If you want to become a teacher in the UK then there\u2019s a lot to consider. Teaching isn\u2019t just a job but an entire industry. All the way from preschool to higher education, mentoring adults or working with special needs children, there are many paths you can take.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Today we\u2019ll explore the wide world of teaching. We\u2019ll be covering how to become a teacher at different levels of education, the qualifications you\u2019ll need, the costs involved, and how to decide which path is right for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Before digging into the specifics let\u2019s start with a broad overview of teacher career paths in the UK.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To become a teacher in the UK you will almost always need a degree. While there are some options for teaching without a degree (which we\u2019ll discuss in more detail later), a full teaching role at any level of education will require a degree either explicitly or implicitly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In England and Wales your end goal will be to get your QTS (Qualified Teacher Status). If you\u2019re in Scotland you\u2019ll be wanting to get registered with the GTCS (General Teaching Council for Scotland) while in Northern Island you\u2019ll be registering with the GTCNI (General Teaching Council for Northern Island).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Scottish and Northern Irish systems are a little different but in practice, throughout the UK, your career path to becoming a teacher will require 3-4 years of university education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can also go for a postgraduate route if you already have a degree. This is called a PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education) and is essentially a direct path to getting your QTS as a postgraduate. These courses tend to be shorter as they\u2019re focused specifically on teaching (1-2 years).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There is another option for postgraduates and that\u2019s to learn while you earn with some hands-on experience. There are several programs in the UK that allow for an apprenticeship system in which you do your teacher training on the job. These routes often mean working in more challenging schools but the end result is a more robust and well-rounded introduction to the world of being a full-time educator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Many assume that becoming a preschool or early childhood teacher is an easier goal than secondary or higher education but this is not necessarily the case. In practice, preschool teaching is its own complex discipline with a lot to learn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To become a preschool teacher in the UK, you\u2019ll usually need either a level 3 qualification in Early Years Education, GCSEs in English and Maths, or experience working with children – either paid or voluntary. Preferably you\u2019d have all three but you can get by with just one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You don\u2019t necessarily need a degree to work in early years education but if you want to progress in your career, then you\u2019ll eventually need to complete a degree and gain that all important QTS. Otherwise it can be a bit of a dead-end in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The majority of traditional teaching jobs will be in primary and secondary education and while the career paths can be quite similar the experience is often very different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Primary school teachers blur the line between teacher and carer a little more than in secondary education. In some ways this can feel like a much higher responsibility as you have to pay close attention to children\u2019s emotional and physical wellbeing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the same time, your lessons tend to be broader and more foundational. Teaching primary can feel a lot more repetitive than teaching in secondary schools where you\u2019ll be focused on your subject and will have much more freedom to vary up the curriculum. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
That said, many find primary to be more fulfilling than secondary because these early developmental years are so important to children. As a primary teacher you have the chance to play a pivotal role in someone\u2019s life, helping to shape the person they\u2019ll become.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Of course, that\u2019s not to say secondary teachers can\u2019t also have their fair share of influence over a child\u2019s development. While secondary teachers tend to have less direct responsibility for a child\u2019s wellbeing they also help to play a pivotal role in young people\u2019s development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Secondary education is usually where kids start to think about their careers, gravitating towards the subjects that interest them most. If you\u2019re passionate about the subject you teach then secondary education is your chance to be the advocate for that subject. Whether it\u2019s science, languages, history, or art, you\u2019ll have the chance to inspire kids, helping them to see what makes your subject so special.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As a broad generalisation, if you\u2019re more interested in getting to know the kids and helping them develop then primary is probably for you. If it\u2019s the content and the curriculum you\u2019re focused on, then secondary is the way to go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you like flexibility, then becoming a substitute teacher (or a supply teacher as it’s sometimes referred to) might be ideal for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Substitute teachers fill in when regular teachers are absent, covering different classes and subjects. Adaptability is a core skill for the role as you\u2019ll need to be able to make decisions on the fly, meeting and getting to know new students just about every day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Substitute teachers do also require a QTS as well as lots of experience working in your chosen age\/subject. You\u2019ll also need to be registered with a teaching agency or local authority.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s also worth noting that there are some disadvantages to being a substitute teacher, not least of which is that students can be a lot more challenging to work with. To put it simply, substitute teachers need to have a lot of patience and a thick skin compared to traditional teachers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So with all that in mind, you might wonder why anyone would choose to become a substitute teacher. You need all the qualifications and experience of a teacher but without the stability and consistency a normal teaching role would provide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some substitute teachers take the role as a stop gap whilst looking for a full time career position but there are also some major advantages that draw people to the role.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
