Become a geography teacher

In teaching geography, you’ll guide pupils through the fascinating diversity of the Earth. You’ll inspire them to reflect on the world they live in and discover their unique place within it.

Tax-free bursaries of £26,000 are available for eligible trainee geography teachers.

Why teach geography

As a geography teacher, you'll inspire pupils to find their passion for exploring the globe. From urban development and economies to tectonics and weather, you'll develop their understanding of the world we live in and equip them with the skills to tackle the problems of tomorrow.

In addition to the personal rewards of teaching geography, 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 geography opens up a huge range of opportunities for pupils' careers. From urban planning to climatology, the career options after studying geography are incredibly diverse.

Your pupils will learn more from you than you might think. As their teacher, you will guide them through the skills they need to show their understanding of both human and physical geography. You will teach them practical skills from map reading and data collection, to critical thinking and problem solving.

I realised my real passion lay in teaching geography. In addition, it was clear to me that geography is becoming a subject that will rise in importance and be in far more demand over the next decade.

Jon, geography teacher

What you'll teach

You'll teach the national curriculum for geography.

Throughout key stage 3 pupils will gain a curiosity about the world through studying a diverse range of people and places.

When you teach 11 to 14 year olds (key stage 3), you'll help pupils demonstrate knowledge and skills in:

consolidating knowledge of the world's major countries
understanding geographical similarities and differences between locations
exploring physical geography such as rocks, weathering and climate
investigating human geography such as population, urban development and economic activity
understanding how human and physical processes can change landscapes
building on skills using maps, globes and aerial photographs

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

developing and extending knowledge of locations
extending competence in skills used in fieldwork, in using maps and Geographical Information Systems (GIS)
analysing primary and secondary data
applying geographical knowledge, understanding, skills and approaches to real world contexts

At A level and AS level (key stage 5), you’ll help pupils develop a deeper knowledge and understanding of:

locations, places, processes and environments, at all geographical scales
the role of fieldwork as a tool to understand and generate new knowledge about the real world
selecting and using a range of quantitative and qualitative skills and approaches
becoming critical and reflective learners

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 geography

Check your qualifications

To train to teach geography 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 geography.

Geography teacher training courses have had successful applications from candidates with a range of degrees, including environmental sciences, history, psychology, and politics.

Find out more about what qualifications you need to train 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 £26,000 are available for eligible trainee geography 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.