12,382 to help with living costs.
The student finance calculator on GOV.UK is really useful to find out how much you could receive.
Bursaries and scholarships
These are tax free amounts of money you receive to train to teach in certain subjects. You do not need to pay them back. To be eligible for a bursary, you’ll need a first, 2:1, 2:2 degree or a PhD or Master’s in the relevant subject. For a scholarship, each professional body sets its own criteria.
For more information on bursaries and scholarships, take a look at the Get Into Teaching website.
So, what next?
Get Into Teaching is a free service provided by the Department for Education to give information and advice to those who are looking at a career in teaching.
The first thing to do is register on Get Into Teaching to receive personalised information and support to help you start your teaching career, including...
Advice and guidance on how to get into teaching
Support on how to get one step closer to the classroom
Inspiring stories from others training to teach.
Set on teaching?
If you’re ready to get into teaching, you can get free support from an experienced teaching professional to help guide you through the process. This support can help with...
Getting school experience
Funding your training
Choosing the right course for you, writing your personal statement, as well as interview tips.
