Teachers, Trainees and NQT chat thread!

Got my teaching timetable today :awesome:

Reply 522

Original post by yoshimax

Is anyone else having to do a virtual placement? Due to the COVID situation worsening so rapidly in my city, placements are all virtual now until (hopefully) after Christmas. Too many schools said they couldn't take on trainees. As an international student who's never been in a UK school before, it's disappointing, and I'm worried how it'll impact my job prospects.

No, ours are all going ahead. I don't think my university struggled for placements at all, but it has very strong relationships with schools in the area from what I can gather and is otherwise highly regarded. Ultimately, if you are in one of the areas where Covid rebounds strongly then this is going to be a reality. You can still learn a lot in a virtual placement - I would probably try to use this as an opportunity to get way ahead on your academic work too whilst you don't have to worry about commuting.

With regards to job prospects, I don't think they will be materially much worse because of a few months of virtual placements. Schools will still need teachers and will have to make similar allowances for those of the previous cohort who experienced a similar event but without anything like the kind of contingencies that have been put in place for us this year. Besides this, the NQT period is now 2 years so there is an additional period in which an NQT can adapt. In short, this is just my view. However, what is certain is that there are going to be a great many NQTs in the same boat as you. Just do the best you can to prepare yourself for when you eventually do go into schools.

Original post by watbrif1

Can anyone shed some light on job prospects after having done the training course, especially for the so-called oversubscribed subjects? I know that Scotland guarantees one year of employment via the Teacher Induction Scheme, but what happens after that? Do people get flooded into a job market that has no opportunities for their subject? Do people tend to stay on and continue to teach the classes they've been teaching in the past year?

It really depends on a number of things. Your subject is a big one, but so is your geographical area and willingness to commute/relocate. If you are only willing to teach PE in a small town with only four or five schools then your prospects are obviously enormously different to somebody teaching a core subject who is willing to relocate anywhere. It is hard to guess the effect that Covid will have on the next application round. Anecdotally, fewer teachers were leaving because it was a terrible time to find another job. However, also anecdotally, the longer Covid persists and the more ridiculous and dangerous schools become (in their opinion, anyway) the more likely it is that those teachers who know they want to leave do so irrespective of the wider job market. Generally speaking, if you are reasonably flexible with where you will work, have decent references and can write coherently after filling out the 8th page of a needlessly exhaustive application form then you have a good chance of getting interviews. After that, it is up to you really.

Reply 523

Original post by 04MR17

Got my teaching timetable today :awesome:

Lots of KS3?

Reply 524

Original post by Rorty

Lots of KS3?

Entirely KS3 until Christmas (as expected), but observing Yr 10 with a view to taking them on in January. :smile:

Reply 525

Original post by 04MR17

Entirely KS3 until Christmas (as expected), but observing Yr 10 with a view to taking them on in January. :smile:

I don't have a timetable yet, but I know I will be teaching some Y7 - Y10 this term. I don't expect any Y11, but hopefully will have a go at a few Y12/13 classes at some point this placement.

Reply 526

Original post by Rorty

I don't have a timetable yet, but I know I will be teaching some Y7 - Y10 this term. I don't expect any Y11, but hopefully will have a go at a few Y12/13 classes at some point this placement.

Ah, the school I'm at doesn't have a sixth form so I'm confident I won't have any KS5 lessons. :lol:

Pupils here seem to have missed a lot so it's really understandable that they aren't giving trainees KS4 for a while. :smile:

Reply 527

Original post by 04MR17

Ah, the school I'm at doesn't have a sixth form so I'm confident I won't have any KS5 lessons. :lol:

Pupils here seem to have missed a lot so it's really understandable that they aren't giving trainees KS4 for a while. :smile:

Ah, yes I'd say you can be rather confident :tongue:

Definitely, and even if they hadn't I wouldn't want to risk their exam results as a HOD on a student teacher who may or may not be useless. I suspect, time/Covid permitting, that I will offer to help with any elective exam-prep and general catch-up initiatives that might happen (if I'm welcome). I think it would be a useful experience.

Reply 528

Got my (eventually teaching) timetable now, very empty Mondays - what do to with all those frees? :hmmm:

Reply 529

Q and A

14

is this thread still active

Reply 530

Original post by Q and A

is this thread still active

Yes

Reply 531

L-K

15

Original post by 04MR17

Got my (eventually teaching) timetable now, very empty Mondays - what do to with all those frees? :hmmm:

You're supposed to have a lot of frees initially as a trainee, to allow you to plan properly.
They will soon be taken up with planning, marking, meetings, admin, emails, phone calls, duties, photocopying and more! Enjoy the time to plan whilst you have it.
As an experienced teacher I'm down to 1 hour planning and 2 hours marking a day, it will take you much longer initially!

Reply 532

Original post by L-K

You're supposed to have a lot of frees initially as a trainee, to allow you to plan properly.
They will soon be taken up with planning, marking, meetings, admin, emails, phone calls, duties, photocopying and more! Enjoy the time to plan whilst you have it.
As an experienced teacher I'm down to 1 hour planning and 2 hours marking a day, it will take you much longer initially!

Yeah it's more than my frees are incredibly Monday-heavy (only have 1 lesson on a Monday) and my other days are much more packed. :colondollar:

Obviously once I have an actual workload I'll have that to do, but just wondering how to structure that Monday until I am teaching my full timetable.

Reply 533

L-K

15

Original post by 04MR17

Yeah it's more than my frees are incredibly Monday-heavy (only have 1 lesson on a Monday) and my other days are much more packed. :colondollar:

Obviously once I have an actual workload I'll have that to do, but just wondering how to structure that Monday until I am teaching my full timetable.

Make yourself a timetable and stick to it. E.g. slots for regular tasks like planning particular lessons, marking a certain set of books or observing a colleague's lesson.
If you have extra time, then look at the SOW and plan ahead so you have some high quality resources ready for when your timetable is more full on. Also get hunting for good resources online.

Reply 534

Q and A

14

how much do teachers get paid, like college teachers and what the workload

Reply 535

L-K

15

Original post by Q and A

how much do teachers get paid, like college teachers and what the workload

Teacher pay in state schools generally follows this pay scale depending on experience: https://neu.org.uk/pay-scales
Colleges are generally not as generous with pay when it gets to the upper pay scale.
I can't speak for others about workload, but I do 7.30-5 at school, 2 hours on an evening and then 7.30-2 on a Saturday. I've been a teacher for 8 years though, so I've become much more efficient over the years.

Reply 536

Q and A

14

Original post by L-K

Teacher pay in state schools generally follows this pay scale depending on experience: https://neu.org.uk/pay-scales
Colleges are generally not as generous with pay when it gets to the upper pay scale.
I can't speak for others about workload, but I do 7.30-5 at school, 2 hours on an evening and then 7.30-2 on a Saturday. I've been a teacher for 8 years though, so I've become much more efficient over the years.

Teacher abit of a diffcult job because you have to do the work there and then also bring it home.

Reply 537

Aimee996

5

Hi everyone - any tips on writing a personal statement for a PGCE in MFL?

Reply 538

Glad I am doing my PGCE this year and not next

Bye bye bursary :moon:

Reply 539