Supporting schools to maximise nursery and breakfast club funding

If you are an Early Career Teacher (formerly known as an NQT) without a teaching job for September, don’t panic.

Firstly, you’re far from alone. 2020 saw a 16% rise in applications for teacher training courses. However, retention has still not recovered to pre-pandemic levels. This mismatch between supply and demand was always bound to leave NQTs out in the cold for September.

But there are lots of reasons to hang on in there. Both these phenomena stem from the same source: the stability of a teaching career. In a job market rocked by the Covid-19 pandemic, this has never been truer.

Even without a role for September, ECTs have plenty of options to grow their careers over the next year. These range from paid work in classrooms to accredited training and skill development.

Here are the top 6 practical steps ECTs can take to put the next academic year to good use.

More and more teachers are choosing supply teaching as a career, rather than a stopgap. Supply teaching gives you the chance to balance your working and personal lives. You'll also get the chance to accumulate a lot of experience in a short time.

Supply teaching now offers more opportunities than ever for Continuing Professional Development training. Supply should be on the mind of any ECT looking for a route into working in education.

You’ll learn on the job at a variety of different schools each week. You'll develop traits, insights and techniques that will impress employers for permanent roles.

Supply teaching also lets you try out aspects of education that you might not otherwise discover. For instance, few NQTs get the chance to work in SEN schools on their placements. But if you're willing to work in a support capacity this year, you will gain skills and experience in a fascinating, fulfilling sector.

We can help you find local supply teaching job opportunities for the new academic year. Simply send over your CV and we will be in touch.

Even this close to the start of term, there are still permanent teaching positions up for grabs. This means you need to get your CV and personal statement in tip-top shape as soon as possible.

Ensure that you have written both documents in plain, accurate English. Foreground your prior achievements and clarify any gaps in your employment history.

Take the time to go over your CV with a fine toothcomb; you will put yourself in pole position to find a last-minute job.

You can still advance your career prospects even if you’re not in full-time work this September. You just need to make wise use of the time you would have been spending in school.

CPD training can develop your understanding of contemporary teaching practice and pedagogy. Even a few courses will provide you with new insights that will make you a better teacher.

You’ll leave with certifications that will maximise your employability.

Teaching Personnel's CPD Academy offers subsidised CPD training to all our candidates. All you have to do is register with us.

The National Tutoring Programme (NTP) is a scheme to mend learning gaps through small-group tuition.

In autumn 2022, the NTP will enter its third year. Out-of-work NQTs can gain valuable experience by signing up to the programme as tutors.

You’ll make a difference to the fortunes of some of Britain’s most disadvantaged pupils. All the while, you'll get a working insight into the local schools you might seek permanent jobs at next year.

As an official partner of the NTP, we’re inviting ECTs and other educators to register as tutors. As part of the sign-up process, you’ll get free access to a CPD course offering a practical framework for impactful tutoring.

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No ECT Job For September? Here's How to Find Work

1. Enrol as a supply teacher

2. Browse last-minute vacancies

3. Join a talent pool

4. Invest time in some CPD training

5. Sign up for the National Tutoring Programme

Register with us
for work in schools across England & Wales

No ECT Job For September? Here's How to Find Work

1. Enrol as a supply teacher

2. Browse last-minute vacancies

3. Join a talent pool

4. Invest time in some CPD training

5. Sign up for the National Tutoring Programme

Register with usfor work in schools across England & Wales

Register with us
for work in schools across England & Wales