Music Teacher

Typical Salary

To

Typical Hours

35 to 37 variable

freelance / self-employed managing your own hours

How To Become a Music Teacher

You can get into this job through:

a university course
a college course
an apprenticeship
applying directly
specialist courses run by professional bodies

College / University

You'll need a relevant music degree and postgraduate qualification to be a music teacher in a music college or conservatoire.

2 or 3 A levels including music, or equivalent qualifications

a degree in a relevant subject for postgraduate study

You'll need a level 3 qualification or higher in music, if you want to be a music lecturer in a further education college.

4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course

Apprenticeship

You may be able to start by doing a postgraduate teaching apprenticeship, if you have a relevant degree and want to teach 3 to 19 year olds.

5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths

a degree for a teaching apprenticeship

Routes into this Career

Routes into this Career are not listed for this job.

You may be able to work as a private music teacher with or without qualifications, if you've got exceptional musical ability. A teaching qualification would also be helpful though not essential.

Other Routes

You could take training accredited by professional bodies, like the Level 4 Certificate for Music Educators, offered by the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) and Trinity College London.

The certificate course is aimed at people who are new to teaching music to children, and covers the purpose of music education and promotes best practice. It has been developed for:

instrumental and vocal teachers working privately with schools
primary teachers
community musicians
professional musicians who do educational work

Other options include training like the Instrumental Teaching Diploma offered by Rock School.

Skills And Knowledge

You'll need:

knowledge of the fine arts
knowledge of teaching and the ability to design courses
knowledge of English language
the ability to use your initiative
excellent verbal communication skills
the ability to work well with others
leadership skills
the ability to teach pupils how to do something
to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

Day To Day Tasks

Depending on where you work, in your day-to-day duties you could:

plan lessons to suit the individual needs of a group or pupil
teach pupils to play an instrument and to read and understand music
help pupils prepare for music exams, competitions and performances
in schools, teach the history, theory and appreciation of all kinds of music, following the national curriculum
set assignments and mark and assess pupils' work
help to organise school choirs, orchestras or bands
organise school concerts and musical performances

Working Environment

You could work at a college, at a university, from home or at a school.

Career Path & Progression

As a qualified and experienced music teacher in a school, you could become head of the music department.

You could also become an advisory teacher, or inspector employed by a local education authority or independent agency.

Volunteering Opportunities

Volunteering Opportunities are not listed for this job.

Tips & Information

Registration

you'll usually need qualified teacher status (QTS) to teach in a state school in England

Career tips

You can search for jobs in schools through the Teaching Vacancies service.

Further information

You can find out more about becoming a music teacher from:

Restrictions & Requirements

You'll need to:

pass enhanced background checks