Become an English teacher

Teaching English is more than just reading and writing. It's opening doors to new worlds and perspectives. You'll encourage a passion for language and a love of creativity, helping shape the voices of the future.

Tax-free bursaries of £5,000 are available for eligible trainee English teachers.

Why teach English

As an English teacher, you’ll teach pupils essential skills. From reading and writing to engaging in debates, you’ll nurture their ability to think critically and communicate effectively, preparing them for life beyond the classroom.

In addition to the personal rewards of teaching English, there are practical benefits too, including:

a competitive salary starting at £31k (or higher in London)
a generous and secure pension
more holiday days than people in many other professions
opportunities for progression

People may not realise how much potential there is for progression in teaching. They think they go into the world of the classroom and that's it. Lots of teachers have added responsibilities they enjoy doing and find fulfilling.

Chris Farr, teacher training adviser

Shape your pupils' futures

Teaching English opens the door for your pupils to pursue exciting careers in fields such as journalism, marketing, and publishing. You may even inspire the next generation of teachers.

Your pupils will learn more from you than you might think. As their teacher, you'll guide them through the skills they need to show their understanding of written and spoken English. You'll teach them valuable life skills such as critical thinking, creativity and communication.

When a student can read and talk about their views, it opens them up to so many opportunities. It’s all about having confidence, and I can actually play a part in making that happen.

Laura, English teacher

What you'll teach

Many schools follow the national curriculum for English.

English subject content in key stages 3 and 4 is divided into reading, writing, spoken English, and vocabulary and grammar.

Skills you’ll cover when you teach 11 to 14 year olds (key stage 3) include:

developing a love of reading increasingly difficult material
understanding how authors' choices can change meaning
summarising and organising material to support arguments
writing a range of stories, scripts, poetry and letters
planning, drafting and editing writing
using standard English confidently
giving short speeches and presentations
rehearsing and performing play scripts and poems

Explore what teaching a key stage 3 English lesson would be like by visiting the Oak National Academy website.

Skills you'll cover when you teach 14 to 16 year olds (key stage 4) include:

understanding and evaluating texts
analysing a writer’s choice of vocabulary, grammar and structure
writing accurately and fluently for pleasure and information
adapting writing style for different purposes and audiences
analysing some of the differences between written and spoken English
listening to the contributions of others
improvising, rehearsing and performing play scripts

At A level and AS level (key stage 5) English is divided into language and literature. You’ll help pupils develop a deeper knowledge and understanding of:

language analysis
functions of texts
relationships between writers and audiences
text structure
interpreting meaning
analysing genre and mode

Teaching pupils at different ages and abilities means you'll always be expanding your knowledge and approach to meet pupils' needs. Once you have qualified teacher status (QTS) you can also teach any other subject, as long as you can show you have enough expertise.

Start your journey into teaching English

Check your qualifications

To train to teach English in England, you'll need:

GCSEs at grade 4 (C) or above in English and maths (and science if you want to teach primary)
a bachelor's degree in any subject

Having relevant A levels can show your subject knowledge, if you do not have a degree in English.

English teacher training courses have had successful applications from candidates with a range of degrees, including psychology, creative writing, history and journalism.

Find out about the qualifications needed to teach.

Non-UK citizens: check your qualifications

If you have qualifications from outside the UK, you'll need to show that they meet the standards set for teacher training in England.

You can get help comparing English and international qualifications.

Fund your teacher training

Tax-free bursaries of £5,000 are available for eligible trainee English teachers.

You can get a bursary alongside a tuition fee loan and maintenance loan.

Even if you've had financial support for a previous course, you could still be eligible for funding to support your teacher training.

You may also be able to get extra funding and support if you're:

a parent or carer
disabled
a veteran

Find out how you can fund your teacher training.

Non-UK citizens: funding your training

If you do not have indefinite leave to remain in the UK, you're unlikely to be eligible for funding.

Find out more about fees and financial support for non-UK trainee teachers.

Support with teacher training

Throughout your initial teacher training, you'll have the support of a mentor.

Your mentor will:

guide you through your training, sharing learning and career development opportunities with you
meet with you regularly to make sure your training is a positive experience

You'll also be part of a welcoming school community where you'll learn from fellow teachers through taught sessions, seminars and workshops.

Once you've completed your initial teacher training, you'll continue to be supported during your first 2 years of teaching. Find out what support you'll get as an early career teacher.