Moving from Australia to the UK as a Teacher

Differences between teaching in the UK and Australia

There are a lot of similarities between the Australian and UK school systems. For example, both are compulsory for children to attend, and they have public and private sectors. However, there are also many differences.

In the UK, the academic year starts in September and ends in July.

There are three school terms with school holidays in between. There are also “half-term” breaks within each term, so you get a couple of extra weeks of school holidays.

An Australian education degree will allow you to teach in the UK. Unlike Australia, where most teachers study education at university, most UK teachers studied something else and then completed teacher training to become a teacher. 

If you want to teach in the UK long-term, you need to obtain Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). Without your QTS, you will be considered an unqualified teacher (now referred to as an “Early Career Teacher”). You can teach for up to four years in the UK without QTS, and some types of schools don’t legally require you to obtain QTS after this. However, it is important to know that unqualified teachers usually get paid less.

Generally, if you are qualified to teach secondary (high school), you can teach primary, but not the other way around.

Most schools are subject to inspections. Ofsted (Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills) is the government body that carries out school inspections. Ofsted grades schools based on their judgment of the school’s quality and performance.

Types of schools in the UK

State schools

• Free to attend and usually have to follow the national curriculum
• Maintained/community schools are the type of UK state school that are most similar to the state schools in Australia
• There are also grammar schools, which usually have a selection process like an exam to offer places
• Academies are government-funded, but they are independent and do not have to follow the national curriculum. They usually have their own pay scales and do not legally require teachers to have QTS

Private schools

• To confuse things, private schools are sometimes called public schools
• Have fees to attend
• They are not necessarily linked to religion

Religious (faith) schools

• Can be state or private

How to find a teaching job in the UK

Supply/Cover roles (usually referred to as casual or relief work in Australia)

To do this work in the UK, you need to be registered with a recruitment agency. The agency will organise your police checks (called DBS checks) and references, and will make sure you are allowed to work in the UK.

Each school day, the agency receives requests from schools that need cover. The agency will then contact you to offer you work for that day.

The perks of supply teaching:

• If doing day-to-day or on a shorter contract, your hours are identical to the students’. You usually won’t be expected to attend any meetings or parent-teacher nights, etc.
• No marking! Well, you might get stuck with some on longer contracts, but not on shorter contracts.
• It’s a great way to build experience in a range of different schools. You might also get a chance to experience Ofsted without the pressure (I saw three Ofsted visits in my time as a supply teacher).

The negatives:

• It’s tough to build relationships with staff and students.
• Work might not be in the area you live, and you might need to travel across London to get there.
• No holiday pay. It’s a long six weeks over summer!

Longer-term contracts

These includes maternity cover, other extended leave or if a teacher has resigned and they haven’t recruited for their position yet. These usually vary from one week to several months. However, they can also be longer, and if you impress the school, they will often offer you a permanent role before your contract expires.

I started a one-year contract and was offered a permanent position after five months. They also provided me with sponsorship for my visa so I could stay in the UK.

Permanent roles

These are the same as in Australia. You can apply directly through the school or through a recruitment agency.

Thanks to Alex for sharing the above article.

I’m helping teachers from Australia and New Zealand who want to move to the UK, just like Alex did. If you’re thinking about making a similar move check out these FAQs. Also feel free to send me a DM, connect with me on LinkedIn, or drop me an email (links are below).

Kristin