Secondary school teacher jobs

You have the opportunity to invigorate your students' interest in studying while also helping them better prepare for their futures if you work in secondary education.

As a teacher at a secondary school, you will have students ranging in age from 11 to 18. You will develop lesson plans, educate students, and evaluate their work in accordance with the goals outlined in the curriculum, in whatever topic you will specialize.

You will work to provide a positive environment for learning and will assist, monitor, and document the development of the students in your care.

It is essential that teachers be current on the latest advancements in their respective subject areas, as well as any new resources, methodologies, or national goals. The function requires regular communication and networking with other professionals, as well as informal and formal interactions with parents and caregivers.

Responsibilities

As a teacher at a secondary school, you will be expected to:

Educate students of varying ages and skill levels via the process of lesson planning and delivery.

Mark the students' work, provide them with the relevant comments, and keep track of their improvement and progress records.

Conduct research on fresh subject areas, ensure that subject-matter expertise is kept current, and develop and compose new instructional materials.

Choose from a variety of educational materials and tools, such as podcasts and interactive whiteboards, and put them to use in your classes.

prepare learners for certifications and external exams

Take control of student behavior in the classroom and on the school grounds, and implement corrective actions that are both appropriate and effective as necessary.

carry out pastoral responsibilities such as acting as a form tutor and providing one-on-one assistance to students who are struggling with either their studies or their personal lives.

interact with parents and other caregivers on the development of students, and take part in meetings of individual departments, nights for parents, and other whole-school training activities.

maintain communication with other experts in the field, such as learning mentors, careers advisors, educational psychologists, and education welfare officers.

the work of teaching assistants, trainee teachers, and freshly certified teachers should be supervised and supported (NQTs)

participation in extracurricular activities, such as excursions, social activities, and sports events, as well as organizing and planning these activities.

as part of their continued professional development, employees must submit themselves to frequent observations and take part in ongoing in-service training (INSET) (CPD).

Salary

In England, newly qualified professionals begin their careers on the main wage scale, which ranges from £25,714 to £36,961 during the course of their careers. Those who work as educators in or close to London are eligible for higher pay grades.

New recruits in Wales begin their careers with a starting pay of £27,018, which gradually increases to a maximum of £37,320.

In Northern Ireland, the starting salary for new employees is £23,199, and it gradually increases to a maximum of £33,906.

Beginning salaries for new recruits in Scotland begin at £27,498 and include any payments received under the Preference Waiver Payment (PWP) system. These salaries gradually increase to a maximum of £41,412 over the course of three years.

There are chances to advance into the position of lead practitioner in England and Wales after sufficient experience and knowledge have been acquired in this field. There are options to advance one's teaching career in Scotland, first into the post of chartered teacher and later into that of principle teacher. The salaries of principals might reach up to £100,000 per year.

Pay and working conditions in academies, free schools, and independent schools are determined by the institutions themselves.

It's possible for teachers to advance their careers and take on leadership, mentorship, or management responsibilities. Taking on management responsibilities, in particular, may result in significant pay rises.

There is information on salary that can be obtained through the teaching unions as well as the Get Into Teaching website hosted by the Department for Education (DfE) (for England).

The monetary amounts listed are just meant to serve as a reference point.

Time spent working

39 out of 52 weeks of the year are spent with teachers in the classroom. The hours of each school are different, although they often run from 8.30 in the morning until 3.30 or 4 in the afternoon. The vast majority of educators arrive at their schools far before the start of the school day and stay there until after it ends.

The minimum amount of time that teachers are permitted to use for lesson planning, preparation, and evaluation is ten percent of their total allotted teaching time (PPA). This must be completed in a minimum of seven and a half hours in Scotland.

In addition, teachers often spend time at home planning and preparing classes, as well as evaluating the work produced by students.

Opportunities exist for employment on a part-time basis as well as career breaks. There is also the possibility of supply teaching. Visit the website of the NASWUT, often known as The Teachers' Union, for further details about working hours.

What may be anticipated

You won't necessarily have a classroom that serves as your headquarters, and it's possible that you'll have to tote books and equipment from room to room as you go from lesson to session.

