Expectations of a teacher
Our expectations of you
To become a qualified teacher you will need to successfully meet the requirements of the Department for Education's (DfE) Teachers’ Standards, whilst carrying out the activities and duties of a teacher. This page outlines our expectations of you as a teacher and our approach to reasonable adjustments. We're committed to your success as a trainee teacher, and we'll support you in every way we can along the way.
What does a teacher do?
As a teacher, your first concern is the education of your pupils. You're accountable for achieving the highest possible standards in work and conduct, and you'll be expected to forge positive professional relationships with parents and other professionals.
The Department for Education (DfE) outlines a teacher's duties as follows:
- Planning and preparing lessons and courses for children
- Delivering lessons to children
- Assessing the development, progress and attainment of children
- Reporting on the development, progress and attainment of children
- An activity which assists or supports teaching
- Supervising, assisting and supporting a child
- An administrative or organisational activity which supports the provision of education
- An activity which is ancillary to the provision of education
Teachers' Standards
The DfE assesses trainees using official Teachers’ Standards, which can be summarised as follows (you can read the full Teachers' Standards here):
Part 1 - Teaching
- Set high expectations which inspire, motivate and challenge pupils
- Promote good progress and outcomes by pupils
- Demonstrate good subject and curriculum knowledge
- Plan and teach well-structured lessons
- Adapt teaching to respond to the strengths and needs of all pupils
- Make accurate and productive use of assessment
- Manage behaviour effectively to ensure a good and safe learning environment
- Fulfil wider professional responsibilities
Part 2 - Personal and Professional Conduct
- Teachers uphold public trust in the profession and maintain high standards of ethics and behaviour, within and outside the school
- Teachers must have proper and professional regard for the ethos, policies and practices of the school in which they teach
- Teachers must have an understanding of, and always act within, the statutory frameworks which set out their professional duties and responsibilities.
Duties of a teacher
Fitness to teach
Teaching is a demanding career and teachers need a high standard of physical and mental fitness to fulfil their duties. The health, education, safety and welfare of students must be taken into account when deciding on an individual’s fitness to teach. As a teacher you will be expected to:
- Have the health and well-being necessary to deal with specific types of teaching and associated duties (adjusted, as appropriate) in which you will be engaged
- Communicate effectively with children, parents and colleagues
- Possess sound judgement and insight
- Remain alert at all times
- Respond to pupils’ needs rapidly and effectively
- Able to manage classes
- Not constitute any risk to the health, safety or well-being of children in your care
Assessing your fitness to teach
If you are made an offer to do your PGCE, it is important for everyone to establish whether you are fit to teach. Many people with a disability or chronic illnesses are fit to teach, in the same way that many non-disabled people are unfit to teach.
Our Occupational Health Adviser will ask you to fill out an Occupational Health Form, and CTE will also send you a Fitness to Teach Form. These forms are to protect children's welfare and yours too. If you need reasonable adjustments we'll create an Individual Support Plan with you, with the help of the Programme Leader and your Personal Tutor.
Physical or mental disabilities
Many of our teachers have physical or mental disabilities, and they make important contributions to their school - not just as effective employees but also as positive role models for diversity and disability. People with disabilities are confronted with many challenges on a daily basis and are used to finding solutions which require flexibility, creativity and an open mind, which can also benefit the whole school.
In all cases, our trainees with disabilities have to meet the academic and professional standards of our programmes and meet the Teachers' Standards.
Telling us about your disability
It is your decision whether to disclose any disability in your application. However, we want to support you and to make reasonable adjustments to help you overcome physical and mental health barriers whilst you are training at University and in schools. Your teacher training programme at Warwick will be personalised for you. This includes a range of academic and professional support to help you achieve your potential.