Am I too old to go into teaching?

Am I too old?

Many entrants to the profession are older individuals who are changing careers and looking to take on new challenges. in fact, teaching is one of the most popular choice of occupation for those planning a career change.

Initial teacher training (ITT) providers and potential employers welcome the increased confidence that maturity brings. As any other prospective student or teacher, you will need to demonstrate your reasons for wishing to become a teacher and a commitment to helping children and young people learn.

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Initial teacher training (ITT) providers and potential employers welcome the increased confidence that maturity brings.
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Remember also that new discrimination legislation came into force in October 2006 meaning that no-one can be turned down on the grounds of their age.

So, if you’re sure that you want to become a teacher, go to Getting on a course which details ways in which you can gain school experience and demonstrate your commitment to your new calling.

What you bring as a mature student

  • Experience of a different sector: commercial/financial/public service etc.
  • Transferable skills
  • Enthusiasm for new life experiences.   

Financial concerns

Many mature entrants to ITT courses are making a financial sacrifice, giving up careers to train as a teacher because of the intrinsic rewards of teaching.  

However, financial commitments are often particularly important for mature students. There are employment based routes you can take which offer a salary while training. You could also look into part-time or flexible PGCE courses, details of which can be retrieved from the Teacher Development Agency and Graduate Teacher Training Agency websites.

Commitments

When finding an appropriate ITT course and provider, you may also want to consider your mobility needs. You may be restricted geographically in terms of ITT provider and / or available schools for placement. It is important that you identify your needs and take them into account when searching for an appropriate ITT provider.

Mature students

There are many other mature students entering teaching. If the age mix on a course is something about which you are concerned, you can ascertain if some providers have a quota for mature students on the TDA ITT providers’ database. You can access this from the TDA website.

Not having the correct qualifications

While there is no ‘let out’ on having the right qualifications, providers are often more sympathetic to mature candidates in allowing them to sit or resit an equivalence test, rather than having to resit the relevant GCSE.

 Download ATL's free publication for students, Into the classroom, for further advice on how to get the most out of your studies.

Useful websites

Resources