Introduction
In Scotland, the age range of children and young people in Secondary Education is 12 to 18 years of age. Secondary education is organised into specialist subject areas with young people moving from a broad and general phase of education to a senior phase of education as they move through years secondary 1 to secondary 6.
Teachers wishing to teach in the secondary sector must be qualified in their chosen subject.
There are four ways you can qualify to become a secondary school teacher in Scotland:
- a four-year combined undergraduate degree
- a combined undergraduate degree or a concurrent undergraduate degree including studying a subject, studying education, and school experience
- a PGDE programme following an undergraduate degree
- a postgraduate or integrated Master’s programme including a teaching qualification
In Scotland initial teacher education programmes for secondary education comprise of:
- Professional Studies
- Subject/curriculum studies relating to the specific subject you are academically qualified to teach across all stages of the secondary age range 12 to 18
- Teaching practice in the subject you are qualified to teach across all stages of the Secondary age range.
Further information on the courses available and the entry requirements are available from university websites and from Teach in Scotland.
We also individually assess equivalence of applicants with teaching qualifications from all across the world.
Secondary education subjects
A range of secondary education subjects are taught in Scotland’s schools including but not limited to:
- Art and Design
- Biology with Science
- Business Education
- Chemistry with Science
- Classics
- Computing Science
- Dance
- Drama
- Economics
- English
- Geography
- Geology
- History
- Home Economics
- Mathematics
- Media Studies
- Languages
- Modern Studies
- Music
- Philosophy
- Physics with Science
- Physical Education
- Psychology
- Religious Education
- Sociology
- Teaching English to Speakers of Foreign Languages
- Technological Education
Scotland has initial teacher programmes for gaining a teaching qualification in most but not all of the subjects listed above. Where individuals have gained qualifications outside Scotland and they meet our academic requirements, registration can be offered in all the subjects listed here and more.
All secondary teachers must hold a degree validated by a Higher Education Institution (HEI) in the United Kingdom or a degree of an equivalent standard from a HEI outside the United Kingdom.
This qualification must include degree-level study relevant to their subject, up to a minimum of 80 SCQF credit points (including 40 at SCQF Level 7 or above and 40 at SCQF Level 8 or above).
For some subjects there are specific study requirements – these subjects are highlighted below. Where these refer to “an appropriate degree” this refers to the degree requirement set out in our Memorandum on Entry Requirements to Programmes of ITE in Scotland.
More information about what registration in secondary (subject) education means for employment can be found in the 'How registration categories impact what employees can teach' article.