Primary teacher

Primary teachers teach children who are usually aged between 5 and 11. They teach most subjects to one mixed ability class. The work includes preparing and planning lessons, marking work, writing reports, and going to meetings and parents’ evenings.

Work activities

Primary school teachers teach children aged between 5 and 11 (or a limited age group within this range). They cover a wide range of subjects. They usually teach one class of children of roughly the same age, but with widely differing abilities. “Mixed ability” groups need a variety of teaching methods, enabling the children to learn at different speeds. Teaching methods might include small group work, projects, learning through experience and the use of audio-visual materials, interactive whiteboards, the internet and online learning games. Using a mixture of activities helps to stimulate interest, learning and imagination, develop a variety of skills and meet the needs of pupils with differing learning styles.

Other activities include:

• Preparing and planning lessons.
• Marking work and giving feedback.
• Creating or adapting lesson resources.
• Going to staff meetings and parents’ evenings.
• Identifying underachieving pupils and giving extra support.

Primary teachers might work in partnership with teaching assistants, supervising their work. They also take the children on visits to places of educational interest.

Personal qualities and skills

As a primary teacher, you’ll need:

• The ability to inspire, encourage and motivate the children.
• Communication skills.
• Planning and preparation skills.
• The ability to maintain discipline and deal with challenging behaviour.
• Practical skills.
• The ability to remain calm and patient.
• Plenty of energy, stamina and a sense of humour.
• Creative skills to find activities that interest and stimulate learning.

Pay and opportunities

Teachers in the state education sector are paid on a scale according to their qualifications, experience and responsibilities. The pay rates (per year) are approximate. Qualified teachers start on £30,000 and can progress up to £46,525 over time (2023-24 pay levels). Trainee teachers earn less than this, with training taking a number of years.

Qualified teachers may also be eligible for additional payments on top of their regular salary for specialist work for example as a special educational needs coordinator (SENCO) or for other teaching and learning responsibilities.

In the private sector, salaries are generally higher, though they are sometimes linked to state sector pay scales.

Teachers normally work from 8.30am to 4pm, Monday to Friday. However, most teachers work extra hours – marking work, preparing lessons and going to meetings. They often have to work in the evenings and at weekends to prepare lessons and mark work. They may work very long hours. Although teachers are not usually in school during the spring, summer and winter holidays, they typically have to spend much of this time preparing for the new term.

Employers are state and private schools. There are also opportunities to teach in other countries. Some teachers supplement their income by teaching privately, marking national exams or writing textbooks.

Where are vacancies advertised?

Vacancies for classroom teachers are advertised by local authorities and in the local and national press, including the Guardian and the Times Educational Supplement (TES). There are also job boards, for example, eTeach and the Teaching Vacancies service

Entry routes and training

To become a primary teacher, you usually need to gain Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) through initial teacher training (ITT). There are several ITT routes. You can study for a degree in primary education and train to be a teacher at the same time. This is either a BEd (all lead to QTS) or a BA or BSc degree with QTS. Some courses allow you to specialise in a particular subject.

The most common postgraduate route is through a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) in primary education. Courses are usually one-year full-time. Some PGCE courses allow you to specialise in a particular subject. You need to apply through UCAS Teacher Training.

There are also the employment-based schemes, including School Direct and Teach First programmes, as well as the new teaching apprenticeship scheme. On these salaried routes, you will earn unqualified teacher salary, which in 2023 starts at £20,598.

Once employed, newly qualified teachers (NQTs) must complete a three-term induction period, usually within a single school year, in order to continue teaching in maintained schools and non-maintained special schools in England and Wales. It can be possible for the induction period to be reduced to one term, if you can demonstrate significant teaching experience.

There are opportunities for teachers to move into teacher training, advisory work, educational research or schools’ inspection. Teachers can become heads of department, heads of year or co-ordinators of special educational needs or careers leaders.

Rehabilitation of Offenders: This career is an exception to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. This means that you must supply information to an employer about any spent or unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands or warnings, if they ask you to. This is different from other careers, where you only have to reveal information on unspent convictions if you are asked to.

Qualifications

All candidates for primary teacher training need GCSEs (or recognised equivalent qualifications) at grades 9-4 in English, maths and a science subject. If you don’t have the GCSEs, you might be able to sit a pre-entry equivalency test; you should contact individual course providers to discuss your situation before making your application.

For entry to a primary education degree with Qualified Teacher Status (BEd or BA/BSc) in a specialist area, you might need an A-level or equivalent in a related subject. To enter a PGCE, you’ll need a degree in a subject that’s relevant to the primary National Curriculum.

Adult opportunities

To enter teacher training courses, you’ll usually need to have at least observed some classes in a primary school. For some courses, you’ll need paid or voluntary work experience in a primary classroom, or other relevant experience with children.

If you don’t have the qualifications you need to enter a degree course, you might be able to start one after completing a college or university Access course. You don’t usually need any qualifications to start an Access course, although you should check this with the course provider.

Some PGCE courses are available on a flexible learning basis. For example, you might be able to train by distance learning in combination with classroom-based teaching practice and campus study.

Related careers

• Care assistant – children
• Childminder
• Early years teacher
• Music teacher
• Nanny
• Nursery nurse
• Secondary teacher
• Teacher
• Welsh teacher