My Life Teaching in England
Emma Roca’s journey from the U.S. to teaching in England is full of adventure, insight and heart. With the support of Quantum Scholars, she turned a dream into reality as she navigated the move, embraced a new culture and found joy in the UK classroom.
A must-read for any teacher ready to take the leap!
Who am I?
My name is Emma Roca. I’m originally from Connecticut but went to university in Massachusetts. In the USA, I taught 8th and 10th grade English, and now in England, I teach Years 7-11 English (equivalent of grade 6-10) in a secondary state school of approximately 1000 students.
I always knew I wanted to travel and after visiting England in 2022, it clicked that this was where I wanted to live and teach. It turned out that moving to England as a licensed US teacher was a lot easier than I thought! I arrived here in September 2023 and have been here ever since.
Finding a teaching job and relocating to England
Quantum Scholars were absolutely amazing. I worked with Robin Sutcliffe (International Resource Manager) who made the process seamless. I actually ended up accepting a position from my first interview. It’s a school in Berkshire which is about 45 minutes west outside London. QS will walk you through the important visa process and will provide a free consultation with a UK immigration lawyer. There can be a lot of questions, and QS were always on top of them.
Arriving in England, settling in and finding housing
The first few weeks arriving in England are very busy. On a Skilled Workers Visa, you can only enter the country 2 weeks prior to your job starting (unless you want to pay a lot extra). That meant that in those two weeks I had to move, get my classroom ready, figure out transportation, find housing, and get all the other bits set up like a GP, bank account, etc.
Buses and trains are very convenient in England and I enjoy using them.
Setting up a local bank account was quite easy but I also recommend using an international online bank such as Wise as well. I can easily transfer money, use it for traveling with the exchange between different currencies, and since I created the account in the US, I was able to set up any direct deposits.
I highly recommend booking an Airbnb or some sort of temporary accommodation when you first arrive in England. If you set yourself up with a temporary place, it removes the pressure of having to find somewhere ASAP. Most landlords won’t consider you for long term rentals unless you are actually in the country so have a look at what’s available online before you arrive in England but don’t expect to secure anything until you’ve seen it in-person. Seeing a place in-person before committing is much better anyway as you get a feel for the surrounding area, local amenities, public transport and proximity to your school.
My school in England, the differences in school system and students
The opening weeks teaching in England were great! I was lucky enough to join an excellent English department and they were all very inclusive. Students were also very excited to have an American teacher, as I was the only one at the school. Be prepared for lots of questions from the students!
A big difference is not seeing your students every day. Here in England, depending on the age of the student, you might see them anywhere from twice to five times a week. While the changeup is nice, it takes longer to build these positive relationships.
Something I found quite different at the beginning of the year was the lack of student activities. From the first day of school students were expected to dive straight into the curriculum. It was quite different to not having any icebreakers or games.
Positives and negatives to teaching in England
The biggest challenge I’ve found is teaching a strict GCSE (ages 14-16) exam curriculum. Something I prided myself on as a teacher in the US is creating engaging and creative projects, activities and assignments to assess the students, while keeping them motivated and curious. As we don’t have anything like the GCSEs in the US, I was not prepared for the strict “teaching to the test.” While I have found more of my groove in making the lessons engaging, it took time to find how I can be an American teacher in England, honoring my own craft as well as what it takes to be a teacher prepping students for a test.
Every state school in England is different, but I noticed a higher level of disrespect in some of the students here in England. Perhaps this is partially due to the exam heavy nature of classes, as not all students connect with the material and can ask “what’s the point?” if they see their future going in a different direction than testing might enforce.
The biggest positive teaching in England is getting to teach my students multiple times. Unlike American secondary schools where you teach one grade (and maybe another for an elective), we teach a huge range of years. My current students are aged 11 to 18, and I taught lots of them last year. It is wonderful to see the progress of a student from one year to the next and continue to build those positive relationships across multiple years as their teacher.
Why I love living in England
I love my life here in England so much. I love the pub culture (even as someone who doesn’t drink), the outdoor spaces and the cozy way of life. During school holidays I have travelled all over the UK including the South Coast and Lake District in the north west and road-tripped in Wales. I’ve also seen lots of Europe including Greece, France, Belgium, Italy, and even Poland on a school trip!
I often find myself walking around and getting moments of “wow, I can’t believe I live here.” I am still in awe of how old places are and how beautiful they are. I am very grateful to call England ‘home’.
I also found an amazing friends group who I do different activities and events with.
Oh, and the weather really isn’t as bad as people make it out to be!
Recommending teaching in England and working with Quantum Scholars
I would recommend teaching in England to those that are serious about making a career and life change.
Teaching in England is a very different experience to the US. However, if you are willing to adapt whist also implementing your unique style, you will transition very well. If you’re ready to make the leap, find amazing people, enjoy a beautiful new country, travel, and enjoy the cozy way of life, do it!
Although it is a massive process, Quantum Scholars does everything they can to make the transition smooth. Robin and the rest of the team are excellent and do all they can to ensure you find a school you connect with and have all your questions answered. If you’re serious about the move, I cannot recommend Quantum Scholars enough.
Feel free to follow me on my social media accounts including Tiktok and Instagram @thewritingworkshop_
I’d be delighted to answer any questions you have about teaching in England!
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My Journey in attaining an overseas teaching job in the United Kingdom was made easy with Quantum Scholars. They had a wonderful team which maintained excellent communication and guidance throughout the process, they were patient and cooperative. They ensured that everything was completed accurately. I recommend any teacher that seeking employment in the united Kingdom to make Quantum Scholar their organization of choice.
Quantum Scholars has been fantastic in assisting me in securing a teaching position in the UK in the shortest time possible. In the last two (2) years I have tried other agencies, however, Quantum was the only one that came through for me. I would like to personally thank Amy, Robin and Steve for always being there whenever I have questions, they are literally just a email away.
My experience with Quantum Scholars was nothing but a positive one. From the moment I expressed interest through getting my job and moving to the UK I felt extremely supported. Quantum helped me not only find a school to interview with and helped me through that process but helped support me through the visa experience, moving forward with my new school and making sure that all my questions were answered. I would absolutely recommend using Quantum Scholars to anyone oversees seeking a UK teaching job!
I can’t thank Quantum Scholars enough for helping to make my dream a reality. I signed up with Quantum Scholars in February of this year, and Robin Sutcliffe was my agent. After an initial online discussion there was a lot of paperwork to send through but throughout this, Robin was a star! He guided me and kept me up to date with all relevant information…After getting the job, Amy Lloyd liaised with me to ensure I had all the correct paperwork. She also arranged a free consultation with an immigration expert, who discussed the visa application process with me. This information was invaluable and gave me the confidence to apply for my visa by myself, saving me a lot of money.
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