If you’re enthusiastic about sports and exercise and love the idea of teaching, then PE teacher jobs might offer the perfect career for you. But how do you qualify for physical education teacher jobs?
Below, we cover:
- What a PE teacher does
- The most common routes in, including standard PE teacher qualifications
- Other ideal PE teacher requirements, such as soft skills
- Choosing the right sports teacher job for you
- Progression opportunities
what does a PE teacher job involve?
As a PE teacher, you could teach physical development, sports and nutrition to children of all ages. You’ll have the chance to enjoy and maintain your own physical fitness, as well as training the next generation. It’s your job to get them enjoying exercise and games as well as teaching them how to stay fit and healthy.
Teaching isn’t just about physical education, though. As a PE specialist, you’ll be teaching young people vital skills such as teamwork, collective responsibility and discipline. You’ll also help them to gain confidence and build enthusiasm about new hobbies.
Day-to-day responsibilities in physical education teacher jobs include:
- Preparing and running practical and theoretical PE lessons
- Performing and grading physical assessment lessons
- Feeding back to parents and guardians on pupil progress
- Organising school sporting events and running sports teams
- Working with colleagues to coordinate activities and department goals
how to become a PE teacher in the UK
In short, there are three main paths to becoming a PE teacher:
- University and PGCE
- School direct
- Changing career
Whichever route you choose, you need to do Initial Teacher Training (ITT) first, which leads to Qualified Teacher (QTS). The two main ways to do this are:
- University-led training through an undergraduate degree and postgraduate professional training
- School-led work-based training
The majority of PE teachers, like most other teachers in England, get a degree first then earn their QTS later. Another option is to study an undergraduate degree in PE while becoming a qualified teacher at the same time.
Regardless, you’ll need good GCSEs (grades A* to C) in English and Maths (plus Science if you teach in middle schools), as well as:
- Passes in numberacy and literacy skills tests, before starting ITT
- Enhanced background checks by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
Let’s look at those first three paths to becoming a PE teacher in more detail, plus a bonus option.
university and PGCE
You may want to study for a degree or you may already have one. Many PE teachers study a degree in a related subject such as a BSc in Sports Science or a BA in Physical Education and Primary Years.
You’ll then go on to take a one-year Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE), which you can do specifically in physical education. You can search for courses and apply to do a PGCE through UCAS teacher training.
A PGCE will normally last one year full-time or two years part-time, and fees are around £9,000 with living expenses on top. Courses come with the added bonus of Master’s credits, which go towards earning a Master’s degree.
school direct
School-led courses are another way to get your QTS and are a great way to train for sports teacher jobs if you prefer a more hands-on approach. You’ll be working in two schools in an environment that effectively allows you to learn on the job.
School-led courses last for a year and earn you the equivalent of a postgraduate qualification, while institutions can offer master’s credits. There is every chance that you’ll continue working in one of the schools at which you’ve trained once qualified.
Bear in mind that you’re unlikely to be paid during the School Direct programmes, which are run by a school or group of schools with close links to a university or School Centred Initial Teacher Training consortium (SCITT). Your tuition fees may be covered by the school, though.
However, there are some salaried options if you’ve got a degree in any subject and have more than three years of work experience. In this case, schools will recruit you directly and you could find yourself earning £16,300 nationally, or £20,500 while training in London. You’ll need to check with the individual schools what the salary is and whether this also includes a PGCE.
H3: changing career to become a PE teacher
Changing career to become a PE teacher will often mean that you need to complete further education and training schemes to make sure that you’re capable of being a fully qualified teacher. And if you decide to switch things up and apply for PE teacher jobs later in life, you’ll naturally have to have a decent fitness level to carry out your duties.
There are schemes run by Teach First that combine teacher training with personal and business training, internships and mentoring to make sure that you’re ready to get into the classroom by the end.
These types of schemes look at on-the-job training while working towards a fully accredited PGCE, as well as the option to complete a Master’s degree if you want to pursue it further. This is a fantastic way to take experience and skills from other areas of life and learn how to apply them to the national curriculum.
H3: degree with qualified teacher status
So what about the less well-travelled routes? Mark Bowler, senior lecturer in physical education and course coordinator in secondary physical education at the University of Bedfordshire, explains how there’s another way into sports teacher jobs.
"The most familiar route into PE teaching is studying a degree and then doing a PGCE,” he says. “Indeed, this is how most teachers enter the classroom.
"However, there is another path into the profession through three providers – the University of Bedfordshire, University of Brighton and Plymouth Marjon University – who between them offer more than 100 places a year to study an undergraduate degree in PE with qualified teacher status."
other PE teacher requirements
As well as the standard PE teacher qualifications and a good understanding of the curriculum, there are core skills that will improve your chances of finding work and progressing:
- Good physical fitness
- Understanding of the human body, including stretching, nutrition and recovery
- Ability to communicate well with pupils, parents, support staff and senior colleagues, including preparing pupils for exams
- Knowledge of behavioural management techniques
- Experience of working with young people, whether paid or unpaid
- Enthusiasm and creativity
- Knowledge of different sports and their rules, regulations and equipment
- Ability to plan engaging lessons
- Willingness to organise sporting events with other schools or colleges
- Basic knowledge of first aid
finding the right PE teacher job for you
While almost all sports teacher jobs share key similarities, roles and requirements can vary based on a few different factors. So even if they’re not all important to you, it’s helpful to think about the following points:
- The age and maturity level of students with whom you want to deal – primary or secondary school for example
- The type and range of PE subjects you want to cover, as the curriculum advances with grade seniority
- The educational level for which you’re aiming, as you might need extra qualifications to teach PE to post-secondary students
Whether you want to coach team sports
progression opportunities for PE teachers
Becoming a PE teacher is rewarding in itself but there are opportunities to advance, too, as you gain experience and knowledge.
You may progress to a specialist teacher of education or head of department, for example, or even a deputy head or headteacher. Alternatively, you could apply your skills and experience to another area within the sports industry, such as coaching or schools sports partnerships.
search for PE teacher jobs near you
Whether you’re already qualified or you want to get a feel for what’s out there, view our latest physical education teacher jobs. We can also send new opportunities straight to your inbox if you submit your CV.
If you found this guide on how to become a PE teacher useful, check out our career hub for more information and guides on job roles and career progression.
