Are you thinking of becoming a secondary school teacher or applying for a new job in a new secondary school? If you are interested in developing young people, have a passion for a particular subject and don’t mind a challenge, then teaching secondary school age children could just be for you.
Starting any new job or career can be a daunting endeavour, so we’ve outlined a day in the life of a secondary school teacher with some common tasks so you can feel more confident about your decision.
Secondary school education
The life of a secondary school teacher is extremely varied because of the different year groups, different texts and different students they teach. Covering Key Stage 3, GCSE and A-level gives teachers a variety of learning and teaching experiences and the ability to connect with a wide range of young people.
Secondary schools are for students aged 11-18, from Year 7 to Year 13. Students have the option to leave school at the end of Year 11 aged 16 when they’ve passed their GCSEs , or they can enter 6th form to complete their A levels until aged 18.
Morning
Every school has slightly different timings but generally most secondary schools start at 8.30 am and finish at 3.30 pm. The day usually starts with a staff briefing, where teachers discuss events or share resources and lesson plans in their department. After the meeting, teachers prepare for the day's lessons, set up the room, review materials or mark work.
Most teachers also take on the role of form tutor and conduct a registration at the beginning of the day (usually 20 minutes) so pupils can receive announcements and talk to a teacher outside of a specific subject.
The majority of a teacher's morning is spent teaching lessons with a short break time in the middle (20 minutes) where they may have to supervise the school grounds.
Lunch
The lunch break lasts around 45 minutes. Teachers can chat with colleagues, mark work, plan lessons and answer emails. Some days teachers may be asked to do lunch or break duty on the playgrounds. This is a good opportunity to chat to students outside of the classroom.
Afternoon
The afternoon is similar to the morning activities and is typically spent teaching lessons with a break in between, meeting with students or participating in department activities. Teachers may also be asked to help plan assemblies or work on their own professional development.
All teachers are entitled to Planning preparation and assessment time (PPA), set as a minimum of 10% of their timetabled teaching time and should not be asked to perform other duties during this time.
End of the day
The school day typically consists of 3-9 periods and ends around 3:30 pm. After the students leave, a teacher's responsibilities continue. They may have a few more tasks to complete such as marking, meeting with colleagues to share lesson plans or supervising clubs, revision sessions and extracurricular activities.
After the last class or meeting, teachers can decide if they want to mark at home or in the classroom.
Where next?
Being a secondary school teacher is a challenging but rewarding profession.
If you are passionate about young people’s education explore our latest vacancies in Essex and the surrounding area by checking out our jobs board or contact a consultant for more help and support.
Interested in Primary School teaching? Find out more about life as a primary teacher in our recent primary school blog here.
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