How to find a teaching job you love

How to find a teaching job you love

If you’re thinking of changing jobs, choose carefully. Finding the right school should make you feel happy, supported and help you become the kind of teacher you always wanted to be. Three things you need to focus on are: finding a good source of job vacancies, assessing the adverts – reading between the lines, and deciding if you’re the right fit for the school.

When looking for job vacancies on a website customise your search so you’re not wasting time scrolling through jobs which aren’t relevant to you. Sign up for automatic emails alerts of the latest vacancies. Of course, if you sign up with an agency, they can do the leg work of finding a new role for you. Agencies often have close relationships with the schools, which means they can give you the real picture so you don’t have to “read between the lines” of a job advert!

Deciding if you’re the right fit for the school is probably the trickiest element. However, here’s a few tips to help with deciphering whether a school is the one for you:

·         Read the school’s website and latest Ofsted report – this may be about attracting parents, but it could have some human elements too

·         Read the Department for Education information about the school. Here you’ll find comparisons with schools of a similar profile, an extra dimension to help with your decision

·         Don’t jump to conclusions! You won’t necessarily be happier or better supported in a school with a long history of “outstanding” Ofsted reports.

·         Visit the school prior to your interview if possible; this is when you’ll be able to get a feel for the children, the staff, the building and the local area. Pay particular attention to your first impressions - What does the atmosphere feel like? Are you greeted warmly, do the children look engaged, are the teachers having fun? Finally, you should get a feel for the teacher-children relationships; are they built on respect and courtesy.

Perhaps the most important takeaway is whatever the advert or website says, try to visit a school and decide for yourself whether you feel comfortable with it – whatever its reputation. If the school feels good to you, the staff seem genuinely hard working and friendly, then it’s likely the kind of school where not only children are thriving, but new teachers (and you) will too.

If you’d like help to find your next teaching role in a school where you’re the right fit, why not get in touch with T15 International and see how we can help. Visit www.t15international.com or call 0333 7777 515