london schools classroom presents several classroom management seminars

8/14/2019 London Schools Classroom Presents Several Classroom Management Seminars

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BEFORE YOU LEAVE ...........................................................................................4

WORKING FOR CLASSROOM .............................................................................4

REGISTER AT CLASSROOM ................................................................................4

WHY WORK THROUGH AN AGENCY .................................................................5

WHY NOT TO GO OVER FOR A SHORT PERIOD ..............................................6

WHAT DIFFERENTIATES CLASROOM FROM OTHER SOUTH AFRICAN

AGENCIES .............................................................................................................6

TYPES OF WORK ..................................................................................................7

Supply teaching: .................................................................................................................7

What is Supply teaching and how does it work? ............................................................7

What is expected from a supply teacher ..........................................................................7Advantages of supply teaching ........................................................................................8

Disadvantages of supply teaching ....................................................................................8

Long-term placement: .......................................................................................................8

What is a Long-term placement and how does it work? ................................................8

Advantages of Long-term placements .............................................................................8

Permanent placement: .......................................................................................................8

How are the children? ........................................................................................................8

Which age group is best to teach for? ..............................................................................9

THE BRITISH CURRICULUM ................................................................................9

WHY DO PEOPLE LOVE LONDON ....................................................................10

What to Pack ....................................................................................................................11

Immigration Control .......................................................................................................12

Welcome to London .........................................................................................................12

Area ................................................................................................................................15

Number of People in the house ......................................................................................16

Occupation of other tenants ...........................................................................................16


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Luxuries ........................................................................................................................16

Distance to the Tube Station ..........................................................................................16Distance to shopping centre ...........................................................................................17

LETS WORK .......................................................................................................17

Saving Money ...................................................................................................................18

Where will I put my hard earned savings? ....................................................................19

Holiday Pay .......................................................................................................................19

DAY TO DAY ACTIVITIES ....................................................................................20

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM YOUR NEW HOME .................................................20

OTHER TRANSPORTATION ...............................................................................20

RELIGION .............................................................................................................22

HOLIDAY DESTINATIONS ..................................................................................22

GENERAL ...........................................................................................................22

Travel Insurance ..............................................................................................................22

Driving while abroad? ....................................................................................................23

Lost vital documentation? ...............................................................................................23

Foreign Currency ............................................................................................................23

International Student Identity Card (ISIC) ..................................................................23

Phoning Home ..................................................................................................................23

Using Phone Lines .........................................................................................................23Making phone calls using the Internet ...........................................................................24

"Its like death and taxes...." ............................................................................................24

Pay As You Earn (PAYE) ...............................................................................................24

National Insurance (NI) .................................................................................................24

Income tax .....................................................................................................................24

CLASSROOM REGISTRATION CHECKLIST .....................................................26


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INTRODUCTION

Many people have various misconceptions about living and teaching in London. These

vary from full cavity searches on Heathrow airport for all two-year workingholidaymakers to having to teach the devil himself. This information booklet is designed

to give you a clear and realistic picture of what living and teaching in London is reallylike for South African teachers.

Before You LeaveAs with anything in life, the better we prepare the easier the task, or in this case,adventure, you are about to embark on becomes.

Working for ClassroomThere are a large number of non-specialist agencies dedicating some part of their business

to placing staff into London schools. Classroom is dedicated solely to placing

education staff into London schools.Other agencies mention that their staff has extensive experience in both teaching and

education recruitment in London. The staff of Classroom is proud to admit to 40+ years

of teaching and 20+ years of education recruitment experience in London.Teachers are dedicated professionals doing a tough job. Money isn't your sole motivation.

However, Classroom will guarantee to offer you the most competitive rate of pay by

operating on a lower margin and not charging schools any more.

Some teachers prefer the flexibility of daily supply work to broaden their experience.Others like to commit to a term or more in a school. Some are looking for the security of

a permanent position. Classroom will help you to explore the options, discuss the pros

and cons and support your choice without any pressure. We are interested in what is

best for you, not just us.There are a wide variety of fields in education. Whether you are a Pre-Primary, Primary,

Secondary or Special Needs professional, Classroom has staff who have workedextensively in your sector and can understand and support your particular concerns.

At Classroom we provide extensive resources that are available to all teachers, e.g.

National Curriculum documentation for copying, free access to the Internet. We also aimto visit all those teachers in longer-term positions and provide regular Inset courses led by

experts in their field and designed to cover those areas requested by you.

Register at ClassroomBut before we start lets just give you a bit of information about teaching in London. In

contrast to South African institutions, schools do not employ people directly. Whenteaching in London, you will be working through an agency such as Classroom. The

agency looks for a suitable position for you. Work can come in one of three forms:

1. Supply Teaching

2. Long-term Placement

3. Permanent Placement


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Supply teaching is when your agency places you in short-term positions; these could vary

from a one-day placement to a week or two. This means that you could be working at adifferent school every day of the week.

A long-term placement is when you are placed at one specific school for a longer period,

usually a term or more. A long-term placement involves a bit more work but has more job

satisfaction. (More about long-term-, permanent- and supply teaching a bit later)

If you decide to register in London, you will need to travel to our offices in central

London. You will also not be able to work on the days that you register and the followingweeks, as we will need to check your references etc. When registering in South Africa,

you will be ready to work the day after you arrive in London. Registering with Classroom

is completely free of charge.

Many agencies register you in South Africa, but still require you to be interviewed in

their offices in London before being able to look for work. At Classroom, we prideourselves on the level of integration our South African branch has with our London head

office. This means that the South African branch has the skill to interview you and sendyour profile and CV to the head office, from where we can start the placement process

according to your requirements. Once you arrive in London, you will be ready to workimmediately. We will try to confirm long-term or supply teaching work in the UK before

you leave home!

Why work through an agency

Some people have a misperception that you can earn more money if you don't workthrough an agency. These people believe that the agency takes a cut of their salaries. They

will then go to London and try to work without registering at an agency; this causes great

dismay when they realize the truth. Lets explain why:

More than 99% of all working holiday makers work through agencies. The reason is

simpleTHEY EARN MOREmoney working for an agency and find work easier thanpeople who dont. When working through Classroom we wont take any of your salary.

The process works as follows:

A school will contact us with a vacancy for a specified period (normally 3 to 9

months) for which it needs a specific teacher with certain skills.

