The field of education and early years learning offers a broad range of job opportunities, including roles such as primary school teachers, nursery assistants, higher level teaching assistants, and physical education instructors. This profession demands a high level of education, and qualifications are a crucial aspect when searching for candidates, along with exceptional interpersonal skills and a level of maturity.
Schools, colleges, universities, and nurseries may face difficulties in attracting suitable applicants, making it essential to create comprehensive job descriptions that outline both the necessary and desirable qualifications and skills. To assist in this process, we provide a job description template specifically tailored for academic positions.
What Do Education Professionals Do?
When hiring teachers and support staff, it's important to carefully consider the mix of skills and experience needed to facilitate learning, promote equality, and ensure student well-being. The reputation of your school or organization is on the line, making it essential to create job descriptions that clearly outline your expectations and your establishment's culture.
Depending on the educational setting, the responsibilities of teachers and support staff may include:
- Maintaining a safe and secure environment for students
- Connecting students with appropriate resources and learning support
- Grading learners using various assessment methods
- Ensuring confidentiality and compliance with the Data Protection Act
- Encouraging further education and training opportunities
- Setting ground rules for both group and individual learners
- Creating or following lesson plans
- Conducting teaching in line with regulatory requirements
- Promoting diversity and equality
- Collaborating with awarding bodies
Education Positions and Titles
The duties and tasks of educators are completed by workers in roles titled as:
- Teacher
- Teaching and Learning Assistant
- Nursery Nurse
- Early Years Practitioner
- Higher Level Teaching Assistant
Education Responsibilities and Duties
The primary responsibilities of teachers and teaching assistants are related to education and are considered essential to their role. These duties can vary based on the type of educational institution and job position. It is important to carefully define these responsibilities to ensure the individuals hired are capable of fulfilling them effectively, as the reputation and success of the institution depends on it.
Examples of education-related responsibilities and duties include:
- Attending meetings, conferences, and events
- Establishing and enforcing behavioural guidelines for students
- Supervising students during meal times, breaks, and field trips
- Preventing bullying and addressing incidents that may occur
- Providing comfort and support to students in distress
- Administering first aid and reporting accidents
- Completing administrative tasks related to teaching and student progress
- Maintaining a safe and secure learning environment
- Planning and delivering lessons, creating interactive learning materials, and gathering educational content
- Teaching in accordance with the national curriculum guidelines
- Creating a positive and inclusive learning environment that promotes diversity and equality
- Assigning homework and grading student work, documenting progress and providing progress reports
- Liaising with relevant authorities and awarding bodies
- Providing extra support and assistance to individuals or small groups
- Hiring staff (for head teacher or nursery manager roles)
Although these duties may seem general, it is important to specify how they should be carried out in the job description. For example, "Creating a positive learning environment by encouraging student participation and incorporating engaging teaching activities."
Essential Education Skills
To ensure your learners receive the highest quality teaching and learning experience, you require educational professionals who possess key skills in creating a supportive learning environment. Other professionals, such as teaching assistants and nursery workers, also play an essential role in education and require slightly different hard and soft skills to fulfill their responsibilities.
To carry out their teaching, support, and learning duties, you need teaching staff with skills such as:
- Understanding of learning styles and the teaching process
- The ability to adjust teaching methods to suit individual learner needs
- Effective verbal and written communication skills
- Motivational skills to inspire students and young people in the classroom
- The ability to interpret body language
- Empathy and appreciation for different cultures and beliefs
- Proficiency in classroom administration
- Organizational skills and patience
- Active listening and adaptability
- Leadership, collaboration, and teamwork skills
- Strong interpersonal abilities
- Effective time management
- Honesty and integrity
- Empathy and compassion
- Numeracy skills
- Problem-solving abilities
- Objectivity and impartiality
- Target-driven mindset
- Adaptability
- Presentation skills
- Foreign language proficiency
- A commitment to lifelong learning
- Familiarity with teaching standards
Educator Education and Qualifications
The required education and qualifications for teaching jobs may vary based on the job type and level of seniority. Some examples of qualifications that may be required include:
- Bachelor's or Master's Degree in Education with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS)
- Professional Graduate Diploma in Education
- Expert knowledge in a specific subject area
- Proficiency in computer skills
Education Training and Experience
A candidate with completed Initial Teacher Training is usually a requirement for teaching roles in education. The training provides valuable classroom experience that is overseen by experienced teachers. Certain positions may also necessitate prior teaching experience in either a primary or secondary school.
Frequently Asked Questions about Education Job Descriptions
Here we answer your education job description frequently asked questions.