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Primary school teacher

Also called Junior school teacher.

Primary school teachers are responsible for the educational, social and emotional development of children between the ages of 3 and 11.

Potential salary
£34,000 starter to £53,000 experienced per year
Typical hours
37 to 45 term time. Working pattern: evenings attending events or appointments.
Career area
Education
Where they might work
You could work at a school or at a pupil referral unit. Your working environment may be physically and emotionally demanding.
A typical task
prepare teaching materials, set up the classroom and organise displays
Subjects that may help
5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English, maths and science
Typical route
You can do an undergraduate degree that leads to qualified teacher status (QTS), for example: Bachelor of Education (BEd); Bachelor of Arts (BA) with QTS; Bachelor of Science (BSc) with QTS.
Interest area used here
Helping and teaching

Career actions

What you might do

  • prepare teaching materials, set up the classroom and organise displays
  • plan and teach lessons and work with small groups of students
  • mark work and talk to parents and carers about their children's progress
  • manage the work of teaching assistants
  • follow safeguarding procedures and work with education psychologists and social workers
  • organise trips, after school clubs and sports events
More tasks (1)
  • work and attend meetings and training outside of usual working hours

Could this suit me?

Consider which of these skills and ways of working appeal to you.

  • knowledge of teaching and the ability to design courses
  • sensitivity and understanding
  • the ability to create the best conditions for learning or teaching new things
  • the ability to work well with others
  • to be flexible and open to change
  • knowledge of English language
More skills
  • maths knowledge
  • patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
  • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently

Routes into this career

University route

  • You can do an undergraduate degree that leads to qualified teacher status (QTS), for example: Bachelor of Education (BEd); Bachelor of Arts (BA) with QTS; Bachelor of Science (BSc) with QTS.
  • If you already have a bachelor's degree without qualified teacher status, you can complete a postgraduate qualification like a postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE) to get QTS. This can be done at university or through a training programme based in a school.
  • You need QTS to teach in most primary and secondary schools in England but you do not need a PGCE to teach.
  • Find out more about QTS from Get Into Teaching.
  • Find out about the support available if you want to change to a career in teaching.

University courses that could lead to this career

These are course families, not published offers. A link does not mean the degree is sufficient on its own.

  • Early Childhood Studies

    Related, but not enough on its own. It does not by itself award qualified teacher status.

  • Education Studies

    Related, but not enough on its own. Primary teaching needs an approved route to qualified teacher status.

  • Primary education

    Direct qualifying route. Choose a course that awards QTS for the primary age range.

Explore university routes

Apprenticeship or vocational route

  • You may be able to apply to do an Undergraduate or Postgraduate Teacher Level 6 Apprenticeship to teach children from ages 3 to 7 or 5 to 11.
  • The undergraduate option takes up to 4 years to complete. The postgraduate route takes around 9 months, with both leading to qualified teacher status (QTS).
  • You could start as a teaching assistant and do further training like a part-time degree or an undergraduate teaching apprenticeship to gain qualified teacher status (QTS).
  • a degree in any subject for a postgraduate course
  • a degree for a postgraduate teaching apprenticeship

Other routes

  • You'll find it helpful to get some experience of working with children in different age ranges, though this is not essential.
  • You could volunteer at a school, help at an after school club or work on a holiday scheme.
Career progression
  • With experience you could: become a special educational needs teacher or move into pastoral care; become a lead practitioner, supporting and mentoring other teachers and developing best practice; be a curriculum leader, deputy head or headteacher; move into private tuition; teach overseas in an international school.
  • The Get Into Teaching website has more information on how to develop your career.

Registration and requirements

you'll usually need qualified teacher status (QTS) to teach in a state school in England

pass enhanced background checks

Subjects that may help

Subject guidance

  • 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English, maths and science
  • 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
  • GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) in English and maths
  • GCSE science at grade 9 to 4 (A* to C) for primary school teaching

What you could do next