The school contacts an agency because it does not want a permanent teacheras

this will be a temporary position.

There are many reasons for temporary positions arising such as the regular teacher

taking leave, pregnancy, sickness, etc.

Classroom now looks for the perfect candidate and places you in this position.

The school pays us for finding them the perfect teacher.

Once this position ends well probably have your next position lined up.

Lets presume a suitable candidate did approach the school directly while this positionwas not filled yet. Would the school be interested and pay this teacher more? The answer


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Well start looking for a position for you as soon as we have all the documentation

we require from you, that means you could have a job before you fly to London!

Types of work

When working in the United Kingdom you will either work as a Supply teacher, a Long-term teacher or a Permanent teacher. In the following paragraphs we will discuss each of

these possibilities, highlighting the advantages each one offers.

Supply teaching:

What is Supply teaching and how does it work?

Supply teaching is the term used for teaching for very short periods of time at a specificschool. Supply teachers are needed at schools when the regular staff are ill or cannot

attend their class for some reason.

Schools then contact agencies, submitting vacancies, which are subsequently filled by the

agencies teachers. Supply teaching requires teachers who are willing to travel with anopen-minded positive attitude.

Supply teaching can be a great way to teach in a variety of schools and gain invaluable

and wide-ranging experience. Many schools require supply cover (you may know it asrelief, substitute or emergency teaching) at the last minute for absences and illness.

Cover for courses are usually booked in advance, but sickness cover is often onlyreported that morning, requiring both us and you to react instantly! Daily supply requires

a great deal of flexibility and quick thinking but does bring its own rewards and is an

excellent way to gain a great deal of London experience in a short period of time. We alsofind that teachers are requested back after initial day-to-day assignments often taking a

longer-term position in a school with which they have built a relationship.

If you decide to do supply teaching the consultants at Classroom will do their best toplace you at a school close to the area where you live. You might go to a school only for a

day, or it might be for a week or more. Always feel free to give Classroom feedback

regarding the school you visited. Classroom will try to tell you a day in advance whereyou will be teaching the next day, but it could happen that you are phoned the same

morning you have to work at a specific school.

When Classroom phones you for a Supply-teaching job they will tell you the name of theschool and provide you with detailed directions to the school. Most supply teachers

quickly discover the value of an A-Z map book, which makes finding schools in London

a pleasure.

What is expected from a supply teacher

Most of the time there will be work left for you to carry on with in the class you teach, but it is a good idea to carry some of your own photocopied worksheets to supply

teaching assignments, in case you run out of work to do with the children. Once in

London, Classroom will supply you with such worksheets where necessary.


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Advantages of supply teaching

As a supply teacher, you generally dont need to prepare lessons. You are also only

responsible to mark that days work. You will meet a lot of new people as you will workat different locations. You will gain a lot of experience in different teaching situations.

Disadvantages of supply teaching

It is generally more difficult to enforce discipline and authority with children you dont

know and wont get to know very well before your next assignment. It is more difficult to

estimate your travel time to schools youve never been to than if you were working at onespecific school. You dont get as much job satisfaction in the sense of seeing progress

from- and getting to know your pupils. You wont be able to get references from schools

were you did supply teaching for a short period.

Long-term placement:

What is a Long-term placement and how does it work?Long-term positions (of usually a term or more) are for those wanting to take on thewhole role and responsibilities of a full-time teacher with the planning and commitment

that requires. Working in one school for an extended length of time often sees teachers

becoming intrinsically involved in the school community, attending Parents' Eveningsand events and taking on other roles, e.g. as a Form Tutor in Secondary schools. Long-

term placements are for longer periods of time (3 to 6 months) at a specific school.

Advantages of Long-term placements

Being a long-term teacher you will very soon be familiar with your school and its

surroundings. You will know when to get up and how long it takes you to travel to your

school. You will get to know your colleagues and pupils and build relationships withthem. You will have a great deal of job satisfaction, seeing your pupils learn and develop.

Enforcing discipline will be much easier than with supply teaching. You will gain

valuable teaching experience. As a long term teacher you will be able to get referencesfrom schools you taught at. These references will come in very handy when you come

back to South Africa in a year or two and are looking for work!

Permanent placement:Legislation changed on 1 January 2003. The new legislation does not allow agencies toapply for work permits for teachers. Instead, schools need to apply for work permits for

teachers wishing to work with a work permit. Many teachers come over with a two year

working holiday visa and after working for a school for a year or two the schools ask

them to stay on longer and arrange their work permits.

How are the children?

Your attitude in class will determine whether the children respond positively or

negatively towards you. Children are the same all over the world. Some are naughty and

some arent. Always teach with a professional attitude. Refer all difficult situations to the


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head teacher. As classroom management does vary in London schools Classroom presents

several Classroom Management Seminars to help you adjust easily in London schools.Please ask us about the next Seminar to make sure your seat is booked.

Which age group is best to teach for?

This depends on what age group you are trained to teach for. There are teachers who arequalified for high school teaching, who try their hand at teaching youngsters, but many

find that it is better to teach the age group they were trained to teach. The option remainsyours.

The British CurriculumThe National Curriculum was introduced in 1988 and stipulates what must be studied in

England and Wales by state school students up to the age of 16. The core subjects taught

are English, Mathematics and Science, which form the basis of the curriculum. DailyLiteracy and Numeracy Hour programmes have been introduced nationally into the

primary sector. The foundation subjects of History, Geography, Design Technology,Information Technology, Music, Art and Physical Education are also covered. ModernLanguages are introduced at secondary level whilst Religious Education must also be

covered within the curriculum framework.

The National Curriculum is divided into five sections known as key stages as illustrated

below.

Key Stages 1

Infant

2

Junior

3

Secondary

4,5

Secondary

6

6th Form

Pupil'sages

5-7 8-11 12-14 15-16 17-18

Year

Group

Reception

1,2

Years

3,4,5,6

Years

7,8,9

Years

10,11

Years

12,13

NC Guidelines

Copies of the National Curriculum guidelines are available at our offices, in public

libraries, schools and now on the Internet at www.nc.uk.net. You will be expected to

follow the NC on a day-to day supply basis. It is essential that you make yourself familiarwith the details relevant to the age group you teach, and for the subject specialism.

