Future career in teaching: help!

Hi, I'm a year 12 student trying to figure out my future at the mo. I have always been interested in a career teaching since I was very little. I do A-Levels Psychology, Biology, English Language, Core Maths an EPQ and I'm predicted A*A*A. I would quite like to be a secondary school teacher- but my thing is I think I would most love to do a degree in Psychology. Obviously, I can do this degree and then go onto to get a PGCE but Psychology at most schools is taught at A-Level only- so would it be possible to teach Psych A-Level and English at GCSE and below? My psychology teacher has a degree in psych but as Psychology is only offered at A-Level she teaches Biology for years 7-11- how does this work?

Hi, I'm a year 12 student trying to figure out my future at the mo. I have always been interested in a career teaching since I was very little. I do A-Levels Psychology, Biology, English Language, Core Maths an EPQ and I'm predicted A*A*A. I would quite like to be a secondary school teacher- but my thing is I think I would most love to do a degree in Psychology. Obviously, I can do this degree and then go onto to get a PGCE but Psychology at most schools is taught at A-Level only- so would it be possible to teach Psych A-Level and English at GCSE and below? My psychology teacher has a degree in psych but as Psychology is only offered at A-Level she teaches Biology for years 7-11- how does this work?

Hi @Emma543

You can train to teach in Psychology and then teach a second subject. When you train to teach, you train to become a specialist and qualified teacher and gain the skills needed for this. Obviously you would be specialising in Psychology, but you will learn styles and ways to adapt your teaching which will help you to teach a second subject.
When you apply for Psychology jobs , it will say what other subject (if there is one) that they are also looking for the candidate to teach, if not you can ask this and mention a subject that you would be happy to teach. English would be a very popular choice with schools as well, as it is a core subject and a real focus of Ofsted.

So go for it. Train in the subject you are really passionate about and on your placements, start to try and get experience in your second subject area as well, by speaking to your mentor at the school you will be placed in. These discussions would take place before you start your course/placement, so they can start to plan and adapt your timetable. So discuss with the providers that when on placement, you would also like to experience some English lessons too if possible, so you can offer this to schools when applying for a full-time position.

Hope this helps.
Dan

Hi I'm assuming she has a joint degree of biology and psychology. A lot of psychology courses have a heavy amount of biology in which is probably why, you could see if you do a joint degree of English and psychology but it may be difficult to find

So would I have to train in English or can I simply get experience?

Train in the subject you want to teach in and then get experience observing and taking the odd lesson if possible in your second preference, which is English. You would need to speak with the provider and then the school mentor regarding this, but it should be no problem as it happens a lot.

Best advice when you are in your degree is to join Get Into Teaching and you will be assigned a 1 to 1 advisor who will help you through all this.

Thank you!

Hi, I'm a year 12 student trying to figure out my future at the mo. I have always been interested in a career teaching since I was very little. I do A-Levels Psychology, Biology, English Language, Core Maths an EPQ and I'm predicted A*A*A. I would quite like to be a secondary school teacher- but my thing is I think I would most love to do a degree in Psychology. Obviously, I can do this degree and then go onto to get a PGCE but Psychology at most schools is taught at A-Level only- so would it be possible to teach Psych A-Level and English at GCSE and below? My psychology teacher has a degree in psych but as Psychology is only offered at A-Level she teaches Biology for years 7-11- how does this work?