secondary school teacher (maths,chemo,bio,phys)

A secondary school teacher teaches one or more national curriculum subjects to pupils aged 11-16, or up to 19 in schools with sixth forms.
Teachers plan lessons in line with national objectives to ensure that pupils learn. They also encourage, monitor and record the progress of their pupils.
Teachers support, observe and record the progress of their class. They also plan lessons in line with national objectives with the aim of ensuring a healthy culture of learning.
Teachers must also keep up to date with developments in their subject area, new resources, methods and national objectives. Teachers liaise and network with other professionals, parents and carers both informally and formally.

Typical work activities

Typical work activities include:

• preparing and delivering lessons to a range of classes including putting up displays in the classroom;
• marking work, giving appropriate feedback and maintaining records of pupils' progress and development;
• researching new topic areas, maintaining up-to-date subject knowledge and then devising and writing new curriculum materials;
• selecting and using a range of different learning resources and equipment, including podcasts and interactive whiteboards;
• undertaking pastoral duties, such as taking on the role of form tutor, and supporting pupils on an individual basis through academic or personal difficulties;
• preparing pupils for qualifications and external examinations;
• managing pupil behaviour in the classroom and on school premises, and applying appropriate and effective measures in cases of misbehaviour;
• supervising and supporting the work of teaching assistants, trainee teachers and newly qualified teachers (NQTs);
• participating in and organising extracurricular activities, such as outings, social activities and sporting events;
• participating in departmental meetings, parents' evenings and whole school training events;
• liaising with other professionals, such as learning mentors, careers advisers, educational psychologists and education welfare officers;
• undergoing regular observations and participating in regular in-service training (INSET) as part of continuing professional development (CPD);
• teaching in middle schools, which take children aged eight or nine to 12 or 13, teaching the primary or secondary curriculum appropriate to the age of the children.

• Newly qualified teachers (NQTs) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland start on the main salary scale, which rises incrementally from £21,588 to £31,552 for England and Wales. London salaries can differ depending on location.
• In Scotland, salaries range from £19,997 to £34,200. In addition, there is a Distant Learning Allowance of £1,782 and Remote Schools Allowance of £1,074 or £2,010.
• Experienced teachers may become advanced skills teachers (in England and Wales), in which they share their highly developed skills with other teachers. In Scotland this is recognised as chartered teacher status. Teachers may move into key stage or year leaders, mentoring and management roles. Management roles in particular attract considerable salary increases.
• 39 weeks of the year are allocated for teaching and term-time hours may be long. Hours vary between schools and are usually from 8.30am until 3.30 or 4pm, but most teachers are in school before the school day starts and remain after school is finished. Marking and preparation are usually done at home. They often teach five periods a day, with lunchtimes sometimes being taken up with extracurricular or pastoral duties.
• Parents' evenings, preparation for The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted)  inspections, breakfast and after-school clubs, and sport, drama and field trips may all take up extra hours.
• Teachers have 13 weeks per year away from the classroom, but many use this time to work on marking, planning and preparation.
• Mobility can improve prospects, but jobs are available in most areas, especially in towns and cities, throughout the country. Staff turnover is greatest in inner-city schools.
• Teachers may be able to supplement their income through private tuition, national exam marking, teaching evening classes or writing textbooks. Part-time work and career break opportunities are available. Courses are provided for those returning to the profession. Supply teaching is an attractive and flexible option for some.
• Approximately 55% of secondary teachers are women, but proportionally more head teachers are male. The gender balance varies across subject areas, e.g. more women teach English and modern languages and more men teach mathematics and science. An objective of the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) is to recruit more people from Afro-Caribbean and ethnic minorities and more people with disabilities into teaching.
• Secondary school teachers do not necessarily have a base classroom and may have to carry books and equipment from room to room between lessons. The physical condition of school buildings varies enormously, as does the availability and quality of resources.
• Trips with pupils or staff development opportunities may occasionally involve staying away from home and/or overseas travel.