Within the NC, pupil performance is periodically measured against Standardized

Attainment Tests (SAT's). These are formalized tests taken at the ages of 7, 11 and 14.GCSEs are taken at the end of Year 11. A-Level, GNVQ or NVQ examinations are


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generally taken in the sixth form, Years 12 and 13 after which students may gain entrance

into Universities.

For a detailed description of assessment and examinations within the UK school system

visit the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (www.qca.org.uk) website.

For primary children, the British Curriculum basically consists of two main areas,

Numeracy and Literacy. They have what they call a Literacy Hour and a Numeracy Hour.

Literacy Hour is an hour every day dedicated to English. This involves reading togetherfor 10 minutes, then splitting into groups according to their level of ability. The

Classroom assistant will then take a group and the teacher another group. A new theme or

area of learning will be taught for 20 minutes. The pupils will then be assigned a written

activity for 15-20 minutes. The last 10 minutes is used for recapping and closing off.

Numeracy Hour is handled in the same manner. Please ask us for our British Curriculum

Info Pack if you require more information on this subject. For extensive information onthe British Curriculum for your age group please visit our website at

http://www.classroomteachers.co.uk/workingforclassroom.html and click on the relevant

useful link for the National Curriculum (NC). Alternatively you could visithttp://www.classroomteachers.co.za and click on Useful Links from where you will be

able to get the link to the National Curriculum as well as other useful links.

Why do people love LondonMany South Africans who have never experienced London often lash out at its

unfriendliness, the cold and the poor living conditions. They wonder why people whohave lived and worked in London for a year or two often long back or do everything in

their ability to stay longer. Most people who have only been in London for a month or

two wonder the same things.A few things contribute to making the London experience unforgettable.

The helpfulness of fellow South Africans is one of them. If you are a South African and

in need of anything, no other South African will ever turn his back on you in London.The liveliness of the city is inspirational. London never sleeps and a few of the people

youll get to know will probably work night shift to keep the city running. London is also

a city of the world, famous people flock there to premier new movies, hold concerts or

just to enjoy what the city offers. The citys culture and cultural heritage is second tonone and ranges from magnificent castles to strawberries and cream on Wimbledon

centre court. There is always something to do and someone to do it with. South Africans

who live in London usually have an adventurous attitude of what can we do they

wont ask whos going and what does it cost, just where must they meet you. Back homeyou usually need to beg people to join you in doing something fun. London also forms a

perfect home base for touring, be it the British Isles or the continent (Europe). A weekendto Paris, Amsterdam or even Rome is something most South Africans do while living in

Europe. The other major benefit is that money generally isnt an issue. Most South

Africans earn respectable salaries and can afford to do fun things. There is a magnitude of

museums, cinemas, parks, river walks, castles, pubs and clubs to keep everyoneentertained.


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In short, London is a fun place where youll meet exciting new people, embark on

countless adventures, travel, socialize, make new friends and become totally independent.Youll love it and after you return to our sunny shores, youll often long back to your

days in the big city.

What to PackMany people think they are going on a long camp. They pack everything from can

openers and two-minute noodles to tents and gas stoves. Although these items do havetheir place and time in the life of a working holidaymaker, it is important to remember

you are actually moving home for a year or two. By leaving your -20C Ice Age sleeping

bag and accompanying Igloo tent, you will be able to pack more clothes for those coldwinter days. Remember that you can pack 23 kg of luggage and only 7 kg of hand

luggage (depends on that flight you will be taken). Furthermore, you can buy a duvet set

at your local Argos store for half the price of your Ice Age sleeping bag and feel at home

in your new house from day one. Living in a sleeping bag for a year just isnt as muchfun as it seemed when you were 10. Here is some advice on what to pack:

Clothes: Teachers work in smart casual clothes in most London Schools. Ifyou are a PE teacher, you might consider an extra sweat suit.

Never underestimate the uses of the jean! Youll be walking a lot in

London, be sure to pack comfortable shoes. London has one warmmonth, which happens to fall in school holidays as well, the hot

day for next year is expected on the first Friday in August pack

accordingly.

Food: If youre one of those people who just cant eat any food without

Mrs Balls Chutney, doesnt despair, Tesco (the local Pick n Pay

chain) stock Mrs Balls. This is also true for a variety of products,which used to be unavailable in London. If you really think your

five packets of 2 minute noodles will help you survive, feel free to

pack them, Tesco do however stock spaghetti at 11p per packet andwhite bread at 28p per loaf. Feel free to compare a few prices

online before going at www.tesco.co.uk. Food items usually just

take up unnecessary space. There are also various South Africanstores in London that specialise in South African products which

arent available in London such as Jelly Tots, Energy Bars, Fanta

Grape, Biltong, Bar-one, Rice Crispies, etc.

Foreign Currency: It is wise to have some pounds on you when landing in London asthe immigration officer might ask you whether you have foreign

currency and how much. We suggest a sum of 300 cash. Also besure to tell the officer you have ample funds on your credit or debit

card.Please ask us about the options you have for buying pounds.


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What to Leave: Although you will probably not be deported for carrying certain

items, it is best not to attract attention, especially if it is your firsttime over. These items include parcels for friends, letters to

friends, telephone books with contacts in the UK, CVs, text books

containing course material, etc. Please feel free to ask us should

you be unsure of any item.

A Quick Buck: If you are a smoker, be sure to pack your allowed three cartons, as

cigarettes are extremely expensive in the United Kingdom. If youdo not smoke however, you could make a quick buck by packing

three cartons of Kent special mild as you could probably double

your money by selling the cartons.

General Items: According to regulations you are allowed one litre of alcohol. This

could come in handy on those cold winter nights. Try to takesomething that is not available in London not to sell, but to make

friends :)Make copies of all your important documentation such as your

passport, travellers cheques claim form, drivers license, etc andkeep it with your luggage (assuming you keep the originals on

you) It is also a good idea to email yourself a copy of this

documentation in case of emergency.To save yourself a lot of trouble pack your chest x-rays, which

prove you, dont have TB. Immigration control do tend torandomly send people for x-ray test and youll save yourself a lot

of time and effort if you have your x-rays ready on request (be sure

to carry them in your hand luggage for easy access, as you will not

have your luggage on you when you arrive at immigration control)

Immigration Control

After landing, youll enter the airport, and depending on you passport youll be dividedinto two groups, those with British/European Union passports, and the rest of us. Our

queue is the long one. The people who supplied you your Visa will help you with all your

immigration control questions. The stories going around about being interrogated fordays are exaggerated. Immigration control is just a way to make sure people dont enter

the United Kingdom illegally. You have nothing to be afraid of.

