Return to teaching
Returning to teaching can be easier than you expect.
More than ever, our children and young people need your skills and experience back in the classroom.
If you’re thinking about returning to teaching, or if you’re qualified to teach but have never taught in a state school in England, we can help.
If you trained to teach in the UK and are a UK citizen currently working abroad, find out about returning to England to teach.
Why now?
Thousands of former teachers return to teaching each year.
Now could be a great time for you to become a teacher again and help support education recovery.
Here at the Department for Education, we’re taking action to address some of the common issues that teachers face in the classroom. This includes helping schools to:
The education sector promotes inclusivity and diversity. There are many organisations that support teachers with protected characteristics, such as WomenEd, BAMEed, LGBTed and DisabilityEd.
Search for jobs, including those with flexible working patterns, on Teaching Vacancies.
Get a return to teaching adviser
If you have qualified teacher status (QTS) and you want to return to teach at a secondary school in England, you could be eligible for a return to teaching adviser.
They can give you free one-to-one support with:
- the applications process, such as writing personal statements and preparing for interviews
- accessing courses to enhance your subject knowledge or teaching practice, such as national professional qualifications (NPQs)
- finding teaching vacancies
You can chat by phone, text or email, as little or as often as you need.
Return to teaching advisers also run events to support returners.
If you qualified as a teacher outside the UK, you must have English qualified teacher status (QTS) to get an adviser. Call us on 0800 389 2500 to check if you’re eligible for an adviser.
Read a transcript of the video
Return to teaching advisers specialise in helping returning teachers with qualified teacher status (QTS) get back into the classroom.
Join the National Tutoring Programme
The National Tutoring Programme supports schools with helping children get back up to speed after the disruption of the coronavirus pandemic. It also provides different options to return to a school without taking on a full-time or part-time classroom role.
If you’re looking for an alternative to taking on a teaching role, the National Tutoring Programme could be it. Through it, you can tutor or mentor children and help provide support to disadvantaged pupils.
Find a role
Teaching Vacancies is the government’s free, national job listing service for the teaching profession. Search for a teaching role in England. You can set up job alerts so that you do not miss out on any opportunities.
Take a look at the different types of schools and staff roles to find the best opportunity for you. Vacancies with flexible working opportunities are listed on the service.
Don’t necessarily expect to get the first job you apply for and don’t get disheartened if you’re not successful.
Helen, a returning teacher
Use the early career framework (ECF) resources
The early career framework resources help early career teachers (ECTs) with their learning and development. They’re accredited by the Department for Education (DfE).
If you’re returning to teaching, you can use these online resources to support you in your journey back into the classroom. Find material to refresh your knowledge on behaviour management, pedagogy, curriculum, assessment and professional behaviours.
If you’ve been out of teaching for a while
If you’re returning to teaching, you might want to re-familiarise yourself with life in a classroom. Here are lots of ways that you can do it.
Teaching interview tips
- read up on how to approach a teaching job interview
Catching up on changes
- review the latest teachers’ standards
- catch up on changes to the national curriculum and qualifications
- read through current behaviour management guidelines
- learn about how DfE have improved the National Professional Qualifications (NPQs) and if you may be eligible for a fully funded scholarship
Other things to consider
- join the Chartered College of Teaching, the professional body for teachers
- join a teaching union
- ensure your pension, one of your key benefits, is up to date