STUDENT TIMES

T TEACH UKThe Essential Guide to Teaching Courses and Careers in the UK

How to get your first Teaching job?

The rewards of teaching

Teaching – which school?

www.studenttimes.org/st_teach

22 // STUDENT TIMES

TEACH UK

Wanda Marshall from educate.org.uk tells you what to expect from your first interview. -------------------------------------------------------------Before the interviewIf you are short listed for interview, do some further research about the school. One place you can do this is in School-snet Schools Guide. Another good idea is to visit the school (also to check the journey time) and you can get a good impression of the school by looking at the bus stops around the school at 3.30pm and see how the pupils are acting.

You should start to think of questions to ask at the interview - think about what you want from the school, as well as what you can offer.

Sample questions might include: • What kind of induction programme does

the school run?• What can the school offer in terms of

professional development?• Will I have my own form right from the

start?• Will I have my own classroom?

Another good idea is to practice answer-ing questions you might be asked. These could include the following:

• Why do you want this job?• Describe a successful lesson - why was

it successful?• Describe an unsuccessful lesson - why

was it unsuccessful?• What could you do to motivate reluctant

learners, particularly boys?• What aspects of your teaching practice

have you particularly enjoyed/disliked?• Where do you see yourself in three/five/

ten year’s time?

You might also be asked to teach a les-son, or part of one. In this case the school should provide you with copying facilities or an overhead projector, but obviously you should check first to see exactly what’s available.

On the day itself leave with masses of time to spare, take an umbrella and the contact details of the school in case of emergencies. It is advisable to wear a suit, or at least some sort of jacket/skirt/trou-ser/tie combination (as you see fit).

The interviewIt has been long acknowledged that getting a teaching job is one of the most daunting and old-fashioned procedures.

Generally the day (and it is often a whole school day) will include a tour of the school by some pupils, lunch or coffee with the department you are applying to and an informal chat with the head of the department. You need to remember that you are probably being assessed the whole time and even the pupils who show you round might report back on the kind

of questions you asked and your attitude to what you were being shown.

The main, full-blown interview is gener-ally in the afternoon, with the head, one or all of the deputies, the head of department and sometimes also a governor. On rare occasions you might have more than one governor and other senior staff present, but that is unlikely for a first teaching post.

The main feature of the day is usually the waiting around. After all the candi-dates (usually there will be about five of you) have had their interviews, the panel will retire for anything up to an hour and a half to reach their decision. All the candidates have to sit in the staffroom and wait during this time. Sometimes you will be sent home and telephoned later that day or the next, but the most common occurrence is that the head will come into the staff room and summon one of the candidates (the person being offered the job) back to the interview room. At this point, the unsuccessful candidates still can’t leave, as the chosen one might not accept the job. You may also get feedback at this stage.

Accepting or rejecting the jobIf you have been offered the job, don’t take it if you have any doubt about the school or what you will be required to take on or teach. Even if your rationale is “it’s only for a year”, if you’ve taken an immedi-ate dislike to your head of department, it can be a very long year.

Obviously if you’re teaching in certain subject areas you may not be able to be too picky, but if you’ve applied to teach English and you are suddenly being asked to teach four periods a week of year 8 history (which you did do at A-level, but to teach it would require an enormous amount of extra work), you would have decent grounds for turning the job down.

It is at this stage that you can try to bargain for better position in terms of salary. Again, depending on your subject area schools may be prepared to throw in all sorts of “perks” if they really want to recruit you. They may offer you an extra point for retention and recruitment, or offer you a few weeks work in July and then pay you through your August holiday.

After acceptingMake sure you read through the contract and to check that it’s what you agreed at the interview, as it’s far more difficult to change things after signing.

How to get your first Teaching job?

Training Opportunitiesin Northamptonshire and Milton Keynes

The Grand Union Training Partnership is a school-centredinitial teacher training (SCITT) consortium centred on a groupof 11 – 18 comprehensive schools situated in villages and smalltowns West of Northampton and in Milton Keynes.

We provide Secondary PGCE courses validated by The University of Leicester in:

English, History, French, German, Science, Mathematicsand Business Studies

We aim to give trainees, whom we refer to as AssociateTeachers, as much practical experience of working in thepartnership schools as possible. Each Associate Teacher’swork and programme of study is supervised by a Mentorwho will take a close interest in their development as asubject teacher and colleague. This part of the course iscomplemented by a general professional studies programmeprovided in co-operation with The University of Leicester.