Welcome to London

Youve entered and can start spreading the news that immigration control stories are

exaggerated, what happens now? After arriving at your new home (which Classroom canhelp you organise), youll probably need a bit of rest because when registering through

Classroom, you could be working the next day! Prior to you departure we will make sure

you have a meeting date and time set up so that you can meet the consultants in the

London office and ask them all the questions you might have. Before you leave we will


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email you with details of how to get to our offices as well as contact details for

Classroom in London.

Transportation

You will need to use the London Underground quite regularly when travelling in London.

When travelling, be sure to know in which general direction you need to travel (North,

East, South or West).

U can determine this by looking at your tube map. North is at the top of the map. Tube

maps are available for free at all underground stations. A London Underground tube map

is shown on the next page.

When looking at the map, each line colour indicates a different train route. Trains run in

both directions on every route.

If two routes (lines) cross and there is a circle at the crossing, you can switch routes at

that station. When walking towards a platform on a station, signs will clearly indicate inwhich direction the trains on either platform are heading.

However, if you missed the sign, there will be an electronic board on the platform stating

the trains final destination, and how long it will take for the next train to arrive. You cannow check whether or not the specific train is going in the direction you intend by using

your tube map and verifying that the trains destination (usually the last point on the line)

is in your desired direction of travel.

If you do happen to climb on the wrong train, dont despair, just get off at the next stop

and walk to the other platform, the next train in the right direction should be there in nomore than five minutes. If you still cant find your way, dont hesitate to ask anyone;

contrary to popular belief the general public are usually very helpful and friendly in

assisting commuters.


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Accommodation

A few years ago, accommodation for South Africans used to be challenging and provided

a few headaches. Luckily today, with Classrooms accommodation catalogue the story is

quite different. There is a network of South African houses (communes) across London

providing accommodation especially to South Africans. Some of these houses providesolely for South Africans while others include Kiwis and Australians and occasionally

Brits as well. At Classroom, we have a list of available accommodation and you can

choose where you want to live by browsing our catalogue.

If you are going to stay in London, we suggest that you find something in East of London

e.g. Canada Water, Canary Wharf, Leyton, Leytonstone etc. Ultimate Housing has roomin that area available. Usually Classroom arranges for a room there you can stay in,

Ultimate Housing also a South-African company how is situated in London. For more

info please visit www.ultimatehousing.co.uk. There is a big price difference between asingle room and a double room. A single room is smaller and costs more then a double

room that you would have to share.

Most South African communes operating in London work on a simple all-inclusive; twoweek notice period. This means that everything (all taxes and bills) is included in your

weekly rent. When deciding to leave, you need to give the landlord a two-week notice

period, for him to find new tenants.Things to consider when looking for accommodation include:

Area

Number of people in the house

Occupation of other tenants

Luxuries

Distance to the nearest tube station

Distance to shopping centre

Area

South African communes tend to reside in a few specific areas in London. These include

the East, Southeast, North and Southwest. Although there are South Africans in the

remaining areas, the concentration of accommodation is not as dense in those areas. AtClassroom we concentrate on placements throughout London. As far as accommodation

is concerned, we will assist in finding you accommodation where you want it. Feel free to

ask us to recommend a specific area when we talk, as we have lived in most areas and

will be able to give you good advice on what to expect and where to live. Please keep inmind that you are going to travel to the school everyday. Our consultants will place you

in the area that you are staying in. If there isnt a lot of school in the area, your not be

able to work much.


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Number of People in the house

This is one of the most important factors to consider. Landlords letting property to South

African tenants are paid per tenant, thus the more tenants per house the more money thelandlord will make. This is good policy, bringing down the cost of living because the

more tenants per house, the cheaper every tenant will pay. HOWEVER, there is a limit to

what you should tolerate. Our experience has shown that the ideal number of tenants perhouse is no more than eight. Some landlords have big houses, accommodating for as

many as 14 tenants. These experiments usually have large living areas, kitchens and

two bathrooms; however the rats tend to get on each others nerves within the first fewweeks. Weve found these houses to be impersonal, resulting in 14 strangers, not

respecting each others privacy or job-hours. It is something we would strongly oppose of

for any of our clients. The ideal house would be a eight-tenant house with two bathrooms.

Occupation of other tenants

When Paula Abdul wrote her song Opposites attract she did not mean teachers and postmetrics. Youngsters who have just written matric usually come to London with totally

different goals/ideas than university graduates. They save enough money every week(doing security) to throw massive parties on weekends or go to clubs, arriving home atfour in the morning, banging down doors as far as they go. If this is your idea of fun, get

a few post matric housemates. People with similar qualifications/office hours/goals on

what they want from their London experience tend to respect their housemates having

just as much fun, but respecting each other. These people also tend to do other fun thingslike touring, mountain biking, going to the coast for a weekend, etc. as they actually

manage to save money. If this was too subtle for you lets rephrase: Dont live in the samehouse as a bunch of post matrics!

Luxuries

There are a few luxuries that arent available in all communes. These are satellitetelevision, tumble dryers and Internet ready computers. Computers tend to be the most

useful as you will probably be communicating a lot with you friends and family back

home. Satellite television compares to our DSTV in South Africa, but BBC channelsavailable on ordinary television are far superior to SABC! Although tumble dryers are

useful, weve found that hanging your clothes over the central heating system is just as

effective. Because of the cold, all houses have central heating systems, making the insideof the house very pleasant and comfortable. Just remember again that in a house with 14

people you probably wont have access to these luxuries as often as you would like.

Distance to the Tube Station

English people are quite a stubborn breed; they still have not adopted the metric system

of measurement, using miles, feet, ounces and pounds. This doesnt matter that much asfar as distance is concerned because people dont give distance in miles, they prefer to

use minutes. This is because most people tend to walk and use the public transport

system, which doesnt give you distance to your destination. Although youll be walking

fit within the first month, it is more convenient if your house is within walking distance(less than 10 minutes) from the tube station. Having to take a bus is usually time


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consuming and because buses are not nearly as consistent as trains, youll probably wait

in frustration a few times.All underground lines are extremely timely, however the Central-, Jubilee-, Northern- and

Piccadilly lines are quicker and more frequent than the District-, Hammersmith and city-,

Bakerloo-, Metropolitan-, Victory- and Circle lines as well as the Docklands light

railway. This should however not form part of your main house renting decision, but onlybe secondary consideration.

