How to develop your career as a qualified teacher

As a qualified teacher in the UK, you have many opportunities to develop your career with Magisters Education and progress in your specialised field of education. Whether you are just starting out or have years of experience, there are several steps you can take to further your professional career. In this blog post, we explore some of these steps, focusing on how you can build a successful career as a qualified teaching professional.

 

1. Seek Feedback

Seeking feedback from colleagues, mentors, and students can help you improve your teaching and identify areas for growth. You can ask for feedback through formal performance evaluations or informally through classroom observations or student surveys. Requesting feedback can help you to identify your strengths and weaknesses and make improvements to your teaching.

Industry bodies are a great way to meet with other teachers and share knowledge and experiences. As well as annual conferences, the NASUWT run regular events on things such as leadership, equality, career development and more. Another approach is to carry out peer-led lesson observations which’ll help you receive constructive feedback on your teaching strengths and weaknesses.

While it may not always be positive, feedback can also be found on social media and subscribing to relevant teaching accounts will help you stay up to date with the latest teaching findings and thoughts. Social media can be great for witnessing other examples of good or bad teaching, which may help you in your own day-to-day teaching practices.

 

2. Further Learning

One of the best ways to develop your career as a qualified teacher is to keep learning. There are many professional development courses, training programmes and post-graduate degrees available that can help you develop your skills and knowledge. Most universities provide Master’s-level qualifications, for example Oxford University offer a two-year professional development course for new and experienced teachers who are actively involved in pre-service and in-service education.

Away from university courses, other industry-recognised qualifications are available such as the wide range of free courses offered by the NASUWT teachers’ union. These focus on developing classroom management, subject-specific teaching strategies, and leadership development. They additionally support teachers in attending conferences, conducting industry-related research, and participating in debates that can help you stay up to date on the latest trends and best practices in education.

 

3. Take on Leadership Roles

Taking on leadership roles in your school can help you develop your career as a qualified teacher. You can volunteer to lead a professional development workshop, serve on a curriculum development team, or mentor new teachers. These experiences can help you develop your leadership skills and demonstrate your commitment to the profession.

Another way to boost your leadership abilities is to take a leadership-focused NPQ (fully funded by the Department for Education). There are four main courses available:

Senior Leadership NPQ – An 18-month course that helps experienced classroom teachers to develop their leadership knowledge and specialist expertise.

Headship NPQ – An 18-month course for school leaders and head teachers that helps to develop expert leadership skills and covers themes such as school culture and curriculum assessment.

Executive Leadership NPQ – Aimed at executive school leaders, this 18-month course develops skills in running a multi-school organisation, encouraging collaboration and effective management.

Early Years Leadership NPQ – Aimed at current or aspiring leaders in teaching, this 18-month course features a mix of self-study and group sessions that will develop confidence and skill in delivering high-quality education, as well as giving constructive feedback.

 

4. Consider Moving into Administration

If you are interested in moving into a leadership role in education, you may want to consider pursuing a career in administration. This can include roles such as school principal, assistant principal, or district administrator. Pursuing further education and seeking out leadership roles in your current position can help prepare you for these types of roles.

While the role of a qualified teacher is heavily structured, moving into administration could give you the added flexibility you may be looking for from your professional career. Deciding whether to transition from the classroom into administration is an extremely tough decision and firstly requires you to recognise your skills and passion.

The path to becoming an administrator typically involves a gradual increase in responsibilities such as leading academic departments. Most schools also require administrators to possess a master’s degree in the related discipline whether that be leadership or curriculum. Obtaining such a qualification is expensive and time consuming but in most cases is rewarded with a higher salary.

 

Be brave, take the next step in your teaching career

It’s clear to see that developing your career as a qualified teacher in the UK requires a commitment to continuous learning and growth. If, however, you are willing to pursue professional development opportunities and take on increased responsibilities, you can take your career to that next level.

Magisters Education are determined to support our teachers throughout the career progression process, no matter your prior experience and qualifications. If you’re interested in learning more, contact a member of our team today who can speak on a 1:1 basis about your future career aspirations and what's next for you!