Could teaching be the happiest profession in the UK? This article by The Guardian certainly suggests so. Teachers have better holiday time, as well as variety and fulfilment in their jobs. Teaching and inspiring the future generations can be an extremely rewarding path, and one which is possible to begin no matter what stage you are at in your education. Here’s how you can take the first steps into teaching at the college.
Firstly, if you’d like to explore the possibility of teaching, you need to think about the following:
Do you have the basic entry level requirements, and if not, how can you achieve them?
To become a teacher in Further Education, you need to have at least a Level 3 qualification in your vocational subject or A levels in academic subjects. Teaching some subjects, such as degree level, require that you have a degree or an equivalent Higher Education qualification. You also need to have a grade C or above in English and Maths. If you don’t meet the GCSE requirements, you are able to take these at the college. Access to Higher Education courses are available in a number of subjects and these include English and Maths GCSE for those who do not have them.
The Post-Graduate Certificate in Education is for graduates in the subject they teach.
Need help getting your degree? View our Higher Education courses here.
You also need to have guaranteed teaching hours – 30 hours per year for the Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training and 50 hours per year for the L5 Certificate in Education and L7 Post-Graduate Certificate in Education.
Next you need to think about your training options
University-led training is offered at the college, who are franchised to the University of Huddersfield, a leading teacher training provider, who offer two-year courses:
- Post-Graduate Certificate in Education, Level 7, for students with a degree.
- Certificate in Education, Level 5, for those without a degree.
Following qualification, you will be able to work towards Qualified Teaching and Learning Status (QTLS) with the Education and Training Foundation, and potentially the Advanced Teacher Status (ATS) leading to Chartered Teacher Status.
College-led training
We also offer:
- City and Guilds Certificate in Education and Training Level 4, which is a one-year course and may be suitable for those with limited teaching experience. Entry requirements are above.
Your funding options
If you’re applying for a college or university-led course, there are a lot of financial support options for you, including the standard loans and grants offered for Higher Education study.
Your employer may offer you an apprenticeship or this may be a possibility of you are employed by the College of West Anglia in a substantive teaching role and meet criteria. Find out more about funding your teacher training
If you’re looking for a career in which you can make a real difference to young people’s lives, teaching could be for you. It takes a lot of work to get there but there are many routes to help you achieve it, and you will be rewarded in so many ways.
To see all of our teaching related courses please click here.