Primary school teacher
Primary school teachers develop schemes of work and lesson plans in line with curriculum objectives. They facilitate learning by establishing a relationship with pupils and by their organisation of learning resources and the classroom learning environment.
Primary school teachers develop and foster the appropriate skills and social abilities to enable the optimum development of children, according to age, ability and aptitude. They assess and record progress and prepare pupils for examinations. They link pupils' knowledge to earlier learning and develop ways to encourage it further, and challenge and inspire pupils to help them deepen their knowledge and understanding.
Primary schools in England and Wales are usually divided into the Foundation Stage (ages 3-4, nursery and reception), Key Stage 1 (ages 5-7, years 1 and 2) and Key Stage 2 (ages 7-11, years 3-6). Lower primary usually refers to the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 and upper primary is Key Stage 2. In England there is sometimes a middle tier, so that children go to a primary school up until the age of 8 or 9 and then transfer to a middle school until the age of 12 and then move to a secondary school. In Scotland, primary school classes are organised by age from Primary 1 (age 5) to Primary 7 (age 12).
Typical activities are broadly the same for all primary school teachers and include:
Unless your first degree is a Bachelor of Education (BEd) or BA/BSc with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), it is essential to gain QTS (or, in Scotland, a teaching qualification (TQ)) in order to teach in the maintained/local authority sector. Independent schools are permitted to employ teachers without QTS/TQ, but in practice this is uncommon. QTS/TQ may be gained through one of the following routes:
Most course providers require a good honours degree for PGCE entry. Primary teacher training is open to graduates in all subjects, but a degree in a curriculum subject area, e.g. English, science, or mathematics, increases your chances. Some disciplines, e.g. sociology, media studies and psychology, are scrutinised for relevance to the curriculum and your pre-university education may be taken into account. Most applications for PGCE/PGDE courses are made through the Graduate Teacher Training Registry (GTTR) in the autumn before you wish to commence training. In Northern Ireland, you should apply directly to the course providers. Competition for places is high and early application is advised.
The Overseas Trained Teacher Programme (OTTP) is available for teachers who have qualified in other countries and wish to teach in the UK. Contact the UK NARIC (National Recognition Information Centre for the United Kingdom) to find out whether your qualifications are equivalent to a UK degree.
Classroom experience is essential for entry to all training routes. Arrange to visit schools to observe and talk to teachers. Become familiar with the primary curriculum. Ask if you can help a teacher with non-teaching duties on a regular basis. Try to do this over an extended period, rather than just before you apply for a PGCE. A post as a teaching assistant could give you valuable experience. Visit open days and try to attend a taster course. Ask your careers service or check with the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) whether your institution runs the Student Associates Scheme , which provides opportunities to work in a school in exchange for a bursary. Get experience of working with children in other ways too, e.g. summer play schemes, summer camps, Brownies, Sunday schools, supplementary and mother-tongue schools, etc.
Candidates will need to show evidence of:
Extra skills, e.g. music, art, IT, drama, sport, community and modern languages, can be advantageous.
To teach in Scotland, you also need to be registered with the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) .
Full details of routes into Initial Teacher Training (ITT), PGCE courses, taster courses, fees and the financial incentives can be found at teacher training, applying for a PGCE and getting a teaching job and on the training pages of the TDA website. For training in Wales see Teacher Training & Education in Wales ; in Scotland, see Teach in Scotland ; and in Northern Ireland, see the Department of Education for Northern Ireland (DENI) .
For more information, see work experience and internships and search courses and research.
Newly qualified teachers (NQTs) throughout the UK must serve an induction or probationary period, normally of one year. They are monitored and supported, have a reduced timetable and a designated mentor and work on areas identified for development during their Initial Teacher Training (ITT).
In-service training is available and teachers are encouraged to pursue continuing professional development (CPD) relevant to their own responsibilities and the development needs of the school. Training takes place in-house on teacher training days or at regional training centres run by local authorities. Training covers a wide range of topics, such as curriculum issues, target setting and assessment, special needs, subject leadership, pastoral care, new initiatives and technology. Some teachers study on a part-time basis for higher qualifications related to their specialist subject. Or, they take Masters degrees in education or business administration (MBA), depending on their career aims. Professional qualifications for school managers are also available.
Career progression may be through a specialist curriculum or pastoral role, or by moving into management. Mobility can improve prospects. Teachers may become coordinators of their specialist subject or a cross-curricular area, such as special needs. Classroom expertise has recently been recognised by the creation of the status of advanced skills teacher (AST), in England and Wales, and chartered teacher in Scotland. ASTs share their knowledge and expertise with colleagues in other schools in the neighbourhood.
The National College for Leadership of Schools and Children's Services offers accelerated leadership development programmes, designed to enhance the careers of especially talented teachers, offering early responsibility and higher salaries for qualified teachers. It is possible to reach deputy head/head level within ten years and even more quickly for those in designated accelerated positions.
Some teachers move out of schools and into other related jobs, such as The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) inspection, teacher training, or local education authority or examination board administration. Museums, art galleries and zoos employ teachers as education officers.
Many of the skills gained as a teacher are also valued by employers outside education. Some teachers retrain for other careers, such as social work, guidance work or management roles within the public or private sector, where they continue to use the skills acquired in teaching. There are some opportunities for self-employment. These include private tutoring, writing educational materials and running a small private school.
Primary school teachers usually work in maintained/local authority (LA) schools. Qualified teacher status (QTS) (or, in Scotland, a teaching qualification (TQ)) is usually required to teach in independent primary or preparatory schools and it is now possible to complete the induction period satisfactorily in an independent school. If you train for the lower end of the primary age range, you may also consider nursery schools, while if you train for the upper end, you may consider middle schools in the small number of areas where these exist. If you trained in Scotland, you will be able to teach in any stage of primary school education.
Some primary teachers take on supply work through an agency or arrange supply work for themselves directly with schools. Although less stable than a permanent contract, the flexibility of supply work may suit some people. While it is theoretically possible to complete the induction year as a supply teacher, supply work may be hard for a newly qualified teacher (NQT) and it may be difficult to get suitable placements or adequate support to complete the induction period. An appointment lasting for a term or more will count towards the induction period. NQTs considering completing their induction through a supply post would be advised to ensure the headteacher will agree that they can begin induction in that post.
Once trained and experienced, some teachers look for positions overseas. Many countries expect a teacher to have qualifications gained in that country, but sometimes there are reciprocal agreements. A lot of teachers go on exchange programmes to other parts of the world, such as the USA and Australia, and some undertake voluntary work in developing countries through organisations such as Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) .
Many local authorities (LAs) operate a 'pool' system for recruitment, in which applications from newly qualified teachers (NQTs) are dealt with centrally rather than schools advertising vacancies individually. Others operate a database whereby potential candidates' details are forwarded to schools wishing to recruit NQTs. To find out the recruitment procedures for each LA, see getting a teaching job.
Many LAs send recruitment leaflets to universities and most have dedicated teacher recruitment websites and run open days. Although vacancies can occur at any time of the year, many schools advertise vacancies specifically targeting NQTs in May. In Scotland, most NQTs join the one-year Induction Scheme to start their teaching careers. The majority of teachers then apply to advertised vacancies or work in supply posts.
There are a growing number of specialist recruitment agencies and websites for teaching positions, including supply work and some full-time posts, such as Supply Desk , Eteach and Ranstad Education . Agencies advertise in the TES and in the local press. For more details of specialist recruitment agencies, see the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) .
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