First and foremost, substitute teachers are well paid for their time, often drawing in very competitive rates. At the same time, they have a lot more flexibility over their hours. Where teachers are almost always glued to a strict schedule set by the school, substitute teachers can set the hours they\u2019re willing to work and can often turn down jobs with relatively short notice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It can also be a very fulfilling job if you want a broader perspective on the education industry. Substitute teachers work across many schools getting wide insights along with the chance to network far and wide. A few years as a substitute teacher could look great on your CV, ultimately helping you to settle down into that dream role you\u2019ve always wanted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Teaching in higher education is very different to almost any other teacher career path in the UK. If you want to work in a university (or other higher educational establishment) you won\u2019t need a QTS but you will need a solid academic background.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That means a degree but it can mean more than that. At a university you\u2019ll need to have an undergraduate along with postgraduate qualifications. You\u2019ll be diving into the world of academia so you\u2019ll be combining teaching with research – giving lectures while also doing your own studies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If pay is your main motivator then becoming a university lecturer is an excellent path for you. Although they work hard, lecturers often earn \u00a340-60K with some more senior roles even exceeding \u00a370-80K. It\u2019s definitely one of those careers that will dominate your lifestyle but if you\u2019re really passionate about your subject then you\u2019ll have the chance to dedicate your life to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the other hand, if you\u2019re looking for something a little less all-consuming, you could work in further education (generally the 16-18 bracket although you would be working with some mature students too). FE means you\u2019d be teaching A-level, BTEC, or NVQ courses along with apprenticeships and foundation courses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
FE teachers don\u2019t need a QTS but they do generally require some teaching qualification although this will depend on the level your teaching at and the subject in question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Teachers in Further Education generally earn around the same amount as traditional teachers. That places them squarely in the \u00a325-40K margin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re looking to become a teacher without a degree<\/a> then your options will be more limited but there are still several choices open to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It all depends on what you\u2019re looking for in a teaching job. If you\u2019re passionate about working with kids and making a difference in young people’s lives then you could become a teaching assistant. TAs don\u2019t need degrees in the UK so long as they have a good command of English and Maths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Furthermore, you can become a teaching assistant with no direct experience, so long as you can clearly display the right skills and have a solid CV. For many, being a teaching assistant is a step on their road to becoming a fully qualified teacher, although that does still mean getting a degree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alternatively, if what you\u2019re passionate about is sharing your skills then you could become an online tutor or a mentor. Online tutors<\/a> have fewer direct responsibilities than classroom teachers, often playing a more supplementary role to education. They also often work with adults, with a focus on learning specific skills rather than gaining qualifications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So if you like the idea of being self-employed<\/a> and working with adults then online tutoring may be the perfect path for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Okay – so let\u2019s say neither of the above is right for you and you really want to become a full teacher. What are your options?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Well, as we said earlier, you\u2019ll need a degree. There\u2019s just no getting around this. Many worry about getting a degree – especially as a mature student – because they think it will be expensive but this isn\u2019t necessarily the case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you already have a non-teaching degree, then you may be able to enter one of the programs we mentioned earlier, offsetting the cost of your learning entirely. If not, The Open University has many options for helping mature students to fund their degrees through student loans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That said, if you can\u2019t get a student loan then degrees are expensive. The tuition fees for an undergraduate degree are generally around \u00a310,000 per year, meaning \u00a330-40K for a full undergraduate course. The same is true for post-graduates although the courses do at least tend to be shorter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n From a financial point of view your best option by far is to become an apprentice. While the pay can be low, it\u2019s still far more affordable than covering the costs of a degree yourself and will allow you to earn on the job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It can take a long time to become a teacher – four to five years minimum for most people. It certainly isn\u2019t the kind of career path<\/a> you can rush into and it has a broad influence over your lifestyle. Being a teacher is a very social job. Alongside patience and understanding it requires performance skills<\/a> and the ability to entertain a class.<\/p>\n\n\n\n All told, you shouldn\u2019t become a teacher unless it\u2019s something you’re drawn to but for those who are it can be one of the most rewarding career paths out there.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHow Much Does it Cost to Become a Teacher<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Final Thoughts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n