As an apprentice teacher, you may teach a subject that interests you while simultaneously engaging pupils in learning and future planning.
As a subject expert, you will design, teach, and assess courses aligned with curricular objectives.
You’ll assist, observe, and record students’ progress to create a pleasant learning environment.
Teachers must keep up to date on developments in their subject area, new resources, methodologies, and national objectives. In addition, the role includes networking with other professionals, parents, and carers both officially and informally.
Responsibilities
Throughout your apprenticeship, you may help:
- prepare teaching materials, set up the classroom and organise displays
- plan and teach lessons and work with small groups of students
- mark work and talk to parents and carers about their children’s progress
- manage the work of teaching assistants
- follow safeguarding procedures and work with careers advisers, counsellors, education psychologists and social workers
- organise trips, after school clubs or exam revision classes
- work and attend meetings and training outside of usual working hours.
Salary
- New teachers to the profession in England start on the main salary scale, which rises incrementally from £28,000 to £38,810.
- In Wales, new teachers start on a salary of £28,866, rising incrementally to £39,873.
- Salaries for new teachers in Northern Ireland start at £24,137, rising incrementally to £35,277.
- In Scotland, the new teachers’ starting salary is £28,113, rising incrementally to £42,336
Working hours
Teachers work 39 weeks each year. Hours vary in every school; however, they are often from 8.30 a.m. to 3.30 p.m. or 4 p.m.
Teachers can use at least 10% of their allotted instructional time for planning, preparation, and assessment (PPA). As a result, teachers often spend time at home planning and preparing lessons and grading students’ work.
Working environment
You could work at a school, at a college, at a pupil referral unit or at a special needs school.
Your working environment may be physically and emotionally demanding.
Qualifications
Qualifications you can achieve as an apprentice teacher include:
- Level 6 Teacher – Entry requirements for this level include GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) in English and maths and a degree for a teaching apprenticeship.
This qualification will take 12 months to complete.
Skills
On a teaching apprenticeship, you’ll learn:
- knowledge of teaching and the ability to design courses
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- the ability to create the best conditions for learning or teaching new things
- leadership skills
- to be flexible and open to change
- excellent verbal communication skills
- maths knowledge
- administration skills
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently.
Employers
Many teachers work in state schools, which receive funding either from the local authority (LA) or directly from government. These include:
- community schools
- foundation schools and voluntary schools
- free schools
- academies and multi-academy trusts
- grammar schools.
Professional development
After acquiring QTS, you must complete a two-year induction term (or part-time equivalent) as an early career teacher (ECT). Throughout this period, you must demonstrate that you meet the Teachers’ Standards (England). A structured assistance programme, a dedicated mentor, an induction tutor, and a reduced teaching load are all available. This time should be used for professional development, observation, and assessment.
You may finish your induction term in public schools (except those in special measures). Induction is also possible but optional for independent schools, free schools, and academies. You may also finish your induction period via supply teaching (contracts must last for a minimum of one term).
In Wales, newly qualified teachers (NQTs) are required to complete a one-year induction period and meet the Professional Standards for Teaching and Leadership (Wales).
After completing your PGDE, you must complete a year of probationary teaching to meet Scotland’s GTCS’s full registration (SFR) standards. Most probationers are accepted into the Teacher Induction Scheme (TIS), a one-year guaranteed probationary teaching contract with a Scottish local government school. A flexible route is also an option. Most teachers then apply for open jobs or work as substitutes. The SFR may be achieved in up to three years; however, most probationers finish it in a year.
In-service training is provided, and teachers are encouraged to pursue CPD relevant to their specific tasks and the school’s growth needs. Training is offered either in-house on teacher training days or at municipally formed regional training centres.
Some instructors study part-time for higher degrees, such as a Masters in education (MEd) or a Masters in business administration (MBA), depending on their career ambitions (MBA).
Professional qualifications are also available for school administrators.
Career prospects
Career promotion may be achieved via a specialised curriculum, pastoral post, or entering management. For example, you might become a department head, year head, or cross-curricular coordinator, such as special needs or careers education, as well as a topic or professional mentor for trainee teachers on placement.
Classroom competency is recognised in England and Wales by the Leading Practitioner (LP) designation. You will continue to teach but with added duties. LPs share their expertise and experience with colleagues to model and promote the improvement of teaching skills.
A variety of national professional qualifications (NPQs) are available in England to support the professional development of teachers and school leaders at all levels.
Organisations such as the Ambition Institute and Education Scotland provide training programmes for ambitious leaders. Year group or key stage duties might lead to deputy or head teacher positions.
You will have a lot of authority and responsibility as a head teacher over pupils and staff, money, the school’s policies and processes, standards, and ensuring continuous improvement.
Many of the skills acquired as a teacher are valued by jobs outside the classroom. As a result, some teachers retrain for other careers, such as social work, guiding, or management roles in the public or private sector, where they may put their teaching skills to use.