Distance to shopping centre

If you are about to leave your parents house for the first time or lived in a residence,

shopping is one of the things you are going to have to get accustomed to. It is most

convenient to live close to a shopping centre, but if your commune is not close, dontdespair, Tesco Internet shopping is very convenient. The big grocery stores are Tesco,

Sainsburys, Safeway and ASDA and they are spread throughout London. Youll never be

very far from one of these stores.

Lets WorkYouve unpacked, met your housemates, youre acclimatizing and ready to work. But

before you can start working it is important for the people in the London office to meet

you to put a face to your CV and to establish what experience you have, what preferences

you have and just too generally get to know you. The South African branch will help youschedule such an interview with the London office soon after youve arrived in London.

Please keep in mind that these are the people who will actively place you in teaching

positions and be sure to appear as professional as you are. The people in the Londonoffice will help you set up your bank account (if you havent done it through the SA

branch) and answer all your questions and address your concerns.

With Permanent placements you will usually be asked to go for an interview if you

werent interviewed telephonically while still in South Africa. It is of the utmost

importance that you make a good impression. Please ask us about the ClassroomInterview Pack that will help you make your best impression!

Well, if you registered through Classroom, asking to be placed in a Long-term position,

you probably already know where you work! You can just report at the reception of yourschool at 8:30 and theyll introduce you to your new class. If you registered, asking to do

supply teaching for the first few weeks, a Classroom representative will contact you the

previous day (or sometimes in the morning before work) and tell you where to go to foryour next working day. If you have any queries on where you should or how to get to

your school once youve arrived in London, dont hesitate to contact us on 0207 636

0600.


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Directions to our office

Use the tube to get to Oxford Circus tube station. Exit at exit 1. Keep walking in the same

direction as this exit point. (You are walking in Regent Street) Nike town will be on your

right hand side as you exit. Cross one small street. Oasis clothing store will be on yourright. The entrance next to Oasis is our building! If you walked more than 100m from the

Tube station youve missed it. The entrance has big glass doors and there is a security

man in the foyer. The physical address is: "296 Walmar House" Walk inside, smilehappily at the security guard, and inform him that you are there for your appointment

with CLASSROOM. We are on the top floor, very eager to meet you. Welcome to the

adventure! If you cant find it please feel free to call us at any time on 0207 636 0600.

Please make sure you are on time for your appointment.

Saving Money

Teachers are some of the highest paid individuals in London compared to other

professionals. Living cost in London can vary considerably depending on differentlifestyles. Teachers earn approximately 120 per day, depending on your skills,qualifications and experience. In the following section we outline approximate living

costs to be used as a guide only.

Living on the Breadline Living Lekker

Accommodation (per week)

Single Room 110.00 140.00

Shared Room (per person) 65.00 80.00

Groceries (per week)

Food 15.00 30.00

Other (Toiletries etc.) 3.00 6.00

Entertainment & OtherMovie Ticket 3.50 9.00

Video Rental 2.50 3.75

Pizza 6.00 12.00Take Away 2.00 6.00

Club Entrance 5.00 15.00

Beer (per pint in pub) 2.00 2.50Sport (per Session) 0.00 (Back yard) 2.50 (Gymnasium)

Petrol (per litre)1.18(Sure you're on the

breadline?)1.18

Sightseeing (per entrance) 0.00 10.00

Depending on where you live and work, your transportation costs will vary. Many people

buy one way tickets to work and back home from as little as 1.80 per ticket. You canalso purchase a Travel Card for longer periods. It is cheaper to purchase cards for longer

periods if you know your travel needs. The table below outlines weekly travel costs for

various zones. Travel Cards are valid on any public transport including trains, buses andtrams.


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Travel card (per week) To use any Public Transport

zone 1-2 24.20

zone 1-3 27.00

zone 1-4 34.60zone 1-5 39.80

zone 1-6 (The whole of London) 44.60

zone 2-6 29.20zone 2-4 18.40

zone 3-4 14.00

An average teacher, teaching 5 days per week could have an income statement lookinglike this:

Income statement for a week

Income 468.60

Gross Earnings 600.00

Minus tax 131.40

Net Earnings after tax 468.60

Expenses 151.80

Lodging 65.00

Travel 26.80

Groceries 30.00

Entertainment 30.00

Weekly Savings 316.80

Weekly Rand Savings April 2008 R4,915.70

Please note that although we have done our utmost best to supply you with accuratefigures all these figures are estimates only.

Where will I put my hard earned savings?

It wont be necessary to stash your cash under the mattress. In strong contrast with theirSouth African counterparts, opening a bank account in the UK can be quite difficult.

Classroom has set up a partnership with Lloyds TSB offshore to help you open a bank

account effortlessly! Cause we have an agreement with Lloyds you dont have to have adeposit to open up an Off-Shore Bank Account. Please ask one of our consultants for

more information or visit www.lloydstsb.co.za.

Holiday Pay

One of the most common questions on holidays is: Do teachers get holiday pay? When

working in a permanent position at a school, teachers do get holiday pay. When supplyteaching or long-term teaching, teachers only gets paid for the days they work. However,

teachers on Supply and Long term contracts get paid CONSIDERABLY MORE per week

than teachers on Permanent contracts to accommodate for the fact that they dont get paidduring holidays.


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Another question is: What do teachers do during holidays? The answer varies quite

considerably from teacher to teacher as they do whatever they feel up to. This varies fromtouring Europe, to visiting South Africa or just relaxing at home. Some teachers also try

their hand at another job such as working in a hotel in Ireland or working in a big

shopping centre such as Harrods.

