Secondary school teacher: Job description and activities
Job description
A secondary school teacher teaches one or more national curriculum subjects to pupils aged 11-16, or up to 19 in schools with sixth forms. Teachers may use creativity, humour and imagination to develop schemes of work and to plan lessons in order to foster a healthy culture of learning within the classroom and to generate the most effective interactions with pupils.
Teachers encourage, monitor and record the progress of individual pupils, and devise and tailor resources accordingly. They must also keep up to date with developments in their subject area, new resources, methods and national objectives. Teachers liaise and network with other professionals, parents and carers both informally and formally.
Typical work activities
Typical work activities include:
- planning, preparing and delivering lessons to a range of classes including putting up displays in the classroom;
- marking work, giving appropriate feedback and maintaining records of pupils' progress and development;
- researching new topic areas, maintaining up-to-date subject knowledge and then devising and writing new curriculum materials;
- selecting and using a range of different learning resources and equipment;
- undertaking pastoral duties, such as taking on the role of form tutor, and supporting pupils on an individual basis through academic or personal difficulties;
- preparing pupils for qualifications including external examinations and administering and invigilating them, including: in England and Wales, GCSE and A-levels; and in Scotland, Standard Grades (S Grades) and Higher Grades (H Grades);
- managing pupil behaviour in the classroom and on school premises, and applying appropriate and effective measures in cases of misbehaviour;
- supervising and supporting the work of teaching assistants, trainee teachers and newly qualified teachers (NQTs);
- participating in and organising extracurricular activities, such as outings, social activities and sporting events;
- participating in departmental meetings, parents' evenings and whole school training events;
- liaising with other professionals, such as learning mentors, careers advisers, educational psychologists and education welfare officers;
- undergoing regular observations and participating in regular in-service training (INSET) as part of continuing professional development (CPD);
- in 'middle schools', which take children aged eight or nine to 12 or 13, teaching the primary or secondary curriculum appropriate to the age of the children.
AGCAS
Written by Rebecca Maxwell, AGCAS
Last updated:
December 2008
