Your Guide to Starting and Growing Your Teaching Career
At Catalyst Academies Trust, we believe great teaching changes lives. Our blog is here to guide you through every stage of your journey into education – from understanding key qualifications like Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE), to exploring teacher training routes, timelines, and career development opportunities.
It doesn't matter if you’re a graduate considering your first step into teaching, a professional looking for a career change, or an experienced educator seeking professional growth; you’ll find clear, supportive advice here.
Drawing on our work with primary schools across Essex, we share practical insights, answer common questions, and highlight the many ways we can help you train, qualify, and thrive in the classroom.
Start reading, and take your next step towards shaping the future of education.
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If you are thinking about a career in primary education, gaining work experience in a school is a great place to start. It gives you the chance to see what happens in a classroom, understand the role of teachers and teaching assistants, and find out whether working with children is right for you.
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Every child learns differently. While some pupils feel confident working through classroom activities independently, others need extra guidance, encouragement or tailored support to help them make progress. This is where a Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) teaching assistant plays an important role.
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A successful primary classroom depends on more than one person. While the class teacher leads lessons and takes responsibility for pupils' progress, teaching assistants play an important part in helping children learn, build confidence and feel supported throughout the school day.
If you want to become a teacher but do not already have a degree, a Teacher Degree Apprenticeship can be one of the most practical routes into the profession.
If you want to become a teacher while earning a salary, an apprenticeship can offer an alternative to full-time university study. But there are two routes with similar names that are easy to confuse: the Teacher Degree Apprenticeship and the Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship.
A teaching degree apprenticeship combines paid work in a school with university study, so no two days feel exactly the same.
If you want to become a teacher but are concerned about giving up an income while you train, there are routes that allow you to earn a salary at the same time.
September is one of the most popular times to begin a new teaching role. It marks the start of the academic year, allowing teachers to meet their classes from the first day, establish routines and contribute to curriculum planning from the beginning of the autumn term.
A teaching assistant interview is your opportunity to show that you have the patience, communication skills and commitment needed to support children in school. Whether you already have classroom experience or are applying for your first role in education, preparation can help you feel more confident and give clear, relevant answers.
A career in education can develop in many different directions. Some people begin by supporting pupils as teaching assistants, while others enter the profession through a degree apprenticeship or postgraduate teacher training. Qualified teachers may later take responsibility for a subject, year group or phase before progressing into senior leadership or wider school improvement roles.
Beginning your career as a teacher is an exciting opportunity to make a lasting difference to children’s lives. However, finding the right school, support network and professional development opportunities can be just as important as securing your first teaching position.
