| Q |
How
often will I get paid? |
| A |
Timesheets must be submitted on Fridays in order for you to be paid the following Friday. |
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| Q |
I've
heard it's expensive to live in London. Will I manage
on my wage? |
| A |
This is a tough question but one that we are asked quite
often. It is difficult for us to answer because everyone
lives their lives very differently, with differing needs
and priorities. The ever-changing relationship between
the Canadian dollar and the English pound makes things
a little harder too. We can tell you however, that we
have taught and lived extremely well in London and managed
to keep that pesky travel bug very well fed! Check out
this website for more information:
www.uk-working-holiday.co.uk/uk-cost-living.htm |
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| Q |
What
about accommodation? |
| A |
Classroom Canada has an arrangement with a Key Worker’s Association (an organization that helps people who work in London as teachers, nurses, police officers, etc.) where you can get accommodation at a reduced rate. The rooms are simple single rooms equipped with a single bed, desk, wardrobe and sink and with shared bathrooms and a shared common room/kitchen. The rent is month-by-month which gives you the time you need to get to know London better and possibly move out to find a flat in an area you would like to live in. The best part of this option is that you can live with other Canadian teachers who have also just arrived. Most of our teachers end up staying in this accommodation for the duration of their stay as it is affordable and comfortable. Also, you don’t need to pay a deposit, saving you almost $1000 Canadian. Please contact Classroom Canada to discuss this option. |
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| Q |
Can
Classroom Canada help me with my VISA? |
| A |
We can offer guidance as you process your paperwork, but you will need to complete the application for yourself. The applications are done online. Please consult the British High Commission website for more information. www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en
|
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| Q |
How can I increase
my chances of employment in the UK? |
| A |
| • |
Adjust your arrival
dates to coincide with busiest times of the school
year (October – April). |
| • |
Ask Classroom Canada if you
qualify for a guaranteed 2 weeks work on arrival. |
| • |
Register with Classroom Canada
at least 1 month before your intended arrival
date to ensure that you are fully cleared and
can begin teaching on arrival. |
| • |
Be as flexible as possible
with the classes you are willing to teach –
for example:
•
If you are a secondary teacher you may be willing
to teach primary or special needs
•
If you are a primary teacher you may be willing
to teach all year levels and give special needs
teaching a go. |
| • |
Be willing to travel anywhere
up to 1hr to get to school in the morning (the
average London journey for supply teachers is
around 45 minutes). |
| • |
Familiarize yourself with the UK curriculum |
| • |
If you have chosen to be a
daily supply teacher, call the office in the mornings
and evenings to remind them you are available. |
| • |
Get dressed and prepared for
a call early in the morning. |
| • |
Be punctual and reliable and
always take you're A-Z (mapbook) in the mornings
to ensure that you don't get lost! |
| • |
Always take activities that
are appropriate to the year level you will be
teaching. |
| • |
Use your initiative and be
an agreeable and easy going teacher who is happy
to give anything a go – within reason!! |
| • |
Make an attempt to mark work
and write the teacher a note at the end of the
day to say positive things about the class. |
| • |
Leave the room as you would
like to find it. |
| • |
Be the best ambassador for
Classroom to ensure that schools remember you
to increase your chances of being requested back. |
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| Q |
When is the best
time to register to ensure I get all of my paperwork
processed before I leave? |
| A |
You will need to make contact with Classroom Canada
at least 1 month before your intended arrival date to
ensure your paperwork will be processed. |
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| Q |
Will
Classroom Canada help me to organize my flights? |
| A |
Classroom Canada has arrangements with different travel
companies to get you the best rates. Please contact
us when you are booking your flight to discuss your
options. |
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| Q |
How
will I find my way to school? |
| A |
The dedicated team in the London office of Classroom
will provide you with all the details you will need
to get to your school including the school's address,
closest tube stop, contact person and detailed description
of how to get to the school from the tube stop. They
will also provide information on the ethos and procedures
at the school as well as the most suitable attire and
some information on the classes and subjects you will
be teaching. If you do happen to get lost, your consultant
will stay on the phone with you, guiding you until you
arrive. The best thing to do is to prepare yourself
with the journey the night before if you do know in
advance and remember to ALWAYS bring your map book (A-Z). |
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| Q |
How
do I certify my documents? |
| A |
You will need to get your copy of your documents stamped
by an MP, Bank Manager, Accountant or Lawyer and they
must sign the document after sighting the original document. |
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| Q |
Do
you place teachers in permanent placements? |
| A |
Unfortunately, fewer permanent placements are found
through agencies as most schools prefer to have teachers
on a casual basis. However, all situations are very
different and therefore each case needs to be looked
at carefully, hence our advice to you is to send us your resume and we can let you know at the time if any
suitable positions are or will be available. |
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| Q |
Will
I be teaching supply? What is supply teaching? |
| A |
Yes, when you get to London you will most likely be
a supply teacher. Most schools tend to have a certain
percentage of their staff working on a supply basis.