Day to day activitiesA normal working day for a teacher will start at 9 in the morning and end at 3 in theafternoon. But by no means will his/her day end then socially. There are quite a number

of pubs in London, which cater for everyones needs. South Africans like to play touch

rugby or roller blade in the parks in the summer afternoons to keep fit. Nothing, not eventhe cold, can stop them from holding a braai. In the evenings there is a magnitude of

plays and movies to choose from, or you could just go stroll through the city doing a bit

of window-shopping at Harrods or Selfridges. You could decide to become part of a live

studio audience for one of the comedy shows or take a cruise on the Thames River.Maybe you just want to sit in Hyde Park and watch the people. If you are a fitness

fanatic, there are quite a number of well-equipped gyms. Most houses also have video

machines and DSTV so you could stay at home and watch a movie with your friends. Youcould also join one of the social league sport clubs, which usually play games on

Saturdays. If youre into clubbing, London boasts some of the worlds best clubs and you

could even bump into someone famous. One thing is for sure, youll never be bored.

What to expect from your new homeHere we intend to inform you on general living conditions in London and answerquestions such as: Do all houses in London have butlers etc.

Most houses in London were built in the 19 th century, making them older than the Sammy

Marks Museum in Pretoria (which is one of the oldest houses in Pretoria). When built,there was no such thing as running water and sanitation. This means that most houses

were modernised to include taps and bathrooms. Therefore most kitchens and bathrooms

are rather small. Houses are usually built right next to each other, sharing a wall in mostinstances. This is because of the lack of space. Gardens are also very small. Most

neighbourhoods have nice parks where people go to relax or play games. South African

communes usually have three to five bedrooms with a living room, kitchen and bathroomor two. Because of the lack of space a garage is an absolute luxury. Cars are usually

parked in the street in front of the houses on both side of the road.

There are however very beautiful and luxurious apartments in London with riverfronts

and Jacuzzis. These do however come at a price and most South Africans tend to endure a

bit less luxury for saving those extra pounds. The choice is absolutely yours.

Other TransportationIf you plan on touring quite a bit, be it only the United Kingdom or Europe as well one of

the best investments you can make is a car. A car could also be useful if you dont worktoo far from your home, as schools are usually not situated on busy routes. Cars come in

very handy when making a last minute decision to go away for the weekend. They also


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make it easy to go and visit your friends in the evening. The down side is that fuel is

costly and insurance (which is compulsory in London) is also very expensive. If you haveno claims bonus in South Africa, this could considerably lower your premium in London.

You could buy a reliable car for as little as 400, insurance will cost around 25 a month

and petrol 1.08 per litre.


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ReligionRumour has it that the British arent religious this rumour is true. Although London has

hundreds of beautiful churches, most of them are empty or nearly empty on Sundays.

Luckily there are a few thriving and growing congregations including His people and ofcourseDie SA Gemeente (www.sagemeente.com) this congregation has no denomination.

The church building is situated at Kings Cross St. Pancreas tube station in central

London. Die SA Gemeente has three services each Sunday at 10:00, 18:00 and 19:30.Services are in Afrikaans but translation is available. It also has a midweek praise and

worship session on Wednesdays at 19:00. The church has small groups right across

London, which meet regularly. It also holds regular camps, one of them especiallyfocussing on two year working holidaymakers in London.

Holiday DestinationsThis may be one of the easiest questions to answer as all of the United Kingdom and

Europe is at your fingertips. This includes the Scandinavian countries (Sweden, Finland,and Lithuania), east block countries (Turkey, Czech Republic, and Romania), mainland(France, Germany, Spain, and Italy) and North Africa (Egypt, Morocco) as well as Israel,

the Red sea and Dubai for a shopping spree.

Most of Europe is covered with a single SCHENGEN Visa but it is best to check whichcountries need visas before travelling. Switzerland doesnt require a visa at all.

General

Travel Insurance

When working in London you will pay compulsory NI (National Insurance) tax. Thus,

when working in London you are automatically medically insured. When travelling you

are advised to purchase travel insurance. This insurance provides medical and general

insurance for luggage loss, airway liquidation, etc.

Travel insurance is about R2400,00 (depends on your age and length of trip). Youth

product is for people under the age of 35, who are travelling for extended periods of time,and it provides young travellers with essential benefits for up to two years, including:

R5 000 000 cover for medical and related expenses

Personal liability cover up to R2 000 0000

Luggage cover automatically included

Journey cancellation and curtailment cover up to R10 000

Emergency assistance available from the worlds leading emergency assistance

service providers.

Your local travel agent will be able to advise you in more detail about travel insurance.


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Driving while abroad?

Whether you hire a car for a weekend to see the Loch Ness monster, or buy a car to getstuck in London traffic,you do not require an international drivers license. Your SouthAfrican drivers license is accepted in the United Kingdom. If you do buy a vehicle,

you will be required by law to insure it. You will however receive considerable discount

on your premium if you can supply the insurer with a letter from your local insurancestating your no claims bonus. People over the age of 25 also get significantly reduced

rates.

Lost vital documentation?

Murphy's Law states that: If any vital documentation can be lost, it will, and at the most

inconvenient time. Therefore it is advisable to make photocopies of all vital documentsincluding your passport (all relevant pages), traveller's cheque numbers, credit cards,

airplane tickets, etc. It is also advisable to email these copies to yourself to make them

accessible anywhere in the world. A copy of your passport and visas will streamline the

re-issuing process and make you a globetrotter once more. If you're travelling withsomebody, it is a good idea to exchange copies of your information in case of emergency.

Foreign Currency

If you don't have a bank account in the UK, it is advisable to work with traveller's

cheques until Classroom helps you to obtain one (this will happen during your first weekin London). It is best to exchange traveller's cheques at the original issuer's branch to

eliminate additional fees. Traveller's cheques also provide the easiest and cheapest way to

transfer money between countries, providing you with competitive rates and goodservice.

International Student Identity Card (ISIC)If you are under 27 and a student, you qualify for an ISIC card. This card will allow for a

number of discounts at for example youth hostels, museums and cinemas around the UK

and Europe. These cards are available from your local travel agent or you can visithttp://www.isic.co.za/ for more info.

Phoning Home

Using Phone Lines

Tell mom to dial 0044 and the rest of your number without the first 0 when she misses

you. For example if your UK number is 0706 990 1417 mom should dial 0044 706 990

1417. If you miss mom's cooking, phone 0027 then the area code without the 0 and the

rest of the number for example if mom's number is 011 301 6000 dial 0027 11 301 6000.Don't despair if you see your first pound disappear in a payphone within 10 seconds.

