How to Become a Teacher

Primary school, including nursery and reception

• Key Stage 0: 3-5 years
• Key Stage 1: 5-7 years (Exams: SATs)
• Key Stage 2: 7-11 years (Exams: SATs)

Secondary School

• Key Stage 3: 11-14 years
• Key Stage 4: 14-16 years (Exams: GCSEs)

Further Education (Sixth form/College)

• Key Stage 5: 16-18 years (Exams: A Levels, AS Levels, NVQs, International Baccalaureate, National Diplomas)

Higher Education (Universities)

• 18 years and over (Exams: Bachelors & Master’s degree exams)

What skills do I need?

The right person will:

• Be an excellent communicator.
• Be reliable and trustworthy.
• Have patience, as you’ll be teaching children of all different abilities and with a range of personalities. Some children take longer to grasp concepts than others, or may display challenging behaviour.
• Be flexible; no one child is the same so you may have to adopt a number of different teaching approaches to cater to the individual needs of each child as best you can.
• Have effective discipline skills.
• Have sound knowledge of their subject matter.
• Be enthusiastic and keen to engage children in your chosen subjects.
• Be able to build confidence and self-esteem in pupils.
• Always be kind and have the best interests of each child at heart, regardless of background.
• Be creative.
• Be open to working with colleagues who may be twenty or thirty years younger, and maybe take direction from them if they have more directly related teaching experience.

What will I love about the job?

• The opportunity to make a difference to the lives and futures of younger generations. Most people still remember their favourite teachers for a lifetime.
• You’ll get to keep learning yourself, as training is ongoing – and there’s often a thing or two you can learn from the children themselves!
• Variety – when you’re working with a class of children with a range of personalities and needs, no two days end up the same.
• The chance to make learning fun.
• Using your skills and life experience to influence and inspire children and young people.
• The benefit of time off during the school holidays.
• Getting to know each child; children are usually full of character and offer a refreshing perspective on life.
• You can choose what age group you decide to teach and at what level.
• There are opportunities to teach full or part-time.

What are the challenges?

• Some children display challenging behaviour, which can disrupt the learning process. But if you work in a school, you will usually have the support of a Teaching Assistant, who aims to provide extra support to you and to any children who need it.
• Hours can be long, as teachers often have to stay after class to mark work and prepare lesson plans. But this work is also very rewarding, and you’ll still get the sense that everything you do is contributing positively to the lives of your pupils.

How much will I earn?

Estimated salaries:

• Primary school: £36,000
• Secondary School: £39,000
• Further Education: £32,000
• Higher Education: £56,000
• Head Teacher: £71,000

Are there opportunities to progress?

Teachers who want to progress typically move into a more specialised area at a higher level e.g. teaching History at A-Level. They also may want to move into Head of Department or Deputy Head Teacher roles. Some teachers also go on to become Lecturers at University.

How do I get started?

If you’re thinking about becoming a teacher, there are several steps you can take to get you started on your journey to gaining full Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).

1. Why not try volunteering in your local primary or secondary school to see whether you like the classroom environment? You could also request the opportunity to volunteer across a range of different year groups if you’re struggling to decide which age you want to teach.
2. Consider starting out as a Teaching Assistant to gain some skills and experience, before doing further training to become a fully-fledged teacher