Are you considering becoming a Teacher? Here is some information to help point you in the right direction:
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Teachers help children and young people to develop their abilities and achieve their full potential. They can choose to teach a particular age group, and this determines the type of school they work in and the subjects they teach. The age groups are:
· Secondary (11 to 16 year olds in England and Wales, or 12 to 16 in Scotland - this is 11 to 19 if the school has a sixth form, 12 to 18 in Scotland) - teachers usually teach only one or two subjects to different classes.
· Primary (5 to 11 year olds in England and Wales, or 5 to 12 in Scotland) - teachers teach most subjects to the same class.
· Nursery and primary school nursery classes (three to five year olds) - teachers usually take their class for all lessons.
As well as teaching in class, teachers also spend a lot of time planning and preparing lessons, setting and marking homework and exams, writing reports and organising trips and events.
Teachers work 39 weeks a year in school. The school day varies, but is usually between the hours of 8.45am to 3.40pm. Teachers often work outside school hours.
The route to qualifying as a teacher in England and Wales is through an Initial Teacher Training (ITT) course to obtain Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). In Scotland the route is through an Initial Teacher Education (ITE) course to obtain a Teaching Qualification (TQ). The main ways of training are:
· a first degree followed by a Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) - a one-year full-time course (funding may be available for this route).
· a first degree course leading to QTS/TQ - three to four-and-a-half years full time
Training
Many universities and colleges of higher education in England and Wales offer ITT courses. In Scotland, seven universities offer ITE courses.
In England and Wales, trainee teachers train to teach at least two consecutive key stages:
· Early Years and Key Stage 1 - age 3 to 7
· Key Stage 1 and 2 - age 5 to 11
· Key Stage 2 and 3 - age 7 to 14
· Key Stage 3 and 4 - age 11 to 16
· Key Stage 4 and post-16 - age 14 to 19.
Trainees must meet standards on each component of ITT. These include:
· knowledge of subjects and curriculum
· teaching practice - the skills for planning lessons, teaching and assessing pupils
· professional values and practice.
In England they must also pass QTS skills tests in literacy, numeracy and information and communications technology (ICT).
Newly Qualified Teachers (NQTs) have to successfully complete a one-year induction period.
In Scotland, new teachers must register with The General Teaching Council for Scotland before they can teach in a Scottish state-funded school. They complete a one-year probationary period in a school before applying for full registration.
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