Canteach.gov.uk - Teacher Training Agency
Telephone Number: 0845 6000 991
E-mail: teaching@ttainfo.co.uk
Web site: www.canteach.gov.uk

People of all ages and from all walks of life are wondering whether they have what it takes to become a teacher.

Our job is to give you some of the answers you need to help you make an informed decision.

We all know a good teacher – It could be a friend; someone in the family; someone who taught you at school. You know they work hard. They have their good days and their bad, but that’s pretty much the norm in any job. They must have incredible patience!

The thing that unites them is their commitment to their profession. They get tremendous personal satisfaction, they say, from helping children and young people learn, achieve and get the best possible start in life. Their school is an integral part of the community and they occupy a respected position within it. They wouldn’t do anything else.

So, what is it about teaching? Why does it encourage such commitment? Is it the sound of the morning bell? The stampede at lunchtime? The sea of raised hands when a teacher asks a question? The acquisition of knowledge (and its extraordinary interpretations)?

It’s all of the above and now there’s much more besides. It’s a combination of things: working with colleagues with similar motivations; learning new skills; career development, and believe it or not, good rates of pay plus other attractive incentives. Teaching is a career worth pursuing (in many more ways than you could imagine).

Teachers are impossible to stereotype. The real measure of a successful teacher is their ability to make a difference to their pupils. If you are considering training to become a teacher, you can look forward to learning new skills which will enable you to:

• Plan and teach lessons in the context of the curriculum
• Challenge and inspire pupils to help them deepen their knowledge and understanding
• Encourage pupils to be clear about what they are doing and why they are doing it
• Link pupils’ knowledge to earlier learning and develop ways to encourage it further
• Differentiate learning activities to ensure the needs of all pupils are met
• Provide opportunities for pupils to take responsibility for their own learning

What can I expect to earn in my first year?

The starting salary for newly qualified teachers increased to £17,000 per annum from April 2001. In inner London where your living costs are likely to be higher than the national average, salaries start at £20,000 a year.

Can I earn while I am training?

Assistance levels depend on whether you will be training in England or Wales and vary according to your educational status. However, in order to attract the very best graduates into the profession, generous incentives are offered.

Support for Undergraduates

You can request the Dfes’ comprehensive guide – Financial support for higher education students in 2001/02 – to find out more about financial support you can receive from your LEAs or college. The guide deals specifically with support for graduates taking teacher training courses in England and Wales (see pages 41-44 of the Dfes booklet).

Support for postgraduates

Financial support is designed to match the commitment you will be making to your training and to the future of the teaching profession.

Training bursaries and awards

If you are training in England and Wales, are a postgraduate trainee and meet certain conditions, you may be eligible for a £6,000 training bursary which will provide the equivalent of £150 a week while you are training.

A golden hello

The teaching profession is eager to attract high quality, highly motivated graduates into the profession. If you teach design and technology, English, information and communication technology, mathematics, modern foreign languages, science or Welsh (in Wales only), you could be eligible for a £4,000 golden hello.

You can claim this money when you have successfully completed your induction period (or first year of teaching in Wales) and are in a teaching post in a maintained school to non-maintained special school in England or Wales.

Further information

Detailed terms and conditions apply to teacher training incentive. Information on these can be obtained from the TTA Web site.

Contact

E-mail: teaching@ttainfo.co.uk
Telephone 0845 6000 991 (Int. +44 845 6000 991)

Disclaimer: While all efforts are made to keep this information up-to-date, it does change from time to time. Please visit the Canteach/TTA web site or DfES for current information.