Different Types of School

If you are considering teaching, it is important to think about the type of school you would like to work in. There are three main questions to consider.

1. Which age group do I want to teach?
2. Do I want to work in a state or independent school?
3. Do I want to work in a faith-based school?

Of these, the first question is the most important to consider because you have to decide this BEFORE you can apply to train as a teacher.

1. Which age group do I want to teach?

If you like working with younger children, from as young as 3 up to about 11 years of age, then training as a primary school teacher is for you. Here you will train to teach all the subjects on the school curriculum. You may also develop a specialism in a subject or in a particular age group.

If you are more interested in a particular subject and enjoy working with older pupils, from around 11 through to 19, then secondary teaching is for you. Your specialism must be in a subject that is relevant to the curriculum taught in schools.

If you are interested in a subject that is outside the school curriculum and/or you prefer working with older students, then tertiary or further education (FE) may be for you. Here you teach students from 16, although some may be younger if the college works in partnership with schools. Your oldest pupils may be pensioners!

2. Do I want to work in a state school or an independent school?

The majority of schools receive their funding from the government and are called state schools. Within the state system there is a wide variety of schools, so it is far from being a 'one size fits all' sector. Independent schools are usually funded using the fees paid by parents. You will not have to make a decision about which sector to teach in until you start applying for jobs.

To work as a qualified teacher in a state school, you will have to gain a teaching qualification through following an initial teacher training (ITT) course. It is possible to teach in a state school as an unqualified teacher, but the pay scales are much lower. Teachers' pay scales in state schools are governed by national agreements.

Although independent schools will welcome a teaching qualification, and many will require it, some will employ you without. Pay scales vary from school to school, some paying substantially above the national agreements and some paying substantially below.

3. Do I want to work in a faith-based school?

Faith-based schools are sponsored by religious communities. They can be either state or independent schools. Recently the Government has been encouraging more faith-based schools to be set up within the state sector and it is likely that this trend will continue in future years. Faith-based schools vary enormously in the degree to which the religious dimension permeates the school life.

Within the state sector there is a small but growing number of Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, and Sikh schools, but most faith-based schools are sponsored by a Christian denomination. The Anglican Church and the Roman Catholic Church are the two largest providers. There are also joint, ecumenical and other types of school.

In the independent sector there is a range from large and famous schools to small schools based on one church. The Independent Schools Christian Alliance provides support to teachers working in the older established schools, and The Christian Schools Trust provides support for those working in the newer schools.

A significant recent initiative is the creation of state schools called Academies. These are part-funded by sponsors, some of whom are Christian, for example businessmen like Sir Peter Vardy, and the Church of England.

Most teachers working in faith-based schools are trained in the same way as other teachers. The Roman Catholic Church provides the Catholic Certificate in Religious Studies for teachers working in their schools. If you are particularly interested in working in a Christian school, you might wish to consider applying to one of the Anglican or Roman Catholic Colleges for your ITT.

Click here to find out more about Christian schools in the UK