Job Description

Primary School Teachers will create and design lesson plans in line with the national curriculum to help young children learn new skills and develop their interests giving them the best possible start in life. They normally work with children between the ages of five and eleven and will be responsible for their educational, social and emotional development while at school, helping to ensure that every child achieves their potential.

Entry Requirements

To become a primary school teacher, you'll need:

An undergraduate degree that leads to qualified teacher status (QTS) such as

• Bachelor of Education (BEd)
• Bachelor of Arts (BA) with QTS
• Bachelor of Science (BSc) with QTS

If you have a first degree without QTS you could complete a postgraduate certificate in education, this can be done at university or on a school-based training programme.

You will usually need

• 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) including English, maths and science
• and 2 or 3 A levels or equivalent for your degree course

Work based route

You could start as a teaching assistant and take a part time degree course.  You would then need to take a postgraduate teaching course to qualify as a teacher.

Career Tips

You will find it beneficial to get some experience of working with children either by volunteering at your local school or helping with after school clubs or summer camps.

You could take a subject knowledge enhancement course if there is a particular subject you want to teach

Get into Teaching has further information about becoming a Primary School Teacher

Career Path and Progression

You could specialise in teaching pupils with special educational needs or move into pastoral care. With experience, you could become a specialist leader of education (SLE) supporting teachers in other schools.

You could also progress to curriculum leader, deputy head and head teacher, or become a private tutor.

Related careers you may be interested in:

• PE teacher
• Headteacher
• Montessori teacher
• Early years teacher
• Secondary school teacher

Required Skills

• Enthusiasm for your subject and a strong desire to teach others
• Creativity to create interesting lesson plans which will keep pupils enthused,
• Good communication skills and the ability to develop good relationships with parents, pupils and colleagues,
• Patience and a good sense of humour
• The ability to manage a class full of children and deal with challenging behaviour
• Good problem solving abilities

Salary Range

£24,373 to £40,490