Teacher - Secondary School
Make a real difference in the lives of young people. You'll help them build the knowledge and skills they'll need to thrive in adulthood.
About the job
What it's like
Could you inspire and motivate young people to learn? As a secondary school teacher, you'll be a hugely positive influence in your students' lives.
Secondary school teachers give young people the tools to become successful learners and confident individuals. You'll specialise in one or two subjects and teach these to students of different ages and abilities.
In this career, you'll prepare young people to take qualifications like National 5s or Highers. You'll use the Curriculum for Excellence and National Qualifications to plan your teaching.
You'll inspire students to take pride in their achievements, both in and beyond the classroom. It's your job to help them build good relationships with other students and teachers, playing a positive part in school life and the local community.
Sometimes, you'll attend meetings and training courses. Secondary school teachers work closely with colleagues to plan school timetables. You'll occasionally collaborate with other professionals, such as educational psychologists and social workers.
Your tasks might include:
preparing lessons and teaching materials
delivering lessons to students
assessing students’ progress and marking their work
managing classroom behaviour
discussing students' progress with parents and carers
organising study trips, social activities and sports events
Explore more information about this job
Here are some useful links to learn more about this career:
Teach in Scotland – find out everything you need to know about working as a secondary school teacher
The General Teaching Council for Scotland – explore the independent regulator for teachers
Education Scotland – check out curriculum information, advice and resources for teachers across the country
Disclosure Scotland – learn about the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme
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Education
Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- motivating others
- mentoring
- coaching
- ethical
- social conscience
- respecting
- empathising
- written communication
- verbal communication
- supporting
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
Modern Languages
French
Gaelic (Learners)
German
History
Religious Moral and Philosophical Studies - RMPS
Spanish
To teach in a state secondary school in Scotland, you must have:
completed a four-year undergraduate course in Education or
completed an undergraduate course then a one-year Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) or
achieved the equivalent qualification outside Scotland
If you're applying for a PGDE you'll need good academic grades and a degree.
Use the My World of Work course search to find degrees and learn about the different entry requirements.
You'll support literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing alongside the subject or subjects you teach. There are Access courses that can help you get qualified in these areas.
College and SWAP courses
Not got the grades you need to go to university? Getting qualifications at college, such as an HNC or HND, could help you progress to more advanced study. Look out for courses that are related to the subject or subjects you want to teach.
Are you an adult who's looking to return to education? You may be able to use the Scottish Widening Access Programme (SWAP) to kickstart your teaching career.
Previous experience of working with children is beneficial. You can get this by volunteering in a relevant role. Search for opportunities on Volunteer Scotland.
It's helpful if you have some experience in the subject or subjects you wish to teach.
All secondary school teachers must be approved for membership of the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme, run by Disclosure Scotland.
Once you're qualified and want to teach in local council schools, you must complete a probationary period to demonstrate that you meet the Standard for Full Registration of GTC Scotland.
You should be imaginative and enthusiastic so you're able to motivate pupils to study.
Sometimes you'll need to deal with challenging behaviour – your training will help you develop skills for this.
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