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The staffroom

Whether you're a permanent teacher, supply teacher or student teacher, you'll find others in the same situation on our Staffroom forum.

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Original poster

Retraining as art teacher

19 replies

NHSisfubar · 30/12/2015 22:27

I just wondered if anyone has advice on retraining as an art teacher? I run two small businesses of my own (both craft/design related) and this is supported by a part time office job which I'm starting to hate mainly due to the commute. I was wondering how you retrain to teach art? Ideally I'd like to do this part time for primary age either in a school or as after school clubs maybe? I have good A Levels and a design related degree. Thanks

OP posts:

KohINoorPencil · 30/12/2015 22:31

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

IguanaTail · 30/12/2015 22:36

Private schools might be interested.

elvisthehamster · 30/12/2015 22:43

Not sure about the training bit but here in Scotland we have specialist teachers at primary -so Art, Music, Drama etc is taught by a specialist teacher who teaches in just primary but goes round all the schools in the area.

Original poster

NHSisfubar · 30/12/2015 22:50

Thanks for the replies; I am also very musical if this might help? Do you need a specific qualification or do a teaching conversion course?

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SawdustInMyHair · 30/12/2015 23:01

Do you need a specific qualification or do a teaching conversion course?

Well, you can do a one year PGCE (two years part-time) to get Qualified Teacher Status.

I'm not sure about in Scotland, but in England you would have to train as 'general primary'. The only specialisms are Maths and PE, and even then you're trained for the whole curriculum, just with extra PE/maths. On my PGCE (general primary, KS2 focus) I have a grand total of about 6 hours training how to teach art, 3 on music! Obviously once qualified you could see about doing workshops rather than classroom teaching.

Of course you can also do PGCE as a secondary art teacher, then see what other opportunities there are.

DfE website is probably a good start to see the different routes in.

pieceofpurplesky · 30/12/2015 23:12

They have got rid of a lot of the specialist teachers though. When my DS started primary 8 years ago they had a group of specialists who worked in the four local school - music, pe, drama and art. None of those are employed in this role any more. After school clubs tend to be run by external companies or teachers. You could train as primary.

Secondary art may be an option but your training would have to be full time. Rather than a PGCE I would suggest a school direct or teach first way as I know art teachers are few and far between on the course (we are a teacher training school). The problem is though that the arts in general are suffering due to them not being on the E-Bacc.
What about art therapy? Have you looked at that (not sure of the qualifications needed).

My suggestion would be to have a strong second subject that you would be willing to teach at secondary level too.

Original poster

NHSisfubar · 30/12/2015 23:14

Thanks Sawdust. Will have a look; it might be best to run art courses aimed at kids outside of school teaching then as I am covered by my business insurance already for that and it doesn't require any specific qualification as such. I'd just need to find a location or link in with some local kids groups etc

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Original poster

NHSisfubar · 30/12/2015 23:23

Purplesky thanks also; yes I did think about art therapy in terms of older nursing home patients also. My 2 small businesses are both relatively successful in their own way but I work alone in both hence it would be nice to get out and share skills and meet more people in the local area.

Would it be worth approaching schools offering ad hoc classes do you think or is this not something that most schools would be able to take on logistically? For example as part of one of my businesses I offer kids parties using my products where I help them complete the project over an hour or two and they pay per head. I'd actually prefer not to be stuck in a full time role so that I can still continue with my own businesses but also have a few regular hours a week if you see what I mean!

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ArtyBat · 30/12/2015 23:30

Hi Op.
I'm an artist and have done workshops/classes in school - both primary and secondary - both on an ad hoc and 'artist in residence' basis.
I contacted local authorities as they had artist registers which were available to schools. These would contact me to see if I could offer workshops to sit alongside whatever they were doing within the National Curriculum at that time.
It was irregular at first, but as I became known I got more work, sometimes for 1 year projects. Good fun too.

TheTroubleWithAngels · 30/12/2015 23:32

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

NHSisfubar · 30/12/2015 23:52

ArtyBat; yes this sounds more the sort of thing I had in mind. Did you have to do any specific courses or anything to enable you to do this?

Angels; yes I'm aware that art is sidelined as a 'non serious' subject but hopefully I could get a few regular classes together either at schools or clubs to supplement my other incomes. I would never want to do it full time; 15hrs or so a week would be perfect! I can be quite flexible as my own businesses I can work on any hours of the day as mostly creative commissions or graphic design work.

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IguanaTail · 30/12/2015 23:59

Look on the TES website. Some like an "artist in residence"

Original poster

NHSisfubar · 31/12/2015 00:42

Thank you; will do!

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pieceofpurplesky · 31/12/2015 01:39

Schools are always looking for people to run citizenship workshops etc too - link your business and products in to something they can make or sell as enterprise ...

MrsUltra · 31/12/2015 10:02

You could certainly get part-time work in Art and Music covering PPA in primary, which could work well with your other businesses.
You do not need to be a qualified teacher now in academies and indies and free schools ( all our local school s are now in this category and these are likely to increase over the next few years)

Original poster

NHSisfubar · 31/12/2015 15:12

Thanks for the advice; what is PPA? Sorry; as a non parent I'm not up with the school related anacronyms!

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MrsUltra · 31/12/2015 15:17

PPA is prep and planning time for the class teacher.
In primary this seems to be in blocks in the afternoon so often that time is used for Art, Music, PE, MFL - whereas the mornings are numeracy and literacy.
As a supply teacher I have occasionally worked in primary and that is what I have seen - may differ elsewhere.

ArtyBat · 31/12/2015 17:27

Hi op, No I didn't undertake any courses to work in schools, but I am trained as an Adult Education Tutor, which helped a lot in terms of planning workshops etc.
Also, even though I can do and teach a number of art/craft subjects, I specialise in a particular one, and it is usually this one I run workshops for. This is useful in terms of differentiating to the needs of the class at any given time, as I'm aware exactly what skills/times/ages etc are involved.

Original poster

NHSisfubar · 06/01/2016 21:37

Thanks for the help! Will have a think in the next few months!

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