Our overall aim is to produce reflective professionals,confident in applying for and starting their first jobs assecondary school teachers. Over half of our AssociateTeachers take up their first teaching posts in the scheme’spartnership schools.

Promoting excellence in teaching The Grand Union Training Partnership is committed toequality of opportunity and welcomes applications from allsections of the community.

Contact detailsThe Grand Union Training Partnership, Sponne School (Lead School), Towcester. NN12 6DJTelephone: 01327 350284 e-mail: training@gutp.org.uk

Are you interested in training to teach at a top-ranked School of Education?

Ranked as one of the top 15 Schools of Education in England and based on the£120m purpose built de Havilland campus, we provide state-of-the-art teachingand learning facilities as well as some of the best university-based sporting andfitness facilities in the country.

We offer a range of full-time and part-timePGCE Secondary programmes including:

• Modern Foreign Languages (French, French with Spanish, French with German and German with French)

• Science• Maths• Art and Design • English • Business Education

We also offer Primary PGCE full-timeand by distance learning.

The University encourages applicationsfrom under-represented groups.

For more information on courses, please visit

go.herts.ac.uk/educationT: 01707 285732 E: admissions@herts.ac.uk

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Are you a qualified teacher? Come and teach in a Local Authority where Ofsted have found that ‘Levels of attainment at all Key Stages are above the national average and no schools achieve below the government floor targets’. Contact us for details of our vacancies and ‘brokerage system’ for filling these. Are you a graduate looking to change to a career in teaching? Contact us for details of our very successful Graduate Teacher Programme for graduates wanting to gain Qualified Teacher Status.

Can you keep your head and teach with us?

Contact usWebsite: www.rbwm.gov.uk Phone: 01628 796628Email: ian.skelton@rbwm.gov.ukPost: Recruitment & GTTP Manager Children’s Services, Town Hall, St Ives Road, Maidenhead SL6 1RF

An LA with clear direction, working well together with our schools High achieving pupils who are keen to learn and want to get onReal support for your professional training and development

Once you’re at the stage of gaining hands-on experience teaching, it will be time to pick a school. Not only will the choice of school affect your daily life, it will also affect how much you enjoy your job. Choose carefully and see below for a breakdown of schools.-------------------------------------------------------------

There is no such thing as a typical school. The kind of school you choose to work in will make a significant difference to the kind of experiences you will face as

a teacher.

Mainstream schools In England and Wales, 90 per cent of children are educated in state-maintained schools, of which the majority are what you might refer to as mainstream or ‘ordinary’ schools. Their prominence means that there are more teaching positions available in such schools than in any other kind.

Mainstream schools share a lot in com-mon – for instance, they all receive public funding and are required to teach the Na-

TEACH UK

tional Curriculum but you will find that each school has its own individual characteris-tics and emphasis.

Most visible are the variations in size, location, age group and gender of pupils, presenting both subtly and completely dif-ferent teaching challenges. Just as signifi-cant though is the school’s ethos. Different kinds of schools are run in different ways, implementing different policies and serving different educational needs.

For instance, grammar schools select all or most of their pupils according to academic ability – with the intention of catering for relatively high achievers – whereas comprehensive schools are open to children of all abilities.

Although rare now, secondary mod-ern schools tend to emphasise practical, vocational skills over academic skills, while church and faith schools incorporate more religious and spiritual elements into the schooling of their children.

However, perhaps the biggest single in-fluence on how a particular school is run is its headteacher. Individual personalities and visions vary from head to head, but they always set the tone for what happens both in the staffroom and in the classroom.

Other state schoolsIn addition to ordinary mainstream schools, you may be interested in the varied chal-lenges available at other kinds of state schools. These include:

• Special schools, which cater mainly or

wholly for children with statutory state-ments of special educational needs.

• Specialist schools, which teach the whole curriculum but with a focus on a particular subject area.

• City technology colleges (CTCs), which focus on science, mathematics and technology and offer a wide range of vo-cational qualifications alongside A-levels and equivalent qualifications.

• City academies, which are set up as part of a wider school reorganisation or where there is an unmet demand for school places

And • Pupil referral units (PRUs), which cater

for children of compulsory school age who may otherwise not receive suitable education, focusing on getting them back into a mainstream school.

