Career Change - Teaching

kelloggs36

It is EXTREMELY difficult to get a permanent post as a primary school teacher at the moment - there are thousands of unemployed, qualified teachers.

Oldernotwiser

However, there is a shortage of men in primary teaching and the OP may find it easier if he's male.

I'm surprised that nobody's suggested doing a degree with the OU and just doing the PGCE full time. Unless the OP has a high income, s/he should be eligible for a grant to pay the fees (also available for part time degree study elsewhere.)

slummymummyof3

OP you will also need to have GSCE English, Maths and if you were born after 1979 also GSCE Science. There are alternative routes in to teaching such as TA Foundation degrees - you will need to be employed as a TA and have a level 3 qualification as well as 180 hours experience as a TA. It is 1 day a week at uni over 2 years to get the foundation degree and if you wish to progress to honours, a further year (part time) and then you could do your PGCE.

As others have said, you could go down the FE route where you do not require a formal teaching qualification on entry but work towards one alongside your teaching commitments.

Primary teaching has a massive shortage of male teachers, so you should have no difficulty in that respect.