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Original poster

Can I become a teacher with a law degree?

31 replies

Suns33ker · 15/07/2023 18:43

I got a 1st class law degree in in 2009. Since then I’ve got an LPC & worked in the legal field (though not as a qualified lawyer) ever since. A levels in Law (A), media (A), English language (A), History (B).

Now considering moving into teaching. My ideal subject would be history but English might be more realistic given my experience?

I’m at the very beginning of researching this but would love to hear your thoughts, advice & experiences. Thanks!

OP posts:
YakChewCrumbs · 15/07/2023 18:45

Do you definitely want secondary?

OctogenarianDecathlete · 15/07/2023 19:21

Secondary is the only sane choice! How primary teachers do it is beyond me!

I expect your qualifications would be fine. But best to ring around your local ITT providers and ask them.

It looks like English teachers are more in demand at present than History. But you won't be limited to teach only the subject you qualify in. During training you can ask to teach some history too. And then once qualified you can teach whatever a school wants you to.

Schools and education is shifting again. In general this is a good time to come in. We're seeing schools in some MATs really improving for both staff and students. But beware that the way they do this doesn't really fit in with some of the older notions of 'child led' or 'discovery' learning. But it works.

Original poster
Suns33ker · 15/07/2023 19:21

YakChewCrumbs · 15/07/2023 18:45

Do you definitely want secondary?

I assumed that would be best for my experience but I’m open to primary

OP posts:

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

General education
OctogenarianDecathlete · 15/07/2023 19:22

Oh, see if you can get in to see some schools next week before they close for the summer.

Go and see what it's really like in your area. You'll have to before you apply anyway, and if you don't do it this week you won't be able to train till next year.

noblegiraffe · 15/07/2023 19:34

Training providers have been basically told to accept anyone who applies so not having been in a secondary school since you went to one probably won't be a barrier.

Piggywaspushed · 15/07/2023 19:39

Head of maths at my school has a law degree and a former English colleague was an ex lawyer.

42isthemeaning · 15/07/2023 20:12

It's been a long time since I trained (PGCE secondary) but I thought your degree had to be in the subject you wanted to teach at secondary? (More or less e.g. an engineer could become a maths / physics / DT teacher) I trained in Scotland, so it might be different? (I'm pretty sure they used to go through your degree transcript with a fine tooth comb) I certainly thought you couldn't teach A level in a subject you don't have a degree in? I realise that in reality this isn't actually always the case in a school, especially at the moment...

timetorefresh · 15/07/2023 20:14

I suggest getting some experience first. There are reasons there's a recruitment and retention crisis currently

noblegiraffe · 15/07/2023 20:14

I trained a maths teacher who had an English degree - they had an A-level and had to do a subject knowledge enhancement course but the bursary for maths PGCE was worth it.

Singleandproud · 15/07/2023 20:16

Why not look at sixth forms and teaching A level Law?

HewasH20 · 15/07/2023 20:18

Dd recently investigated Teach First with a degree in Philosophy, Politics & Economics from Oxford. She was interested in history, RE or geography from the modules studied in her degree. They wouldn't let her do any of these as none of them accounted for 50% or more of her degree. They were quite happy for her to apply for maths though with a grade A at A level. I'm not sure if her experience would be the same for you.

CornishGem1975 · 15/07/2023 20:18

Yes, absolutely. You don't even need to be a qualified teacher to teach in academies (which is the majority of schools now I should think) and private schools.

42isthemeaning · 15/07/2023 20:19

@noblegiraffe I didn't realise this was possible. I did a subject enhancement course for another MFL, but wouldn't want to teach it above KS3.

Clementineorsatsuma · 15/07/2023 20:24

noblegiraffe · 15/07/2023 19:34

Training providers have been basically told to accept anyone who applies so not having been in a secondary school since you went to one probably won't be a barrier.

Could you explain what you mean please?

42isthemeaning · 15/07/2023 20:26

CornishGem1975 · 15/07/2023 20:18

Yes, absolutely. You don't even need to be a qualified teacher to teach in academies (which is the majority of schools now I should think) and private schools.

I actually work in an independent school myself and all my colleagues have relevant subject degrees / BEds and PGCEs. The school won't employ anyone without these. I didn't realise that academies could employ unqualified teachers.
I agree with pps that you should try to spend some time in a primary and / or secondary school before the end of term to see what you think.

