Why become a teacher? Teaching has long been considered as a very respectable, admirable and valuable career. Teachers come from all walks of life, with different experiences and important life lessons that can be passed on to their students. Becoming a teacher is actually a relatively uncomplicated process, with people of all ages and backgrounds entering the teaching profession. Similarly, the role of teaching assistants and learning assistants are also viewed as incredibly valuable to the education sector, especially since class sizes and teachers' roles and responsibilities seem to be increasing with each year that passes
The type of training and qualifications you'll need is dependent upon your previous experience, and what age group (Primary or Secondary education) you intend to work with. If you've previously worked with children through either voluntary or paid work, this will be extremely advantageous to your training and employment prospects.
Teaching and diversity Teaching involves working with children of all abilities and different backgrounds, as well as dealing directly with parents, so patience and good communication skills are a must. Teachers organise their timetables and lesson plans, so your organisational and management skills should be top notch. Children can be very challenging, so a sense of humour is also handy!
All prospective teachers need to meet certain standards, so set levels of numeracy, literacy and Information Communication Technology (ICT) skills are required. Prospective teachers also need to pass a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) screening before commencing their training. For primary or middle school teachers, GCSEs or equivalent qualifications in Maths, Science and English with grades A-C are required. Because secondary school teachers specialise in one or two subjects, a degree in the subject that you wish to teach will also be required. Some universities will also recognise Access to Higher Education course as a valid qualification.
Teachers salary Once you have completed your initial teacher training (ITT) and achieved qualified teacher status (QTS), you can expect to start as a newly qualified teacher (NQT) in England and Wales on £21,588 a year (or £27,000 if you work in inner London). Main pay scale including NQTs: - London fringe: £22,626 to £32,588
- Outer London: £25,117 to £35,116
- Inner London: £27,000 to £36,387
- Rest of England and Wales: £21,588 to £31,552
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