What qualifications are important in Education?

The teaching profession is in the main, a graduate one. Regardless of whether you are planning to work as a primary or secondary teacher, college lecturer or prison tutor you will need to hold a degree otherwise you will have to be prepared to hit the books as an undergraduate and put your aspirations of becoming a teacher on hold for three years at least.

For those who already have a degree you will need to obtain qualified teacher status (QTS) by undertaking an initial teacher training (ITT) course. Primary school teachers need to be able to teach the core subjects of English, maths and science and apply themselves to cover a number of other subjects such as religious education, art, and physical education. In addition to having a degree, would-be primary teachers will also need a standard equivalent to a Grade C in a science subject.

Secondary school teachers will need an in-depth knowledge of their subject and will invariably need to have studied their chosen subject at degree level. But this is not always the case, independent schools reserve the right to establish their own criteria although the same rule usually applies.

Within the higher education sector, lecturers and researches will typically stay within academia upon obtaining their degree and work towards obtaining a masters whilst doing your own research and writing academic papers. Thereafter would-be full lecturers will need to gain their PhD.

Given the somewhat more challenging role of special education needs teachers (SEN’s), postgraduate study in the form of a diploma, masters or postgraduate certificate will follow upon completion of at least two years’ mainstream teaching experience. And depending on the needs of the children you work with you many need to undertake further specialist training, such as learning sign-language.

However, not all roles within the education sector require a degree. Learning mentors or classroom assistants, for example, do not stipulate any specific qualifications and will provide training on the job. But where qualifications take the back seat professional experience takes the front.

Tutors in the prison service will either possess specific professional qualifications within their industry, such as motor vehicle engineering or building. Or they will have considerable work experience where an element of training and teaching others was involved.

Teachers of English as a foreign language don’t necessarily need a degree either, at least two ‘A’-Levels and a TEFL certificate from the British Council will suffice.

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