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Hi Anna! Welcome on Expat-blog! I hope you'll get replies soon and i wish you good luck in your future job.


Christine

Hi Anna.  Have you already sorted your visa?   Are you hoping to move over on an ancestory visa seeing as you are a citizen of a commonwealth country?

As far as teaching, I think you will find that you will need some extra qualifications to teach in the UK. If you have at least two years of teaching experience, you can get Qualified Teacher Status through assessment, which is basically another year of student teaching.  As far as I know, you'd need to find a teacher to sponsor you and then "shadow" them.
Its also possible to be hired as an overseas trained teacher and get your employer to be your sponsor to gain QTS.

I imagine settling in Bristol would limit your opportunities, but I am not familiar at all with the demand in the area, so I cant help you on that one.  I just did a quick search on some job sites and dont see any art education postings in Bristol, but thats not to say they arent out there.

Here's a website that focuses only on jobs in Bristol if its any help to you: bristoljobmarket.com/



Blog:

Thanks for your replies.

Lady Liberty: I am coming over on a 2 year youth mobility Visa (I am in my mid 20s) and am working through a UK teaching agency that has an office in Bristol...which is how I started researching it. I'm waiting to hear back from the agency about actual stats on the amount of teaching jobs there.Then again, my specialty is art so no matter where I go I might have trouble getting a longer term job. Surely no matter where I go, the job market couldn't be worse than New Brunswick!

As far as I know, my Canadian B.Ed and year and a half of casual work here is an equivalent qualification to the QTS, as that included my practise teaching as well as the academics side.

I'm really tempted just to say London because that's what everyone chooses, and it's big and bustling and a bigger population means more schools of course, but to me it seems more like a place I would rather visit than live.

It's a very tough decision to make without ever having visited the UK. Any feedback you have about life in Bristol, good areas to live, etc, would be appreciated.

Thanks

Personally, I think you've got the right idea - I wouldnt want to live IN London either.  I live a 30 minute train journey away which I think is ideal.  I have to admit, I have only driven through Bristol, so unforunately, I cant give any feedback on the city itself. It sure would be cheaper than London though, which is a bonus.

Maybe somewhere closer to London would yield more opportunities.. like Reading or Oxford?  If you arent particularly picky about where to live, I would widen your job search and move where the best job is.  Its an enviable position to be in really.  I hope it works out for you.   

Let me know if I can answer any other questions about being an expat in England.

Anna, try working through SuperStars.  I'm a music teacher from the USA, and I was just hired through them to teach 3 afternoons per week.  I know they are looking for art specialists, too.  The name of the scouting agent is Luke Oakes and the general manager for the SouthWest is Jon Beddow. They are great guys in their early to mid 20's who are all specialists in the fields of sports, music, drama, dance, art, and design technology.  It's a great upwardly mobile company.  Give it a try.

Also, there are dozens of agencies here in Bristol.  I'm signed on with lots of them to increase my chances of getting day-to-day supply teaching work.  I am registered with the GTC (General Teaching Council) which is now a requirement for all teachers, and I am here on a spousal visa (my husband is British).  I have OTTS (Overseas Trained Teacher Status) and I am considered to be a NQT (Newly-Qualified Teacher) although I have been teaching for 28 years.  I haven't found a permanent full time position since being here for 15 months, and that is necessary in order for me to earn my QTS (Qualified Teacher Status).  Honestly, it's slim pickin's right now, as there are more teachers than there are positions.  Everyone wants QTS teachers, but none are willing to give the experience necessary in order for NQT teachers to attain that status.  I have searched high and low for teaching posts, and I have been willing to relocate to wherever is necessary, but I've not been successful yet.  Meanwhile, I will work my guaranteed three afternoons per week and start building my private student clientelle.  (sp?)  Working for a bit of money as a free lancer is better than nothing at this point.