It is quite possible that you will be required to sacrifice additional hours of your time in order to participate in activities such as parents' nights, the preparation for Ofsted inspections, breakfast clubs, after-school clubs, as well as sport, theater, and field excursions.

Throughout the United Kingdom, one may find work in the majority of its regions, particularly in its towns and cities.

There is a possibility that there may be an occasional excursion with the students, or possibilities for staff development, that will need an overnight stay away from home, as well as international travel.

Qualifications

You need to have a bachelor's degree in order to work as a secondary school teacher in a maintained school in England or Wales. Additionally, you need to earn qualified teacher status (QTS) by completing a period of initial teacher training (ITT) or initial teacher education (ITE) in Wales. These requirements must be met in order to be eligible for employment. The Teaching Regulation Agency (England) or the Education Workforce Council (EWC) is the body that is responsible for conferring QTS (Wales). In order to work as a teacher in Wales, you are furthermore need to register with the EWC.

It is possible for independent schools, academies, and free schools to hire instructors who do not have QTS; however, this scenario does not occur very often.

You may get your QTS by enrolling in an undergraduate secondary BA/BSc Hons program that also includes QTS. Training focuses on acquiring specialized knowledge in your chosen field and developing the skills necessary to communicate this information clearly to students in secondary schools. You should expect to spend a significant amount of time in the classroom receiving instruction from knowledgeable professors.

On the other hand, if you already have a degree, there are a lot of options for you to get QTS. These are the following:

Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) programs may be found in a wide variety of educational institutions, including schools, colleges, and universities that provide higher education. The vast majority of training programs offered by schools lead to a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) and a Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).

Training for teachers that is paid includes postgraduate teaching apprenticeships, School Direct (which pays a salary), Teach First (which is open to graduates with a 2:1 or higher), and the salaried PGCE that is offered by The Open University, Wales. Other options for receiving on-the-job training while earning a salary include postgraduate teaching internships (Wales only). The Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) is often granted by higher education institutions (HEIs), however this is not always the case.

Individual schools of education determine their own prerequisites for prospective students. The qualifications necessary include a GCSE grade C/grade 4 (or grade B in Wales) in both English and maths, as well as a bachelor's degree or an equivalent qualification in a field that is relevant to the area of teaching that you choose to pursue. Your education prior to enrolling in university could also be taken into consideration.

If the substance of your degree is lacking in the area that you want to teach, you may take subject knowledge enhancement (SKE) classes at one of the many educational institutions that provide these kinds of programs.

The following categories now have top priority:

biology

chemistry

computing

languages

mathematics

physics.

In addition to English and music, other popular disciplines include design and technology (DT), theater, religious education, art and design, geography, history, business studies, and physical education.

The majority of applications for postgraduate certificates in education (PGCEs) are submitted via UCAS Teacher Training in the fall prior to the academic year in which training is desired to begin. The Department for Education (DfE) is in the process of establishing a new service called Apply for Teacher Training, which will ultimately take the place of UCAS Teacher Training. Both application services will continue to operate concurrently until that time comes. There is a lot of competition for available spots, therefore applying early is strongly recommended.

Candidates who have a degree in addition to a significant amount of teaching experience in the UK but do not have QTS may be eligible to take the Assessment Only (AO) path to get QTS. This route leads to QTS certification. This requires you to provide a portfolio showcasing your previous work in addition to participating in a day-long evaluation during which you will be watched while teaching at your current school.

You may investigate your choices at Get into Teaching to learn more about how to get your QTS certification.

To get certified to teach in Scotland, you must first earn a bachelor's degree and then earn a Teaching Qualification (TQ) by completing a training course offered by an institute of teacher education (ITE). In addition to this, you will be required to register with the General Teaching Council of Scotland (GTCS). Every single program for becoming a teacher is offered via a university, and you have the option of pursuing either a four-year undergraduate degree or a one-year Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE). Applications for both undergraduate and postgraduate programs must be submitted via the UCAS Undergraduate portal.

