TeacherActive accepts the following visas:

• Tier 5 Youth Mobility visa
• British passport
• Ancestral visa
• Spousal visa

It is a legal requirement to have the right visa to stay in the UK. You need to apply for this within three months of arriving in the UK. You can do so by heading to the Gov.uk website.

The UK has some of the most breathtaking, unique and captivating places to visit. One day you could be strolling the green of an ancient castle or getting lost in medieval streets, and the next enjoying the UK’s unique comedy, films, music and art in contemporary city spaces.

We’re sure you will feel right at home wherever you visit in the country. Ranking in the top 10 best countries in the world, there’s plenty to see and do in the UK:

• London: Including Big Ben, Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace
• Stone Henge: No one really knows why Stone Henge exists, but the 5,000-year-old neolithic monument is worth the visit.
• Stratford Upon Avon: The birthplace of Shakespeare is a place to catch a play and soak up the sights of an old English town.
• The beach: A trip to the UK wouldn’t be complete without a seaside holiday!
• Liverpool: The birthplace of the Beatles is a bustling city of music, shopping and culture.
• Snowdonia: Wales’ largest national park which includes Mount Snowdon and a mountain railway.

To work as a qualified teacher in the UK, it is a legal requirement to have QTS (Qualified Teacher Status). For those seeking teaching work without QTS, or a recognised overseas teaching qualification, then you will most likely need to work as an unqualified teacher in UK schools. Most teaching qualifications can be turned into a QTS before you come to the UK, to see if your country qualifies head to the GOV.UK website.

You can work for up to four years without QTS, this is known as the four-year QTS exemption rule. However, having QTS will make it easier to find work and for you to be paid the correct amount.

If you are working in a supporting role, such as a teaching assistant, we prefer at least six months’ of relevant experience, but this is not compulsory. Transferable experience working with children or young adults in other capacities, such as coaching, nannying or babysitting, nursing, mentoring, tutoring etc.; also lends itself nicely to these roles.

The UK school year runs from September to July. Pupils will usually wear uniforms up until key stage five, and most school days start between 8:00 am and 9:00 am and end between 3:00 pm and 4:00 pm, with breakfast and after-school clubs bookending the day.

The core subjects across primary and secondary schools are English, maths and science. In Secondary school (usually in Year Nine) pupils will be able to pick other subjects, such as foreign languages, art, sports science and more, to take and study for their GCSEs.

Pupils will take SATS (Standard Assessment Tests) when they are seven, 11 and 14. GCSEs are taken at ages 15 and 16, and A-Levels or equivalent exams are taken at ages 17 to 18.

Term one

Starts: Early September

Half term: End of October

Ends: Mid-December, before the Christmas holidays 

Term two

Starts: Early January

Half term: Early/mid-February

Term ends: Late March/early April

Term three

Term starts: Mid-April

Half term: Late May/Early June

Term ends: Late July

Each region of the UK varies with its exact term dates, so please see this is a rough guide. You’ll often find Year 11s and Year 13s may finish earlier, depending on where their last exams fall. For more detailed curriculum information, head to Gov.UK or check your local council’s website for specific term dates.