Stable primary teaching roles in Scotland have become harder to find in recent years, with teachers who have recently gained full registration now facing greater competition for fewer jobs. Local authorities are also facing challenges with the recruitment and retention of teaching staff, particularly in secondary schools.
In response to this, Scottish Borders Council has taken on a ” approach, which includes filling vacancies in secondary schools with suitably qualified primary teachers like myself. This article is written with the hope that my experiences of this less-walked and less-publicised path - in my case, involving maths teaching - will provide teachers and local authorities with a fresh insight into a nascent opportunity in Scottish education.
Primary teachers with full registration should first check the General Teaching Council for Scotland’s (GTCS) guidelines on which roles they can occupy. The that “registered primary teachers may also be in a position to teach literacy, numeracy, health and wellbeing across the spectrum of the Broad General Education” (that is, including S1-S3).
Those looking for other mainstream roles that encompass the senior phase should read the GTCS’ requirements for .
The demands of secondary teaching
Primary teachers should also become familiar with the expectations of both Education Scotland and the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), as secondary teaching demands a solid grasp of the knowledge, skills and practices specific to each subject.
In my experience, this has been one of the more challenging parts of adapting to my current role, and local authorities should consider including training on this as part of their packages for career-long professional learning.
If you decide to apply for a suitable role, highlight your transferable skills. Secondary schools particularly admire differentiation, classroom management and strong communication skills, and you should also emphasise experiences that demonstrate adaptability, leadership and subject knowledge.
Should you make it to interview, be clear about what support you might need to fulfil the role. Schools need teachers and teachers need schools, so both should do their due diligence on the other so that they can develop the synergy and confidence required to grow together.
To help you in your new role, consider an “objectives-strategy-tactics” approach:
- Objectives: clarify goals for yourself, your department and the school. The more closely you can align yourself with their improvement priorities, the more successful you will be in meeting your own goals and embedding into the school community.
- Strategy: spend time figuring out what types of things you need to do to. Ask your colleagues about who to go to with any queries about collaboration, communication and 51 in your school. Be aware of the SQA’s policies and use its sessions to ensure that you perform your role with the highest levels of integrity - again, if in doubt, ask for help.
- Tactics: many of your resources and strategies will remain relevant in your new role. Likewise, it also remains vital that you communicate thoughtfully with parents and carers, as well as colleagues and partners. Make sure you spend time developing age-appropriate strategies within the school’s policies and ethos so that you can sustain positive relationships that provide care and challenge for each student.
The transition from teaching primary to teaching secondary maths has been both demanding and rewarding. I have been very fortunate to receive invaluable support from colleagues and mentors at Stirling Council, the University of Stirling and Earlston High School as I continue to develop as an early career teacher.
In a time of uncertainty in Scottish education, I hope that other primary teachers and local authorities might gain the confidence to be creative in how they meet the needs of the students in our secondary schools.
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