What are the minimum qualifications needed to teach A Level?

[baglammanon]

Apart from QTS what qualifications are needed to teach A Level, especially core subjects that are difficult to recruit for, like maths or physics? Do you need a degree in the subject you're teaching or just a degree in any numerate subject? Or do you just need a degree in anything and maybe an A Level in the subject you're teaching?

By law, No teachers need any qualifications, not even QTS. Except the SENCO, who must be a qualified teacher!

It would be highly unusual for a teacher to teach an A level that they had neither qualification nor experience enough to justify their role though. Far more common at KS3 to plug a timetable gap, or even KS4 in times of desperation - -like the current recruitment and retention crisis- -

With regards to qualifications I'm not sure as I thought in maintained schools they had to be QTS. I know privates and academies can choose whatever they deem fit to an extent.
My english A level teacher about 9 years ago was old GCSE English teacher and she said from day one, guys I've never done this and I will be a lesson ahead from you all so let's all be patient. We all did well and I think she enjoyed it.
I know my sister who is in y7 currently has a DT teacher as her science teacher. She is also one of the deputy heads and I guess fills in the gaps. She has been great though and sister has learnt so much. So I guess I've never had negative experiences of filling in gaps.

fullfact.org/education/unqualified-teachers/

I work in a maintained school with several unqualified (excellent) teachers. In my experience they are most commonly found in citizenship, music (but often, they have LOTS of music teaching experience before they get the job!) and PE (again, lots of previoucoaching experience!)

People are right in that you don't technically need any qualifications other than QTS but the general rule in all the schools I have worked in is that to teach a particular subject you need a qualification one level above minimum. So for GCSE, the teacher needs A level and for A Level the teacher needs a degree in the subject. Hope that helps.

I think subject interest and knowledge is not best measured in qualification level. I teach history. The person with the best subject knowledge in my department has a degree in Theology. I’ve come across some teachers with pretty shockingly poor subject knowledge who have a degree in the subject but very little interest in continuing to read widely. My degree is in history but I’ve also taught A Level Politics in the past and didn’t feel under-qualified to do so. I do think there needs to be a certain level of overlap in the degree subject and subject taught or a subject knowledge enhancement course and keen interest in building subject knowledge.

As others have said, no specific qualifications are needed but strong subject knowledge is.

I once worked with an English teacher who had a BA in American Studies (I think), and they were a much better teacher than someone else in the team who had an English degree. I've seen first hand how shocking subject knowledge is, or lack of, in some trainee teachers who are just weeks out their degree.

Generally I think a strong academic grounding in the subject of a related subject is ideal. If the teacher is a competent teacher and smart enough to learn a new discipline then I'd rather that than someone with a specialist degree but poor knowledge.

I think that you have to bear in mind that not all degree subjects exactly match subjects that are taken at school. So I would say either a degree in that subject for A level or a closely related one. For example a person with an engineering degree would be qualified to teach Physics or Maths to A level.

This does very much depend on the subject. Some subjects are very niche and teachers (especially longer serving ones) may have qualified before the A Level existed and may be less likely to have a degree in the subject. Generally, a closely allied degree is the norm.

However, our head of science teaches Latin and classics, for example. One of our German teachers has an English degree. My degree is in neither of the subjects I teach at A Level. My colleague has a Cambridge degree. It's in Theology and he does not teach RS or philosophy, or even history!

Why do you ask?

I teach A level Maths. I have no A levels - I am quite upfront with students about it. In fact I reminded Y13 this week and commented maybe I am completely unqualified to teach you - explains a lot Miss was the retort!

Degree in Mech Engineering through non A-level route. Useful to discuss with students.