Secondary School Teacher
What is the work like?
Secondary school teachers work in state and independent schools, teaching children aged from 11 to 16, or up to 19 in schools with sixth forms.
As a secondary teacher you would:
- specialise in teaching one or two subjects
- teach classes of different ages and abilities throughout the school
- prepare students for exams like GCSEs and A levels.
You would have other responsibilities as well as teaching including:
- preparing lessons and teaching materials
- marking and assessing work
- setting up displays in the classroom
- liaising with other professionals such as educational psychologists
- discussing pupils' progress with parents and carers – both informally and at parents' evenings
- attending meetings and in-service training
- organising outings, social activities and sporting events.
Some parts of England and Wales have middle schools that take children from ages eight or nine to twelve or thirteen. As a teacher in a middle school you would teach the primary or secondary curriculum appropriate to the age of children in the class.
What qualifications and experience will employers look for?
You must gain Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) by completing Initial Teacher Training (ITT). You can do this through several different routes, but for all of them you will need:
- GCSEs (A-C) English and maths or equivalent qualifications – check with course providers for their requirements
- passes in tests of numeracy, literacy and ITC (information and communications technology)
- CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) clearance.
If you intend to teach in middle schools you will also need GCSEs (A-C) or an equivalent qualification in science. Experience of working with children (either paid or voluntary) in the relevant age group will be an advantage. This could be through volunteering at a local school, youth club or holiday scheme.
There are four types of ITT:
- undergraduate
- postgraduate
- School-Centered Initial Teacher Training (SCITT)
- work-based.
The route you choose will depend on whether you already have higher education qualifications.
Undergraduate routes
If you do not have a degree you can gain QTS by completing one of the following two options:
- a degree in the subject you want to teach (or a closely-related subject) followed by a Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE)
- a BA (Hons) or BSc (Hons) with QTS (or a BEd degree at a few universities).
The first route is the most common.
To get onto a degree course, you will usually need at least two A levels and at least five GCSEs (A-C). Universities may accept other qualifications, such as an Access to Higher Education course – check with course providers for their exact requirements. To search for college and university degree courses see Universities and Colleges Admissions Service.
Postgraduate routes
If you already have a degree or equivalent you can gain QTS by doing a Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) course. This takes one year full-time, two years part-time or longer if done flexibly by distance learning. You can search for PGCE courses and apply on-line on the Graduate Teacher Training Registry (GTTR) website.
School-Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT)
SCITT is another option if you already have a degree. It is classroom-based training which takes one year and usually leads to a PGCE.
Employment-based routes
You can gain QTS whilst working in a school on a trainee salary on one of the following programmes:
- Graduate Teacher Programme (GTP) – you must already have a degree
- Registered Teacher Programme (RTP) – you must have completed two years of higher education (which could include a HND or foundation degree)
- Overseas Trained Teacher Programme (for those qualified outside the EU) – you must have a teaching qualification that is equivalent to a UK degree.
The number of places on employment-based programmes is limited and competition is strong.
Visit the Training and Development Agency for Schools or the Department of Education Northern Ireland websites for full details of all aspects of entering teaching, including funding your training.
Teach First
Teach First is an independently run graduate training programme which is available in Greater London, the North West and the Midlands. You would achieve QTS whilst working in a challenging school and completing leadership training. You would need at least an upper second class degree.
For more details about the scheme, the selection criteria and how to apply see Teach First.
What further training and development can I do?
When you have completed your ITT course, you will need to successfully complete three terms in a teaching job before you are considered fully qualified. During this time you will have a reduced teaching timetable and will be supported by a mentor.
Throughout your teaching career you will need to keep up to date with new methods and ideas in education by doing in-service training. This could be on training days in school or at local authority training centres.
You may be able to develop your leadership skills through the Fast Track programme.
If you want to teach another age group, it is not essential to do further training. However, schools recommend that you get some experience of the age group you are intending to teach. This could be done on a voluntary basis. Some LEAs and teacher training institutions may offer short conversion or refresher courses. You can get details of some of these from the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) website.
The TDA website also has information for qualified teachers wanting to return to teaching after a career break, including details of returners' courses and other available support.
Where can I go for more information?
National College of School LeadershipTel: 0845 058 1066
New Barn Lane
Cheltenham
Gloucestershire
GL52 3LZ
Tel: 0870 112 2205
London
SW1W 9SZ
Teaching Information Line: 0845 6000 991
Balloo Road
Bangor
BT19 7PR
Tel: 028 9127 9279
Related profiles...
Nursery/Primary School Teacher (Scotland)
Secondary School Teacher (Scotland)
Special Educational Needs Teacher
What salary and other benefits can I expect?
- The salary scale for unqualified teachers is £15,113 to £23,903 a year (£19,007 to £27,794 in inner London).
- The scale for qualified teachers ranges from £20,627 to £30,148 a year (£25,000 to £34,768 in inner London).
Teachers who reach the top of the main scale may apply to be assessed to progress to the upper pay scale. This ranges from £32,660 to £35,121 (£39,114 to £42,419 in inner London).
Salary scales are reviewed each year. See details of the full pay scales on the Training and Development Agency for Schools website.
Figures are intended as a guideline only.
What are the hours and working conditions?
You would teach for 39 weeks a year. Hours vary between schools, but are usually from 9am to 3.30pm or 4pm. You will also spend a lot of time outside school hours preparing lessons, marking and assessing pupils’ work, taking part in parents' evenings, and attending meetings and in-service training courses.
You could do supply teaching, working in different schools for short periods to cover absences of permanent teachers.
What skills and knowledge will I need?
- enthusiasm for the subjects you teach
- the ability to develop good working relationships with a wide range of people
- commitment to working with pupils, parents and carers of different backgrounds and different levels of ability
- the ability to work in a team as well as use your own initiative
- good organisational and time-management skills
- the ability to manage classes and deal with challenging behaviour
- excellent communication skills
- patience and a good sense of humour.
What opportunities are there?
Most jobs are in state secondary schools. You could also work in independent schools, sixth-form colleges, pupil referral units, hospitals, young offenders’ institutions or secure units.
As an experienced teacher you may become an Advanced Skills Teacher (AST), supporting other teachers as well as teaching your own classes. See the Teachernet website for details.
In most schools, you could to progress to curriculum leader, head of department, deputy headteacher and headteacher. You could choose to specialise in teaching pupils with special educational needs or move into private tuition.
You may find the following links useful for job vacancies and general reading (links open new window):
Education Guardian
Times Educational Supplement
eteach.com
Teachernet
We do not accept responsibility for the content of external sites.
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