Cheaper call options are available in the form of phone cards. These phone cards provide

excellent rates to South Africa. We recommend the "Alpha" phone card, but be sure tocheck the rates as they do change from time to time. Instructions for using phone cards


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are printed on the back of these cards. Phone cards can be purchased from most shops

and cafs

Making phone calls using the Internet

Various sites are available that offer IP telephony (for the experts among you) or Internet

phone calls (for the rest of us). IP telephony is when both parties log onto the Internet andthen call each other via the Internet, using a microphone and speakers to communicate.

Two excellent examples are MSN messenger and Yahoo messenger. MSN messenger canbe downloaded at www.msn.com and yahoo messenger from www.yahoo.com. Both these

programs require a microphone and speakers for both parties. Many people in the UK use

Internet caf's for Internet phone calls. The prices of Internet caf's vary considerably

with "EasyEverything" being the biggest and most popular. Some Internet caf's such as"EasyEverything" also provide web cams (at minimal additional cost). Most South

African communes are equipped with Internet ready computers.

The second way of Internet phone calls is internet-to-phone phone calls. Mom goes ontoher computer at home and calls you directly to your home phone in London. This is very

convenient for you, as you don't have to go to an Internet caf. This option is not freehowever, but does come at a fraction of the cost of a phone call, even if using a phonecard (6 for 5 hours). One of the best sites that offer this service is www.pc2call.com. If you

are interested and require more info on internet-to-phone calls please feel free to ask us.

"Its like death and taxes...."

If there is any money to be paid out to you in any form, no matter how little, you will

have to pay tax to the beloved queen. The new tax year starts in April. Another good tip isto ask for a VAT slip whenever you buy something expensive like a camera in the UK.

This slip is as good as cash-in-hand when produced at the airport on the day you fly back

home!

Teachers pay will PAYE (Pay AS You Earn) tax

Pay As You Earn (PAYE)

(Trying our best not to bore you here!) Two types of tax need to be paid:

National Insurance (NI)

Income tax

National Insurance (NI)

This tax includes entitlements to state benefits such as free health care from the NationalHealth Service (NHS). This tax is deducted at the source of income, thus the employer is

taxed as well. People earning less than 66 per week are not taxed, the next bracket up to

500 pay 10% tax. Anything in excess of 500 pays the maximum of 43.40

Income tax

The amount of income tax payable is calculated on your Taxable Income amount and on ayearly basis. Taxable Income is the difference between your Gross Pay (total earnings)


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and your Personal Allowance. This Personal Allowance is the amount that you are

allowed to earn before paying tax.

These allowances are as follows for the 2008/2009 year:

Single person 4,335

Married couple 5,195 (4,335 + 860)For example, for a single person, the first 4,335 earned is tax free. The next 1,500

earned is taxed at 10%. The next 26,500 earned is taxed at 23% and thereafter

everything is taxed at 40%. Therefore, anything in excess of 32,335 earned is taxed at40%.

Many South Africans are under the misconception that you can claim all your tax back

because you are a South African citizen. This is NOT TRUE! You are only eligible to

claim back tax if you do not work a full financial year (most South Africans dont)

Please feel free to contact us at any time would you have any further questions.

The next section is a checklist you can print out to make sure you send us all the necessary

documentation and information for us to register you with Classroom.


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CLASSROOM REGISTRATION CHECKLISTYou can print this checklist to assist you in getting all your own administration sorted out. This is a list of things that needs to be

done before you leave for your adventure in London

Completed registration form

Make sure the form includes:

- Please provide referees to cover the last 2 years (at least 2 referee names needed). A referee can be any person that

can comment on your teaching abilities and your abilities to interact with children. Referees can be colleagues who

were senior to you at your place of work or practical training, lecturers, heads of institutions where you worked with

children etc. Include written letters of reference by each of the referees. (See registration form, page 4)

- Your personal declaration of health. It is not needed to see a doctor or physician, only to be completed by yourself

and to the best of your own knowledge. Make sure it is signed.

(See registration form, page 5)

- Contract for Services or where relevant - Limited Company Contract. Make sure you read through your contract, that

you understand it and that it is signed.

Good quality CV

Make sure that we receive a good quality CV of yourself. Your CV will be a very powerful tool, CLASSROOM will use, to

find you a suitable position. A good quality CV should include as much as possible of your previous work experience, but

should not be too long: 3 to 5 pages should be sufficient. Please email us and ask for example CVs should you require a

few quality CVs to have a look at.

Your teaching qualification

A copy of your teaching qualification, be it a degree, diploma, or college degree. If such a document is not available, but

you already passed all subjects from your institution of graduation required for your qualification, an interim letter or

certificate stating that you will receive your degree/diploma will be sufficient.

Passport photos

For CLASSROOM office use, 2 (two) passport size photos of yourself will be required. CLASSROOM delegates visiting

you at your institution of learning, or during a meeting with you will take pictures of you. In this case CLASSROOM will

not need passport photos from you. If no picture of you were taken, please mail them to the PO box address supplied in this

info pack. If you have a digital picture (passport style) of yourself, you can e-mail it to the e-mail address supplied in this

info pack.

Police Clearance Certificate (Police Check)

Before you can teach in the UK, you have to be cleared from any Criminal Record, by the South African police. A police

Clearance certificate can be obtained from your local police station. To apply for a police clearance certificate, your local

police station will need to see proof of your ID, and take your fingerprints. This is a very important document to get before

you leave, since it can only be obtained from the SA Police. If you do not have a police clearance once you arrive in the

UK you will have to obtain it through INTERPOL. This is a lengthy and expensive process. Once obtained, mail the

document to the SA branch of CLASSROOM. (Please apply ASAP as it could take up to 3 months to obtain in SA)

Proof of ID/ Passport

Proof that you are in fact who you say you are. This can be a police stamped copy of your SA ID-book, SA drivers licence,

or your Passport. Please mail to the SA branch of CLASSROOM.


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DONE

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I WANT TO GO TO LONDON, WHEN SHOULD I DO WHAT?

(Print this for yourself)

Right, you decided to take on the adventure and to go work and play in London for a

while. In order to help you to have everything in perfect order the day you fly out, we

compiled an easy guide to help you start with certain tasks on time, and to be relaxedwith those you cant do anything about yet. This will stop you showing up at the Visa

office while you cannot apply yet, and will make sure you apply for relevant documents

on time.

We have many years experience with these matters and you are welcome to follow our

advice. We also found that when everything is in good order, your stress is considerablyless and you can start enjoying everything sooner on the other side!

