Secondary school teachers prepare, organise and teach their specialised subject(s) to 11 to 18 year olds. They work to guidelines set up by the Curriculum for Excellence preparing pupils for national qualifications.

The Work

You could be:

• encouraging children to express themselves and develop their talents
• using a variety of teaching methods including whole class lessons, projects, demonstrations and discussions
• using a range of materials including paper, paint, clay, cameras and computers
• setting assignments, projects, tests and exams, preparing and carrying out continuous assessments, marking pupils’ work and writing reports
• keeping good order in the classroom and dealing with discipline issues
• doing administrative work, including keeping a register of pupils
• preparing for and attending parent-teacher meetings and staff meetings
• sometimes supervising out of hours activities such as social events or outings
• meeting regularly with other departments to plan interdisciplinary projects.

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

• You would work in a classroom, studio or workshop.
• Your working hours are based on a 35-hour week, working in a classroom 9.00am to 3.30pm or 4.00pm. You would use the rest of the time for preparation and marking.
• You may have to do some preparation and assessment work at home, in the evenings or at weekends.
• You would have 13 weeks holiday each year, but you would probably use some of this time to prepare the next term's work.
• You would have to work some evenings to attend parents' evening, curriculum meetings and other school events.
• You should be aware that teaching is a mentally and physically demanding job.

Useful Subjects

• Applications of Mathematics
• English
• Mathematics

Getting In

To become a secondary teacher, you must have a degree (SCQF Level 9-10) in your chosen subject and a Professional Graduate Diploma (SCQF Level 11) in Education (PGDE).

Your degree

• Entry requirements for degree courses vary, but you normally need 4-5 Highers.
• You must also have Higher English and National 5 Maths. National 5 Applications of Maths is accepted in place of Maths.
• Requirements for each subject vary. See the individual job profiles for each subject in the Secondary School Teaching section.
• 40 of the credit points must have been studied at SCQF Level 8 (second year undergraduate level) or above.

PGDE

• For entry to the PGDE, you need an approved degree together with Higher English and National 5 Maths - some institutions specify at B. National 5 Applications of Maths is accepted in place of Maths at all universities.
• There is a lot of competition for places in these courses. It helps if you have experience of working with children or young people.
• For PGDE courses, apply through UCAS.

Alternative Routes

• There are a number of new teacher training programmes available, most linked to local authorities. See Teach In Scotland for full details and to see which subjects are covered.

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.

Job Outlook Scotland

Job Outlook Scotland and UK

  Scotland

2024

25545

2.1 %

RISE

2029

26081

  United Kingdom

2024

342408

1.6 %

RISE

2029

347954

LMI data powered by Lightcast

What Does it Take?

You need to have:

• an interest in child development and an understanding of how children learn
• patience and adaptability
• enthusiasm and energy
• confidence
• a firm and assertive approach when necessary
• good organisational skills
• a sense of humour and a positive outlook.

You need to be able to:

• hold the interest of pupils of all abilities and encourage them
• work on your own and as part of a team
• stay calm under pressure
• get on well with other staff members, parents and carers.

Training

• You will do in-service training (often provided by local councils) throughout your teaching career.
• You might also take part time courses in special aspects of education, run by universities.

Getting On

• You may be promoted to be a principal teacher or head of department.
• You may then become a depute head teacher and then a head teacher.
• You might move into related work such as learning support teaching, further education lecturing, advisory work, education authority administration or schools inspection.

More Information

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

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.

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Contacts

The following organisations may be able to provide further information.