Everything to know about Becoming a Teacher

1. What professional qualifications do you need to become a teacher?

If you want to teach in the U.K., you’ll need to attain Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). A variety of degree courses can help you attain the Qualified Teacher Status.

If you already have an undergraduate teaching degree, you can do a GDE (Postgraduate Diploma in Education and Leadership) or PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education).

You’ll also need GCSEs at grade 4 [C] in Maths and English (or similar qualifications).

The education curriculum in Scotland is different, and this means that the qualifications you’ll require to practice teaching in this jurisdiction are different. Read more about the professional qualifications you need to teach in Scotland. Right now we’ve seen a high demand for Hampshire education jobs as locals are needing more support in schools.

2. Should I teach secondary or primary school?

How To Become A Primary School Teacher

Apart from the QTS and GCSE requirements, teachers who want to teach in primary school need a grade 4 [C] in science. It’s important to consider the age of the students you would like to teach because qualifications are usually categorized using the following aged brackets:

• 7 to 14-year-olds
• 7 to 11-year-olds
• 5 to 11-year-olds
• 3 to 7-year-olds

Some teachers choose to focus on specific subjects, such as PE, languages, or maths. If you plan to teach kids in the 7 to 14-year-old age bracket, you’ll learn the primary national curriculum and specialize in one subject taught in secondary schools.

How To Become A Secondary School Teacher

What you can teach as a secondary school teacher is usually determined by the course you studied at a university or at the A level. It’s important to know what subjects your academic qualifications allow you to teach because you may have a wide range of options based on what you studied.

If you find out that you don’t have the necessary qualifications for the subject you wish to teach in secondary school, you can also opt for a Subject Knowledge Enhancement (SKE) course. This type, of course, offers you the opportunity to improve your current qualifications and knowledge so that you can attain the criteria needed to teach a specific subject.

3. Is there funding for teacher training?

Trainee teachers can get up to 3 types of funding. You can qualify for all 3, based on your qualifications.

• Maintenance loan and tuition fee loan – available regardless of your subject or qualifications
• non-graduate bursaries of £9,000 – for certain subjects (including computing, physics, and maths)
• scholarship or tax-free bursary of up to £26,000 – available based on your subject
• additional funding if you have dependants (adults or children) or disability – available regardless of your subject

You can also earn a monthly wage as you train to become a teacher and there are 5 ways you can do this:

Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship

You can earn an income as you teach, with 20% of your time specifically allocated to practical learning needed to attain Qualified Teacher Status.

You’ll need to take an end-point evaluation to prove that you qualify to become a Newly Qualified Teacher (NQT).

School Direct (Salaried)

Another way to make money while training to be a teacher is by joining Salaried or School Direct positions in existing schools. Schools can employ you as a trainee and then offer you a permanent position when you successfully complete your training.

This option offers you master’ level credits or PGCE, as well as Qualified Teacher Status. Salaried trainees’ wages vary depending on the school, so it’s important to confirm that you can afford to live on the amount of money you will be paid before applying.