Three simple steps to get
you to the UK
Read about other peoples experiences teaching in London
Australian Teachers
Bradley
Anne
Catherine
Jayde
Krissy
Linda
New Zealand Teachers
Gabriel
Sue
Suzanne
Bronwyn
South African Teachers
Peta
Cara
David
Erna
Marie
Maureen
Peta
Waynne
North American Teachers
Christopher
Jennifer
Maya
Other Countries
Ciara - Ireland
Strephania - Malta
Paula - Uruguay
Isangedige - Nigeria
Events in Australia / NZ
Career Fairs in Australia
Interesting facts about London
Oyster Card
The Tube
Free stuff on the Tube
Things you must see in London
Into your music?
Is London Expensive?
Primark
Cockney Rhyming Slang
Postcodes
Phones
London Map
Gabriel, New Zealand Teacher
How many years experience do you have teaching in New Zealand?
18 years.
What made you want to teach in the UK?
Aah (Long pause …) my wife and I decided for family reasons to consider the UK a good place to settle. Also wanted to travel and look at Europe a bit more.
Did you need a Visa? If so, what Visa are you on? How hard was it to get?
I have an Ancestry Visa. I had no problems obtaining it at all. It was just expensive.
When you arrived did you have friends/family to stay with?
Yes we did. However we had made prior plans to stay in short term accommodation at a place in Wolston Green.
How have you found teaching in London? Good points?
There is good support for supply work so supply is good. Schools are moderately well organized to very chaotic, so I do not have very many good points to contribute in your favour. I have noticed though that they are implementing systems which could make teachers lives better. I have to be very vocal if I want something done, for example the school that I am at know is very slack. I still have no keys and no photocopy card, which makes life very difficult for me. There is no real induction. They wait until a problem arises before they tell you how to do something correctly. You are thrown in the deep end and have to see for yourself.
What things should teachers be aware of when planning to come here?
I think that the agencies tend to gloss everything. They are not honest enough with teachers looking for work in the UK. I would be very frank if I were to recommend anyone. I would tell them as it is. I would not paint a glossy picture of what it requires.
Have you any regrets?
Aah, most certainly. I think your previous question can account for that.
Have you done much travelling (if they have been here a while)? What destinations?
Not as much as I had hoped to. The volume of work is too much to actually travel at any given stage. That was our plan, but we have not been able to see much at all.
Would you recommend the London experience to other Australian teachers? Why and what have you enjoyed?
I would. But I would definitely be more honest about the requirements. It is certainly no bed of roses. The agencies need to be more honest when recruiting overseas people. They need to give more information on what is actually required.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Certainly! Going back to what I said about the volume of work. Teachers do not get paid enough for the volume of work they do. Supply work goes beyond the classroom. Over and above the volume of work we have to see to extra curricula activities or break duties etc and the agencies do not cover this in their payment. You really have to go the extra mile and never get the money for that. The agencies definitely have to be more transparent.
Thank you for your time Gabriel
Interviewed November 2008
Interesting facts about London
Oyster Card
The Tube
Free stuff on the Tube
Things you must see in London
Into your music?
Is London Expensive?
Primark
Cockney Rhyming Slang
Postcodes
Phones