Independent schoolsThe remaining 10 per cent of children at-tend independent schools, usually paying fees set by the individual school.

Independent schools are not required to teach the National Curriculum and only some are approved by the DfES to cater for pupils with special educational needs.

You do not require qualified teacher sta-tus (QTS) to be employed by an indepen-dent school, but QTS is well regarded and gives you the flexibility of working in either state-maintained or independent schools.

Teaching – which school?

STUDENT TIMES // 25

A re you thinking of becoming a teacher of the future ?

M a k e ad i ff e re n c e

Te a ch.At Bath Spa University we offer teacher training PGCE courses in a widechoice of subjects for both Secondary and Key Stage 2/3.

You will receive excellent support from dynamic and highly committedcourse tutors, a tax free training bursary of up to £9,000 plus a golden hello bonus in some subjects at the end of your first year of teaching.

If you feel you can turn your talent to teaching please join us for a coffee to find out more. We have a PGCE Open Morning in Bath on25 April 2009 – see website for full details.

We particularly welcome applications from groups under-represented in teaching, notably black and minority ethnic candidates.

Tel: 01225 875624Email: teaching@bathspa.ac.ukwww.bathspa.ac.uk/courses/teaching

TEACH UK

ADVERTORIAL: Bath Spa University

Developing teachers of the future is a long standing ethos at Bath Spa University Teaching is an important and increasingly popular choice of career and whatever your circumstances – whether you’re about to graduate or looking for a change of direction – now is the perfect time to start a new and truly rewarding career.

Teaching is a job where you can inspire inquisitive minds by bringing your own knowledge and creativity to your subject. It offers job security and a structured career path, particularly important in the current economic climate.

Wide choice of subjectsBath Spa University has a long tradition of Initial Teacher Training and each year a diverse group of trainees are recruited to PGCE programmes in a range of subjects. These include art and design, design and technology, English, ICT, mathematics, music, modern languages, PE, RE and science.

Financial incentivesYou will also receive generous funding while you train, in the form of a tax-free training bursary of up to £9,000, depending on the subject you

train to teach. If this is a shortage subject you may also be eligible to receive a ‘golden hello’ bonus of between £2,500 and £5,000 once you’ve completed your first year of teaching.

PGCE eventsBath Spa University regularly holds PGCE events for those wanting to find out more about becoming a teacher and the full range of PGCE courses on offer. The next one is an open morning at the Francis Hotel in Bath on 25 April.

Bath Spa also recognises the importance of building a teaching profession that reflects society’s wide range of ethnic and social groups and will be running a free taster course for candidates from a black and minority ethnic background from 18-20 May. There will also be a free taster course for men interested in becoming a primary teacher from 8-10 June.

In addition there will be specific events in May and July for those interested in teaching one of the priority subjects such as maths, science, ICT, music, modern languages and design and technology. For further information visit www.bathspa.ac.uk, email teaching@bathspa.ac.uk or telephone 01225 875624.

A re you thinking of becoming a teacher of the future ?

M a k e ad i ff e re n c e

Te a ch.At Bath Spa University we offer teacher training PGCE courses in a widechoice of subjects for both Secondary and Key Stage 2/3.

You will receive excellent support from dynamic and highly committedcourse tutors, a tax free training bursary of up to £9,000 plus a golden hello bonus in some subjects at the end of your first year of teaching.

If you feel you can turn your talent to teaching please join us for a coffee to find out more. We have a PGCE Open Morning in Bath on25 April 2009 – see website for full details.

We particularly welcome applications from groups under-represented in teaching, notably black and minority ethnic candidates.

Tel: 01225 875624Email: teaching@bathspa.ac.ukwww.bathspa.ac.uk/courses/teaching

Case Study - Amira Devenney (age 25)

Amira graduated in English but moved into a career in banking. After 2 years in the role she felt unvalued and frustrated by the profession and explored the opportunity of retraining to teach. Now she teaches Maths and loves the rewards and fun of the challenge of teaching.-----------------------------------------------------------“After graduating from university in 2004 in English Literature I started working for Lloyds TSB as a personal account man-ager with no real career direction.

After working for Lloyds TSB for 2 years I decided that although I was successful in the role I felt that I was not valued enough and did not like such a sales orientated career.