The times indicated are for a typical case. It can happen however that you want to get ona plane quite urgently, and dont have time to wait for all documents. Since we know

every case is unique, we are quite sure we will be able to help you with good advice inany case on how to get everything sorted out. Please phone us or email us immediately

with your questions, were standing ready to help!

We also travel across the whole country, so you can also ask us when were in your area,

so that we can chat to you in person. As you know were also the only UK Company withan SA branch that fly with you to the UK, and if you go to the UK in January we will be

the people welcoming you in head office.

On the next page, is a breakdown of everything you will need to do before you fly out,

and when to do it.


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A TIME LINE OF YOUR HOMEWORK BEFORE YOU FLY OUT

*E-mail your CV, speed post bank application forms and documents for it, fax the rest

Flight Ticket

You can never buy yourself a flight ticket too early. It is much more important to getyourself a flight ticket on a time that is better for a teacher to arrive in London. Do not try

to save R1000 and fly out of season and arrive in London on a bad time! That R1000 you

can work back on your first day of School before lunch! Pick seasons your ticket to

London will be more or less R7500 and off pick seasons will be R5000. Please ask usabout school holidays. In case you want to go to London near or around the end of the

year, there are 3 times you would normally go:

End of November immediately after your final Exam. .

This is the BEST time that you can go. During this time all last years teachers

come back to South Africa and very good posts become available.


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You fly onthis day.

Weeks before you leave 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Apply foryour PoliceClearanceNOW

Make sureyourPassport isvalid andready

You canapply foryour Visafrom nowon.

Startworking onyour CV

e-mail usyour CV,we need todo somework on it!

Speed post

yourbankapplicationformstogether withrelevantdocuments

Fax us your2 writtenreferences

Make surewe haveyourcompletedregistrationform andthat it issigned.

Fax us acopy of your

Passport

Immediatelyfax us yourVisa, PoliceClearanceand proof ofqualificationwhen itbecomesavailable

Make sure thatyour CV is correctand that weaccepted yourlatest issue.

In case youasked for

accommodation,we will let youknow the fulldetails here.

Bankaccountready,confirm.

You cannever buyyourself aflight tickettoo early.


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Before the Schools start on January 5th

This is also a good time to go, but you have to be there when schools start in

January. You will not be able to fly between 1 and 3 January, and therefore you

have to look for a ticket between Christmas and New Years. The consultants from

the SA office also fly to London then.

Later January

This is not the best time to go over at all! There are however jobs for everyone,

but there are more competition for the better positions because all last years SAteachers then return with their UK experience to stay their second year! (This

includes teachers from other countries such as Australia and New Zealand)

Passport

A Passport can take very long to get. (6 weeks+) and it is important that you apply for

one as early as possible. You will also not be able to get a flight ticket without one, andyour passport is valid for 10 years, so go get one today! If your passport will expire

during your stay in the UK or within 6 months of your return, you will also have to apply

for a new passport otherwise your Visa application might be rejected!

Police Clearance

You will not be able to work in the UK as a teacher without an SA Police Clearance. It

can also take long and is mailed to you. It will be valid for 6 months, and only needs to be

valid when you arrive in the UK. You can therefore apply for your Police Clearance 4months in advance of your flight. You can do so at your nearest Police Station.

Registration Form

If you havent already filled out the Classroom Registration form, please let us know, and

we will email you one. You can print it out, fill it in and fax right back to us.

CV

Start as early as possible with your CV. When you write your CV, you can prestend youalready completed your studies and your practical training up to the end of the year.

Please ask us for help with your CV and a standard template. Email us your CV in

Microsoft Word format. We will work through it and make suggestions on how we canimprove it, or let you know when we accept it. Your CV is THE MOST IMPORTANT

document on your UK adventure, and has to be perfect. Please ask someone to double

check your CV.


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Visa

If you do not hold a British Passport, EU Passport or Ancestral Visa, you will have to

apply for a Working holiday Visa like the most of us. Please contact us for help with this.You can activate your Working holiday Visa only 3 months in advance, so it is better to

apply within 3 months of your flight. The application and issue of your Visa happens

within 24 hours, so all the rest goes into courier etc. You must go to the British consulatein Pretoria or Cape Town yourself. It takes about 3 to 10 work days to activate your visa.

Bank Application form: Lloyds TSB Account

It is very difficult for a South African to obtain a UK bank account independently.

Classroom also opens your UK bank account before you fly out. If you do this in timeyou could already have your bank cards before you climb on the plane, otherwise we

organise for you to pick it up at a central Lloyds branch in London as soon as you arrive.Please ask us for the forms and the examples of how to fill this out. When you finished

filling it out, please phone us to so that we can make sure everything is correct before youspeed post them to us. With your bank application forms, you will also get a document

describing the whole process in detail. Please mail me and ask me for the bank

application forms, there are a few docs that you need to send with before we can applyfor you bank account, this includes:

Application form that must be filled in correctly.

Letter from the bank with your physical address on (must be the same as had

written on the application).

Copy of your passport that must be certified. The person who certified its,

signature and telephone number as well as your signature must be included.

Written References

We will need 2 written references from you, where a person in professional designation(colleague, teacher where you did practical, lecturer) write about your skills as a teacher.

These letters must be in English and on a letterhead of the relevant institution. You can

fax these written reference letters to us.Were also going to need 2 references on our letter head. It is just 6 questions that the

persons who saw you work with children must fill in. You will not be able to work

without this for Classroom. Please let me know if I havent sent it to you.

Proof of qualification

You will not be able to work as a teacher in the UK if we did not receive proof of yourqualification! If your degree certificate is not available yet, (most probably) you can ask

for a letter of proof from your institution, after your final exam. This letter will have to


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state that you met all the requirements for your degree. A Letter stating that you will

receive your degree when you meet the requirements will not suffice unfortunately.Neither will a letter stating that you are currently studying education. Please contact us so

that we can refer you to the correct person at your institution who could issue you such a

letter.

Accommodation

Please also read the Info Pack regarding accommodation. This is the easiest thing toorganise in London. We can help you with this, and if you indicated that you will need

accommodation, we will let you know the details 2 days before your flight. You can alos

arrange your own accommodation when you are there, by going to the SA Gemeente inKings Cross.

london schools classroom presents several classroom management seminars

Documents