In order to work as a teacher in Northern Ireland, you need to possess a degree as well as a recognized teacher training qualification. This can be accomplished by completing either a four-year undergraduate BEd program or a one-year PGCE program, and you also need to register with the General Teaching Council for Northern Ireland (GTCNI). Applications for the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) are submitted directly to the course provider, often in the months of November and December.

See the following for further information on the training of teachers in Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales:

Education and Library Services Department for Northern Ireland (DENI)

Work as a teacher in Scotland.

DiscoverEducation.com (Wales)

In order to teach in England, you will need to submit an application for qualified teacher status (QTS), even if you had your training in Scotland or Northern Ireland. There is information available at GOV.UK - qualify to teach in England for educators who have earned their qualifications in countries other than the UK.

Learn more about the many financing options for the training of teachers.

Skills

You'll need to make sure you have:

regard for children, as well as an interest in fostering their growth as learners and as individuals, is essential.

great verbal and nonverbal communication abilities, as well as strong interpersonal skills for interacting with students, colleagues, and parents.

excellent listening skills

the ability to pick up new things fast

talents that are great in both organization and time management

the capacity to excite and motivate younger generations

perseverance, responsibility, resourcefulness, and energy are required.

commitment, resilience and self-discipline

a compassionate personality as well as an awareness of the concerns and experiences of youngsters

the capacity to operate both individually and cooperatively as a member of a group

the capacity to put things in perspective while also possessing a good sense of humor

ingenuity, originality, and a good sense of humor are all essential.

sound judgment and a keen capacity for analysis

a solid foundation in the understanding of the material that will be conveyed to the students.

In addition to this, the Disclosure and Barring Service for England and Wales will conduct background checks on you, which you will need to pass with flying colors (or the equivalent check in Scotland and Northern Ireland).

See the article on key abilities for secondary school teachers if you want to learn more about the characteristics you'll need.

Practice in the workplace

Having previous teaching experience can make it easier for you to submit a competitive application for basic teacher training. To make a request for school experience at a secondary school, you may utilize the service that is known as Get school experience. There are a lot of secondary schools that are more than glad to take placements for voluntary work experience. Learn more about the opportunities available to volunteer in schools.

Your application will likely be strengthened if you have any additional experience working with children outside of the classroom, such as through participation in extracurricular activities, play programs, summer camps, youth clubs, tutoring, or mentoring, as this will demonstrate that you have a genuine interest in working with children.

You will need to demonstrate passion, drive, dedication, and great communication skills. Additionally, you will need to be knowledgeable with the national curriculum for your subject area.

Find out more information on the many types of work experience and internships that are currently offered.

Employers

The majority of instructors working in secondary schools are employed by state schools, which are funded financially either by the local authority (LA) or by the government itself. These are the following:

Community schools, often known as schools administered by the city of Los Angeles, are required to adhere to the national curriculum.

Foundation schools and voluntary schools are schools that get funding from the local authority but have greater autonomy in how they run their operations and may receive assistance from religious organizations.

Free schools are those that get funding from the government on a not-for-profit basis but are not managed by the local authority and are not required to follow the national curriculum.

academies and multi-academy trusts get funds directly from the government, are autonomous from the local authority, and are governed by an academy trust with greater autonomy and the opportunity to pursue a different curriculum. academies and multi-academy trusts are sometimes known as academy chains.

the Local Authority, a foundation organisation, or an academy trust are the entities responsible for the operation of grammar schools (pupils are selected based on academic ability).

You also have the option of working in independent schools, which are not required to adhere to the national curriculum, instead charging tuition in place of receiving funding from the government. The government requires private schools to get an official registration.

Some secondary school instructors find work as substitutes either via employment agencies or by making arrangements with individual schools. The flexibility of supply employment may appeal to some individuals, despite the fact that it offers less security than a fixed contract.

After gaining their credentials and years of experience, several educators then hunt for work in other countries. There are many nations that require a teacher to have credentials obtained in that country, although there are sometimes agreements in place that allow for reciprocity.

Some educators participate in teaching exchange programs in countries such as the United States and Australia, while others volunteer their time in underdeveloped nations via organizations such as Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO).

At addition to this, opportunities may be found in foreign schools and in schools catering to the families of members of the military services.