Your First 90 Days as a New IGCSE Teacher

Days 1–30: become fluent in one specification

The fastest way to look unprepared is to say you teach ‘IGCSE Science’ without naming a board, syllabus code or examination year. In month one, choose one specification and make it your operating system. Download the current syllabus from the board, note the exam series it covers, compare the paper routes, and print the content statements. Cambridge reviews syllabuses, so the year and version matter.

Sit at least one full paper under timed conditions before teaching it. Then mark your work strictly and create an error log: content gap, command-word error, missing working, imprecise terminology or time pressure. Your own mistakes reveal what students will need from you. Read examiner reports alongside the paper to see patterns that a mark total alone cannot show.

• Produce a one-page assessment map: papers, duration, marks, weighting, question types and any practical or coursework requirements.
• Colour-code every syllabus statement by confidence and plan study for genuine red areas.
• Build a command-word glossary using the definitions in the current syllabus—not memory or generic internet lists.
• Join the legitimate resource route available through your school or training provider; never rely on leaked or locked papers.

Days 31–60: turn knowledge into teachable sequences

Knowing the answer is different from designing the learning. Build one four-week unit with clear prerequisites, explanations, models, guided practice, independent practice and assessment. Identify two likely misconceptions per lesson and prepare examples that expose them. Teach short segments to peers or a mentor and ask for feedback on clarity, pacing and evidence—not performance style alone.

Mark sample responses with the official mark scheme, then compare your decisions with a mentor or example candidate responses where available. Standardisation matters: a teacher who awards marks for ‘basically correct’ language trains students toward unreliable answers. Add written feedback that specifies the missing idea and gives the learner a chance to act on it.

Days 61–90: build proof and choose an entry route

Now package the work into evidence: a syllabus map, scheme of work, lesson plan, demo clip, marked-response sample and reflection. Ask someone with relevant teaching experience to observe a lesson and write specific feedback. Revise the artifact after feedback so the portfolio demonstrates growth rather than a one-off performance.

Choose one responsible entry route. Apply for an assistant or junior role with a precise CV; tutor a tightly defined level while being transparent about your experience; or pursue a formal teacher-qualification pathway when school employment requires it. Do not launch five subjects at once. One well-prepared syllabus and a disciplined feedback loop build a better reputation than broad claims.

The weekly operating rhythm that compounds

Reserve a fixed weekly block for syllabus and assessment work even after students arrive. Review one difficult question, one examiner comment and one student misconception. Update the scheme of work from evidence, not anxiety. Keep parent communication brief and scheduled rather than reactive.

At day 90, audit the same four layers used at the start: subject knowledge, exam-board literacy, teaching competence and professional trust. Your goal is not to feel completely ready—no serious teacher ever finishes learning. It is to have a safe scope, verified materials, observable competence and a plan for the next gap.