The easiest and most cost-efficient way of setting up a bank account is to wait until you arrive in the UK. TimePlan or JSA our payroll provider will be happy to assist you in opening an account.

To do this you will need the following:

• Your passport
• A biometric card (an immigration document with your photo and fingerprints)
• A UK address

If you don’t yet have an address JSA can help with a short-term online bank account which you can open as soon as you have a UK phone number.

TimePlan Education pays every week directly into your bank account. You will be required to complete weekly timesheets on our online system. You must ensure you do this on time to be paid on time. If you are asked by a school to stay longer than the original assignment, make sure that you tell us straight away. It helps us to get your pay right first time.

UK tax and National Insurance will be deducted directly from your weekly pay. This is termed Pay as You Earn (PAYE). The current basic rate of tax is 20%. Most employees will be entitled to a Personal Tax Allowance. This allowance is not given all at once but spread over the 52 weeks of the tax year, which runs from April to April. After the taxable allowance, any remainder is taxed at 20%. National Insurance contributions will also be deducted from your salary. Altogether, you will pay approximately 30% of your salary in tax and National Insurance contributions.

For those teachers who are not on a work permit, TimePlan Education can advise on methods of minimising tax liability through our payroll provider JSA. This will increase net pay and also allow teachers to offset teaching-related expenses against their earnings.

No. Once you start earning, you’ll also start paying National Insurance, healthcare payments are automatically deducted from your salary. This gives you access to the National Health Service, which covers your healthcare for free.

TimePlan Education teachers from countries requiring a visa to work in the UK will also have to pay an additional immigration health surcharge (IHS) the cost of which varies depending on the visa type and length.

It is important that when you arrive and have found accommodation that you register with your nearest NHS doctor.

Prescriptions can be filled at your local pharmacy and cost a dispensing fee of £9 per item.

NHS direct walk-In centres throughout the UK offer fast and convenient access to healthcare advice and treatment for minor injuries and illnesses. No appointment is needed at these centres, although often there are long waiting times. The walk-In centres are not meant to replace your local family doctor, services and appointments should be made with your registered general practitioner (GP) where possible. The NHS also provides dental services at a heavily discounted rate. Again, you will need to register with an NHS dentist once you arrive in the UK.

You will need some savings to help with accommodation. Most landlords will want between a month or two months of rent as a deposit. Your rent, and subsequently, the size of your deposit is dependent on where you live. Our experience tells us that approximately £300-£750 is the norm for monthly rent. Only you know your spending habits, but you will need in the region of £1,500 to £1,750 to tide you over until you get paid for the first time. It is important to remember that once you arrive in the UK, it could be a few weeks before your first pay date. This is due to the time it takes to set up a bank account and also depends on when you arrive in our pay calendar.

The UK is a very multi-cultural society. Students are accustomed to having teachers from a variety of backgrounds teaching them. At first, you might find things more demanding – some overseas teachers find the UK lesson planning system quite onerous initially. However, the majority of teachers trained outside of the UK appreciate how straightforward the UK curriculum is and find they are able to implement unit plans effectively.

In the UK, most schools rely on teacher recruitment agencies to find them suitable teachers for day-to-day (supply, substitute, relief, etc.), short-term and long-term positions. TimePlan Education was the first recruitment agency to specialise in placements in the education sector back in 1989. Over the years we have established a very solid relationship with a vast range of schools in England, Wales and Scotland.

Registering with TimePlan Education is similar to registering with the department of education, a local school board or school district. Here at TimePlan Education, we pride ourselves on providing schools with quality teachers. As such, our standards are very high. You will need to supply supporting documents, have a successful interview with us and show evidence of good subject and curriculum knowledge before being considered for the jobs we recruit.

Recently in the UK, there has been an explosion of new teacher recruitment agencies. We are aware that teachers have a choice in recruitment consultants and we want to stress the importance of registering with a reputable company. In the UK, it is illegal for recruitment agencies to charge the candidate, that’s you the teacher, any fee for their services.

Not at all! For starters, you are going to be working in a school environment where school staff are generally very friendly and welcoming to new colleagues.

In addition, as a TimePlan Education teacher you will be invited to our social events, held monthly all over the UK. This is a great way to meet fellow TimePlan Education teachers as well as local consultants on the TimePlan Education team. You will soon see familiar faces at every event.

We pride ourselves on offering wrap-around care for TimePlan teachers. That means your emotional wellbeing is as important as your professional development. If you are struggling, please don’t hesitate to contact your TimePlan Education consultant or relocation consultant. We will do whatever we can to assist you.

TimePlan Education is very proud of the relationship we have with the local authorities in Scotland. Since 2001, TimePlan Education teachers have enjoyed the unique opportunity to live and work in areas ranging from the Scottish Highlands to the Islands.

The academic year in Scotland is slightly different from that of England, in that it usually begins in the second or third week in August and runs through to the end of June. Apart from a number of single-day holidays, schools break for a week or two in October, Christmas, February and Easter.

In terms of the curriculum, it is non-statutory in Scotland and so is not dictated by the government. Local authorities and schools decide what is to be taught, taking into account national guidelines and advice. If you are interested in learning more about the national guidelines for Scottish schools, have a look at the Curriculum for Excellence online.

For teachers looking to work in Scotland, the only significant difference in your application to TimePlan Education will be your registration with the General Teaching Council of Scotland (GTCS). In order to secure a position in Scotland, teachers must be registered with this governing body. While the process involves additional forms to complete and documents to submit, it is an entirely achievable task and TimePlan Education has helped many teachers through the process. TimePlan Education is also able to assist with the fees associated with the GTCS application. Please allow 8 – 12 weeks to get your GTCS. Our dedicated Scotland office is always available to help with further queries about the unique teaching experiences available in Scotland.