Simplelobsterhat · 15/07/2023 20:27

I trained as an English teacher and there was definitely a student on my pgce course with a law degree. I think she said she had English lit A level and had agreed some additional reading with the course tutor when she was accepted on the pgce. I'd assume same would work for history if you have an A level in that. Although I think history teaching is more competitive to get into. I think many schools would see the fact you could offer law at A level as an advantage. Maybe contact some PGCE providers for both English and history and ask their advice.

42isthemeaning · 15/07/2023 20:28

HewasH20 · 15/07/2023 20:18

Dd recently investigated Teach First with a degree in Philosophy, Politics & Economics from Oxford. She was interested in history, RE or geography from the modules studied in her degree. They wouldn't let her do any of these as none of them accounted for 50% or more of her degree. They were quite happy for her to apply for maths though with a grade A at A level. I'm not sure if her experience would be the same for you.

This seems crazy!

Piggywaspushed · 15/07/2023 20:30

My DS was told he can do a history PGCE. Not got history A level...

CornishGem1975 · 15/07/2023 20:37

@42isthemeaning I would hope that the majority of teachers would but that's the law and they don't have to be a QTS. I know in our primary the IT teacher was not a qualified teacher but had 20 years of experience in IT.

Schools where QTS is not a legal requirementIn some schools in England, QTS is not a legal requirement. For example:

  • within the English state school sector, academy schools and free schools can employ teachers without QTS
  • outside the English state school sector, private schools or independent schools can employ teachers without QTS
Even where QTS is not a legal requirement, many schools use it to assess the quality of candidates for teaching jobs.

Types of school

Types of school and how they're run - community schools, academies, free schools, faith schools, state boarding schools

https://www.gov.uk/types-of-school/academies

NatTheGnat · 15/07/2023 20:40

I've worked in both (not as a teacher, but as a few things inside the classroom and out) and would never do primary again, and I love kids! But my aunt was a primary teacher and says she would never do secondary, so think it's personal taste.

Yes, you could teach English i think. You may need to do a subject knowledge enhancement course (are they still a thing??). I don't know about history as I don't think they do ske courses for history. If law is a very history heavy course then maybe?

Fwiw, I wanted to do a history pgce. I have a language and politics degree. The university I wanted to go to said no. I had thought it would be ok as i have A level history. Politics is quite history heavy, as was the language i studied (one third of the language component was history of france and francophone countries).

They would have let me do languages or English though (with ske). I didn't want to teach English due to the marking and I don't want to teach languages either. I do other work in school. Less money than teaching but it is a decent enough living and no marking / planning. I loved being a TA and LSA but financially, it was awful as I was broke! But there are other jobs in schools where you earn a reasonable living (considering the holidays).

careerchange456 · 15/07/2023 20:42

I have an LLB and then did primary PGCE. I teach and now lead KS1. There's no way in hell I'd ever be a secondary teacher - it's seems so dull compared the unpredictable nature of 5 year olds!!

Bluevelvetsofa · 15/07/2023 20:43

Can you do some volunteer work in a school? That might give you an idea about whether it’s what you want.

Do you want to do a PGCE. Difficult with family life. It’s a very hard year.

NatTheGnat · 15/07/2023 20:43

Sorry - both primary and secondary I mean! I do not have a Law Degree!

noblegiraffe · 15/07/2023 20:48

Clementineorsatsuma · 15/07/2023 20:24

Could you explain what you mean please?

Show quote history

Teacher training providers have been explicitly told not to reject applicants for not having any school experience. That's been the case for a few years, I think.

They've also recently told training providers to basically lower standards https://schoolsweek.co.uk/reject-fewer-teacher-applicants-dfe-tells-trainers/

Reject fewer teacher applicants, DfE tells training providers

Teacher trainers have been told by the Department for Education to scrutinise their “significant rejection rates”, even in shortage subjects.

https://schoolsweek.co.uk/reject-fewer-teacher-applicants-dfe-tells-trainers/

RSintes · 15/07/2023 21:24

Yes - I did Law and worked as a solicitor for some years before retraining and doing a PGCE in MFL and I've been teaching ever since. Also taught A-Level law too.