Many old school friends were training as teachers at the time and I decided to look at a career in teaching. The main reason I was attracted to teaching was to

make a difference. I have always loved working with children and wanted to be able to teach them tools that they could use for life. I did not just want to be one of a number but become involved in a profession that was recognised as valuable to the next generation and society.

I got in touch with a PGCE (Postgraduate certificate in educa-tion) lecturer at St Mary’s Univer-sity after enquiring about training as a secondary school teacher in maths. He provided me with the guidance and encouraged me to train as a mathematics teacher.

As I did not have a maths-related degree, I did a TDA-funded Math-ematics Enhancement Course that lasted 6 months and was part of SWELTEC (South West London Teachers Education Consortium). I found this invaluable and

would recommend it to anyone. It was great to get back into mathe-

matics, which I hadn’t done since A-level. The course also provided me with great tools for my PGCE years as it hinted at

pedagogy and we had to prepare for frequent presentations to the rest of the cohort.

Teaching mathematics is great fun and rewarding but can be chal-lenging at times, as it is a difficult subject for many children. I have worked with children with special educational needs in my training and my NQT year and its been interest-ing to adapt your teaching style to

different children’s needs. There are so many opportunities for continuing profes-sional development with teaching which is great – you just keep on learning and developing yourself as well as pupils.

“The main reason I was attracted to teaching was to make a difference.”

26 // STUDENT TIMES

Brighter school careers.

Career Opportunities in SchoolsTeaching and Support Staff

If you are looking to begin a career in a school, or look for a new challenge, our high standards in education make Essex one of Britain’s brightest places to start.

With over 570 schools in the County, we can offer superb opportunities for everyone from teaching assistant to Headteacher, from catering staff to school Bursar.

Visit essexschoolsjobs.co.uk or call 01245 436252 to find out more.

www.essexschoolsjobs.co.uk

TEACH UK

Brighter school careers.

Career Opportunities in SchoolsTeaching and Support Staff

If you are looking to begin a career in a school, or look for a new challenge, our high standards in education make Essex one of Britain’s brightest places to start.

With over 570 schools in the County, we can offer superb opportunities for everyone from teaching assistant to Headteacher, from catering staff to school Bursar.

Visit essexschoolsjobs.co.uk or call 01245 436252 to find out more.

www.essexschoolsjobs.co.uk

Teaching has many rewards, not only the joy of seeing a pupils’ face light up when they understand a complicated subject. It also offers competitive wages, as well as the chance to access to key worker housing.-------------------------------------------------------------Pay and benefits You may be surprised by how rewarding a teaching career can be. With starting salaries matching what you’d receive in many other professions, your experience and performance can see you achieve rapid progression, and enjoy the financial rewards to match.

All qualified teachers are paid according to pay scales, updated each September by the Government. You will start on the ‘main’ pay scale and each year, subject to performance, you will move up a step until you reach the maximum level or move on to a scale associated with a different position or level of experience.

Starting salaryOnce you have completed your initial teacher training and achieved qualified teacher status (QTS), from September 2008 you can expect to start as a newly qualified teacher in England and Wales on £20,627 a year (or £25,000 if you work in inner London).

Main pay scale including NQTs• London fringe: £21,619 to £31,138 • Outer London: £24,000 to £33,544 • Inner London: £25,000 to £34,768 • Rest of England and Wales: £20,627 to

£30,148

Leadership and headship pay scalesFor the first few years of your career, you might find yourself progressing to a leadership pay scale, or even a headship pay scale. These pay scales apply include:

• advanced skills teacher pay scale • excellent teacher pay scheme • leadership group pay scale, and

• headteacher pay scale.

Where you fit into these scales will depend on your position, experience and

location, as well as on your individual school. Compare pay scales.

Teaching benefitsIn addition to your basic salary, you will also receive a range of benefits, including:• teaching and learning responsibility

(TLR) payments – additional money if you take on additional responsibilities

• teachers’ pension – the second largest public sector pension scheme in the country, and

• holidays – more days than many people in other professions, although don’t be fooled into thinking you’ll have long hot summers in which to enjoy putting your feet up. Teachers work for 195 days per year in school, and do work during their holidays.

Housing and home ownershipAs key workers, teachers may be eligible to join home ownership schemes for help buying a home. Find out more on Direct.Gov.uk.

The rewards of teaching