This means that those teachers are employed daily rather
than on a contract. This is called supply teaching.
There are two different forms of supply teaching, Long
Term Supply and Short Term Supply.
Short term supply:
Most people start off on short term supply work. You
are either told a couple of days in advance, the night
before or bright and early in the morning what school
you are going to, how to get there, and what subjects
you will be teaching. The team in London try their
hardest to send you to a school that is as close as
possible to where you live. Many teachers choose to
stay with short term/daily supply work as they have
great opportunities for professional development teaching
in a variety of school settings in and around London
as well as experience teaching children of diverse
ethnicity and ability. Moving from school to school
is a great way to meet new people and it allows you
the flexibility for travel minus the demands and commitments
of ongoing positions. Many travelers also choose daily
supply as there is very little associated planning
and preparation and no meetings!
Long term supply:
Long Term Supply is very similar to a contract position
in that you have guaranteed work, go to the same school
every day, have your own class and are part of a team
in a school. Long term supply does not
necessarily mean that you work in the same school
5 days a week – you may choose to do two days
in one school (every week) another 2 in a different
school (every week) and then the fifth day do day
to day supply work for something different and this
is completely acceptable. We are here to accommodate
you in any way that we can. You choose a way of working
that supports your lifestyle! |
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| Q |
Do
you place teachers outside of London? |
| A |
Our office is located in Central London, so we deal primarily with schools within the downtown core of London. Most of our schools are located between zones 1 & 6 of the London Tube Map. |
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| Q |
I
am not between the ages of 17 and 30. Can I still go
to London? |
| A |
That is a very sticky point, Classroom would love to have you teach in London - the problem is getting you over there. The British High Commission stipulates that in order to be eligible for a youth mobility visa you need to be between the age of 17 and 30 when applying for your visa. Don't lose hope though, there are other visas that you can apply for. Check to see if you are eligible for one of the following:
| • |
A British Passport –
If you have a parent born in the UK |
| • |
Ancestry VISA - If one/both
grandparents were born in the UK |
| • |
EU passport – If have
a parent with a passport from one of the countries
in the European Union |
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| Q |
How do I apply if I don't live in British Columbia? |
| A |
If you are interested in working in London but do not live in British Columbia (where the Classroom Office is located) don't stress! Please register your interest by sending us an email, with your cover letter and resume, and let us know a good time to call you so that we might be able to arrange a phone interview. We also travel across the country on occasion to recruit at university career fairs and to conduct interviews. |
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| Q |
If
I want to do Classroom Assistant work (Teacher's Assistant)
do I need qualifications and or experience with children? |
| A |
In order to teach as a classroom assistant you do not
need to have any formal qualifications, although if
you do have some form of qualification or are in the
process of gaining one then this will certainly be beneficial.
You do however, need to have had experience with children
either as a teacher's aide or working one-on-one with
children in a school setting. If you are unsure about
your experience please don't hesitate to email Classroom
Canada to find out if you are eligible. |
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| Q |
How
are the classes and year levels classified in London? |
| A |
This is very similar to Canada, but the wording is different.
Kindergarten is “reception” and grades are
“years”. Also, primary is Key Stage 1 and
junior is Key Stage 2. For secondary, grades 7-9 are
Key Stage 3, then grades 10-11 are Key Stage 4. The
students then go into their GCSE’s and finally,
A Levels. Please see the table below.
| Nursery |
Nursery |
| Reception |
Kindergarten |
| Age 5-7, Year 1-2 |
Key Stage 1 |
| Age 7-11, Year 3-6 |
Key Stage 2 |
| Age 11-14, Year 7-9 |
Key Stage 3 |
| Age 14-16, Year 10-11 |
Key Stage 4 |
| General Certificate in Secondary Education (Year
12) |
GCSE |
| ‘A' Levels (Year 13) |
Advanced Level |
|
