Teaching is one of the largest parts of the UK public sector, and school recruitment runs to its own calendar and rules. If you are looking at teaching vacancies, it helps to understand qualified teacher status, how teacher pay is structured, and why most jobs are advertised in tight windows.
Qualified teacher status (QTS)
To teach in most state-maintained schools in England you need qualified teacher status. You can gain it through an undergraduate degree with QTS, a postgraduate route such as a PGCE with QTS, school-based training, or an assessment-only route if you already have substantial experience. Academies and free schools have more flexibility and can employ teachers without QTS, but many still prefer it.
How teacher pay is structured
- Main Pay Range (MPR): where most classroom teachers start and progress in the early years.
- Upper Pay Range (UPR): for experienced teachers who have passed the threshold (demonstrating sustained, effective performance).
- Leadership pay range: for assistant heads, deputy heads and headteachers.
- TLR payments: Teaching and Learning Responsibility allowances on top of pay for leading a subject, key stage or whole-school responsibility.
- SEN allowances for specified special educational needs roles.
Pay also varies by area — there are separate, higher pay ranges for inner London, outer London and the London fringe. Academies set their own pay policies but most mirror the national framework closely.
The recruitment calendar
Teaching has fixed resignation dates. To leave at the end of a term, teachers must resign by a notice deadline (broadly the end of October to leave at Christmas, end of February to leave at Easter, and end of May to leave in the summer). This is why most vacancies cluster shortly after those dates — schools know who is leaving and advertise quickly. Watching the listings around those windows pays off.
Applying
- Schools almost always use their own application form rather than a CV.
- A supporting statement should map to the job and person specification and reference the school's ethos.
- Safeguarding is central — expect questions on keeping children safe and an enhanced DBS check.
- References are usually taken up before interview, not after.
GovJobs lists teaching vacancies from the Department for Education's official Teaching Vacancies service and links you to the school's own advert to apply. This guide is general information; always follow the instructions in the specific advert.