Career outlook for
Figures and forecasts for roles at the same level, which require similar skills and qualifications.
Average UK salary
£41,600
Currently employed in Scotland
33,200
Five year job forecast
+0.18%
"LMI for All" supplies our salary and employment status information. "Oxford Economics" supplies job forecasts and employment figures.
What's it like?
As a Gaelic language secondary teacher, you’d educate and inspire the next generation of Gaelic speakers. Gaelic education has experienced growth each year since it began in the 1980s and you’d play a vital role in teaching young people about this important part of Scottish culture.
You would teach young people from 11 to 18 years old, in public and private schools. Preparing and giving lessons in Gaelic you’d develop their skills in talking, listening, reading and writing in the Gaelic language. You’d teach and support students with different abilities and prepare them for their National Qualifications and Highers in this subject.
There is national guidance for Curriculum for Excellence Modern Languages and National Qualifications, which you would use when planning your teaching.
As well as teaching, you’d also attend meetings and regular in-service training courses as part of your professional development. You’d work closely with colleagues to plan the school’s timetables, and work with other professionals, such as education psychologists and social workers.
What you might do
- Prepare lesson plans
- Assess students’ progress and mark their work
- Set homework
- Manage behaviour in the classroom
- Discuss students’ progress with parents and carers
- Organise study trips, social activities and sports events
Working conditions
Hours
Environment
Travel
UK employment status
Full-time
66%
Part-time
30%
Self employed
4%
Top skills
Here are some of the skills needed for this job. Sign in to see how your skills match up.
- Positive attitude
- Mediating
- Verbal communication
- Written communication
- Creative
- Social conscience
- Developing a plan
- Time management
- Ethical
- Mentoring
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Entry requirements for courses can change. Always contact the college, university or training provider to check exactly what you’ll need.
Qualifications
Entry requirements for courses can change. Always contact the college, university or training provider to check exactly what you’ll need.
To qualify as a secondary school teacher of Gaelic, you must have a degree in Gaelic or Celtic (specialising in Scottish Gaelic) plus a Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE)
OR
BA (Honours) degree in Gaelic with Education offered by the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) at Sabhal Mor Ostaig and Lews Castle College UHI.
Your degree must contain 80 SCQF points in Gaelic or in Celtic (specialising in Scottish Gaelic), and 40 of these points must have been studied at SCQF Level 8 (second year undergraduate level) or above.
For qualified teachers who already have an intermediate level of Gaelic, such as Higher Gaelic, the University of Strathclyde run a course called ‘Gaelic Immersion for Teachers’ – It has been designed to help teachers transfer to Gaelic-medium classrooms. For entry, you would be selected by your local authority and attend a week-long taster session. You should already be qualified to teach in Scotland (full GTCS registration), and have intermediate level Gaelic such as Higher Gaelic or equivalent.
Useful subjects
Many colleges and universities will have subjects that you must have for entry. In addition, they may also highlight additional subjects that they would value. See individual institutions websites for specific entry information.
Useful subjects would be:
- Higher English (required)
- National 5 Maths (required) - National 5 Applications of Maths is accepted in place of Maths at all universities except University of Edinburgh
- Higher Gaelic or to be able to demonstrate you are a fluent speaker
Helpful to have
While not all employers list specific qualification requirements they do ask for relevant (usually work based) experience that demonstrates a range of transferable skills.
Qualifications and experience that demonstrate the ability to work with children or young people would also be helpful.