Page 44 - Choices Magazine - KS3 - Issue 3
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Salary Skills Working hours
New entrants to the profession You’ll need to have: Teachers are in school for 39 weeks of the year. Hours vary between schools but
in England start on the main • respect for children and an interest in helping are usually from 8.30am until 3.30pm or 4pm. Most teachers are in school before
salary scale, which rises them develop both academically and as people the school day starts and remain after school is finished.
incrementally from £25,714 to Teachers are entitled to a minimum of 10% of timetabled teaching time for planning,
£36,961. Enhanced pay scales • excellent communication and interpersonal preparation, and assessment (PPA). Teachers also often spend time at home planning
apply for teachers working in skills for working with children, other teachers, and preparing lessons and assessing pupils’ work.
or near London. and parents
After gaining experience • good listening skills Qualifications
and expertise, there are • the capacity to learn quickly
opportunities to move To work as a secondary school teacher • Postgraduate Certificate in Education
up into the role of lead • strong organisational and time management skills in a maintained school (England and (PGCE) - available at many universities,
practitioner in England and • the ability to inspire and enthuse children Wales), you must have a degree and colleges of higher education and
Wales. In Scotland there are achieve qualified teacher status (QTS) teacher training led by schools. Training
opportunities to move into • energy, resourcefulness, responsibility, by completing a period of initial teacher led by schools will offer QTS and most offer
chartered and then principal and patience training (ITT), QTS is awarded by the the academic qualification of a PGCE.
teacher roles. Salaries • dedication, resilience, and self-discipline Teaching Regulation Agency (England).
for head teachers can • a caring nature and an understanding • Salaried teacher training - options for
rise to £100,000. of the needs and feelings of children Independent schools, academies and free receiving on-the-job training while
Academies, free school, • the ability to work independently, schools may employ teachers without QTS earning a salary include postgraduate
but, in practice, this is uncommon.
teaching apprenticeships, School Direct
and independent school as well as part of a team (salaried), Teach First (for graduates with
set their own pay and In order to achieve QTS you can take an a 2:1 or above) and the salaried PGCE
working conditions. • a sense of humour and the ability to keep undergraduate secondary BA/BSc Hons delivered by The Open University, Wales
things in perspective with QTS. Training focuses on gaining
Teachers may move into specialist knowledge in your chosen subject (Wales only). In most, but not all cases, a
Key Stage or year leader, • imagination and creativity and being able to pass this on effectively PGCE accredited by a higher education
mentoring and management • good judgement and an analytical mind to secondary school pupils. You will spend institution (HEI) will be awarded.
roles. Management roles a lot of time in the classroom learning from Teacher training providers set their own entry
attract considerable • a good knowledge of the subject you’re experienced teachers. requirements. The minimum requirements are
salary increases. going to teach. at least a GCSE grade C/grade 4 in English
Details about pay are You’ll also need to satisfactorily pass checks by However, if you already have a degree, and Mathematics, as well as a degree or
you can gain QTS in a number of ways.
available from the teaching the Disclosure and Barring Service for England These include: equivalent in a subject relevant to your
unions and the Department and Wales (or the equivalent check in Scotland chosen area of teaching. Your pre-university
for Education (DfE) Get and Northern Ireland). education may also be considered.
Into Teaching website (for To find out more about the attributes you’ll need,
England). see essential skills for secondary school teachers.
45 | JuL Y 2021
Income figures are For more information about this job and many others linking to English
intended as a guide only. why not visit the Prospects – Job Profile website.
https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/browse-a-to-z#section-A
DECEMBER 2020 | 44
