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Teacher - Secondary School - Modern Studies

Teacher delivering a lesson to pupils at their desks

Modern studies teachers prepare and give lessons on political, social and economic issues of local, national and international importance. They deal with the impact of events on the lives of individuals in different countries. They work to guidelines set up by the Curriculum for Excellence and prepare pupils, aged 11 to 18, for national exams.

The Work

You could be:

Pay

Teachers in Scotland are paid on a national salary scale. The starting annual salary for a probationer teacher is £32,217 (January 2024).

If you do your probationary period on the Teacher Induction Scheme, and are prepared to work anywhere in Scotland during that probationary year, you can also apply for the Preference Waiver Payment. For secondary school teachers, the payment is £8,000 before tax and national insurance.

After your probationary year, your salary will increase to £38,655 and increase an increment each year up to £48,516.

Where a teacher is employed in a remote school on a distant island both the remote schools allowance and the distant islands allowance are paid, in addition to the teacher’s normal salary.

A principal teacher earns between £52,896 and £68,265 a year, while the scale for depute head teachers and head teachers ranges from £59,994 to £110,808 a year, depending on the size of school.

Salaries in independent schools may differ slightly.

Conditions

Workforce Employment Status

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Useful Subjects

Getting In

To become a secondary school teacher of modern studies, you must have a degree (SCQF Level 9-10) which includes two of the following subjects: economics, geography, history or economic history, international relations, law, politics, sociology or social policy plus a Professional Graduate Diploma (SCQF Level 11) in Education (PGDE).

Your degree

PGDE

Alternative Routes

You will require a satisfactory criminal record check from Disclosure Scotland to show that you are suitable for this type of work. Contact Disclosure Scotland for details on the type you would need.

Newly qualified teachers who want to teach in local council schools must complete a probationary period to demonstrate that they meet the Standard for Full Registration of the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTC Scotland). Those who wish to teach in independent schools may also require to be registered.

You are guaranteed a teaching post with a Scottish local authority for a full school year to complete this probationary period.

Workforce Education Levels (UK)

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Job Outlook Scotland

Employment

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Job Outlook Scotland and UK

  Scotland
2024
25545
2.1 %
RISE
2029
26081
  United Kingdom
2024
342408
1.6 %
RISE
2029
347954

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What Does it Take?

You need to have:

You need to be able to:

Training

Getting On

More Information

Most teachers work in local authority schools but there are also jobs in independent schools, British schools abroad, such as schools for the children of British armed services and in private tuition.

Job vacancies are normally advertised on local authority websites or look on the myjobscotland website.

Video

Courtesy of GTC Scotland

Contacts

The following organisations may be able to provide further information.

Education Scotland
Tel: 0131 244 4330
E-mail: enquiries@educationscotland.gov.scot
Website: https://education.gov.scot/
Twitter: @EducationScot

General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTC Scotland)
Tel: 0131 314 6000
E-mail: gtcs@gtcs.org.uk
Website: http://www.gtcs.org.uk/
Twitter: @gtcs

For information on registration as a teacher.

Teach in Scotland
Tel: 0845 345 4745
E-mail: teachinscotland@gtcs.org.uk
Website: http://teachinscotland.scot

University and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS)
Tel: 0371 468 0 468
Website: http://www.ucas.com
Website (2): https://www.ucas.com/postgraduate/teacher-training/train-teach-scotland
Twitter: @ucas_online
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ucasonline

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Career Sectors

College or University Lecturing

Education Support

Primary School Teaching

Secondary School Teaching

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