Primary and Secondary Teaching

Being a teacher is a highly rewarding vocation. Here you will find out more about the job of a teacher, what the entry requirements are and how and where to apply to.

Role Information

UCAS Information Evening

Tuesday 5 September 2017, 7pm

St Ninian’s High School Teaching Information Evening

Tuesday 31 October 2017, 7pm

Open Days

Paisley Diocese Conference – Teaching in a Catholic School: A Positive Career Choice – Monday 19 June 2017

Scottish Universities Offering Teaching Courses

There are various avenues open to anyone wishing to prepare for teaching in Scotland. The only Scottish University which provides Initial Teacher Education courses intended to prepare teachers specifically for working in Catholic schools is the University of Glasgow’s School of Education.

You can qualify as a teacher by either:

Completing a four year Bachelor of Education degree course in Primary Education and certain Secondary Subjects (normally Design and Technology, Music, Physical Education and Religious Education).
Complete a three/four year degree in essentially any subject* then complete Post Graduate Diploma in Education.

*For Secondary Subjects it is important to find out if the undergraduate degree contains the correct course information for a particular subject).

Qualification to Teach Religious Education

There are two ways in which you can gain the Catholic Teacher’s Certificate in Religious Education (CTC):

a) the Certificate in Religious Education by Distance-learning (CREDL) course; b) the Setting Out on the Road course.

Setting Out On the Road is a course which introduces participants to This Is Our Faith, the Church’s R.E. syllabus and is managed by the Scottish Catholic Education Service. It offers a blended learning model of 4 study days and distance-learning across one school year. Cost £210 (2016-17 price).

The Certificate in Religious Education by Distance Learning (CREDL) is the University of Glasgow route for qualified teachers, or for students studying an ITE programme at other universities. It is an on-line distance learning course and covers aspects of Theological Education over two semesters. Applicants should enrol on both courses at the start of semester 1. Cost £455 (2016-17 cost). For details, go here to the CREDL website.

General Teaching Council of Scotland

All entrants to the teaching profession require to be registered with the GTCS as having the appropriate qualifications for teaching in Scotland. On completion of a 4-year undergraduate degree course or a 1-year postgraduate course, students can apply for a place in the Teacher Induction scheme which guarantees a one-year full time placement in a school.

Church Approval is required by any Probationer teacher appointed to a Catholic school.

Prepare Your Personal Statement

Your personal statement gives you a chance to showcase your experience and articulate your reasons for wanting to teach.

You should think about the qualities you have that will work well in the classroom. How do your previous studies and work experience relate to your chosen subject or age group? What did you learn on school experience placements to influence your application? How have you benefited from other experiences of working with children or young people?

Craft your statement carefully, make sure you review it thoroughly before you submit it, and double-check the spelling and grammar.

Prepare for Interviews

If your application is successful, you’ll be invited for interviews at your chosen universities. At this point you need to make sure you’ve done your research. What do you know about the school or university that will be leading your training?

You’ll also need copies of all your personal documentation, including examination certificates. Finally, be prepared for the interview itself. It could involve group tasks, discussions, short individual presentations, personal interview (either one-to-one or with a panel) or written tasks that could involve a literacy test and/or subject-based test.

We will offer you mock interviews to help prepare you. Ask your Pastoral Support Teacher to arrange this.

Further Information

Scottish Catholic Education Service

Latest news and information for S6 pupils, parents, staff and partners of St Ninian's High School, East Renfrewshire, Scotland