Teach in London

London truly is one of the most vibrant and exciting cities in which to live and work. It is also a popular place for Aussie, Kiwi and Canadian teachers to live and work.

London has something for everyone. From history and culture to food markets and shopping, it is one of the most visited cities in the world for a very good reason. The city is renowned for its arts and fashion schools, which make it one of the world’s fashion capitals. Because if this, shopping in London is among the best in England and offers everything from luxury to discount brands. If you’re keen to teach in London, you’ll be spoilt for choice with activities to do, cuisines to try, places to go and people to meet.

From the London Eye to the historic Tower of London, there are so many memorable things to do. Many of the city’s top attractions are free, making them affordable places to soak up some culture (or to escape the weather!). Some of the most popular museums include the V&A Museum, The Tate Modern, and the National History Museum. If you’re looking for entertainment, the West End hosts incredible theatrical performance, as do the outstanding National Theatre and The Old Vic, and nearby Leicester Square is home to world movie premieres – an unforgettable experience!

And when you tire of the tourists, and the tourist attractions, that’s when you know you’re a Londoner. That’s when the city becomes your own, with all its history, all its cutting edge trends, all its hidden gems. Relax after work in a historic soaker boozer, rub shoulders with celebrity chefs at the mouth-watering Borough markets, go ice-skating at Somerset House, take a dip in a Hampstead Heath pond, enjoy a lazy Sunday brunch at Columbia Road Flower Market, visit long-dead historical figures at an atmospheric cemetery, or enjoy endless summer evenings in one of London’s many parks and gardens. London’s famous Parks and Commons, including Hyde Park. St James Park, Regent’s Park and Hampstead Head, or dozens or others, are particularly noteworthy and well worth a visit.

A city of villages: finding a place to live

London is not a “cheap” city to make your home, although the wages in London are higher than the average national salaries because schools apply “London Weighting” (an additional salary payment). If you live and teach in London this extra money goes some way to counter the higher costs of living.

Finding a good area to live can be daunting, as a rule of thumb the lower the zone number on the tube map, the higher the cost of renting a house or apartment is, in reverse the higher the zone number the less you can pay for accommodation but more you are likely to be charged for travel to and from the centre of town. In London you can live in a very lively area with lots of clubs and nightlife or for the sake of a couple of extra stops on the tube you can live in an area with a very local, small community feel with rolling countryside just minutes from your door. Talk to your consultant about what you personally are seeking in terms of what type of area in which you want to live.

Top Ten Things to do in London

Top Ten (Alternative) Things to do in London

Literary links: novels set in London to help you set the scene

Bleak House, Charles Dickens, 1852-3
Mrs Dalloway, Virginia Woolf, 1925
Hangover Square, Patrick Hamilton, 1941
The Ministry of Fear, Graham Greene, 1943
Under the Net, Iris Murdoch, 1954
London Fields, Martin Amis, 1989
The Buddha of Suburbia, Hanif Kureishi, 1990
Downriver, Iain Sinclair, 1991
High Fidelity, Nick Hornby, 1995
Neverwhere, Neil Gaiman, 1996
Bleeding London, Geoff Nicholson, 1997
Tunnel Vision, Keith Lowe, 2001
Soho, Keith Waterhouse, 2001
Brick Lane, Monica Ali, 2003
The Calligrapher, Edward Docx, 2003
Night Haunts, Sukhdhev Sandhu, 2006
The House by the Thames, Gillian Tindall, 2006
A Concise Chinese-English Dictionary for Lovers, Xiaolu Guo, 2007

Useful links for life in London

Travel

journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk – Transport for London’s live travel information for Buses, Tube and Overground services.

www.tfl.gov.uk – The main Transport for London site, information on the types of tickets available, tube and bus maps plus live travel news.

www.thetrainline.com – Along with sites like ‘raileasy.com’ – take advantage of London’s connections and see a bit more of the UK.

www.walkit.com – A website to help you plan your walking route – often the best way to get around London

Things to do in London: get inspired!

www.timeout.co.uk – one of the longest established online and print magazines for London entertainment listings

www.visitlondon.com – tourist site but lots of information to give you some ideas

www.tripadvisor.co.uk – let’s face it, anyone who’s planning a holiday checks out tripadvisor

Secret London – quirky, weird and wonderful

London Street Art – East London’s most spectacular graffiti murals

Accommodation

www.airbnb.com – stay in someone else’s home while you look for yours

www.gumtree.com – Local noticeboard for everything from cars to flats, a good place for finding flat and house shares in and around the London region

www.zoopla.co.uk – Good search options plus the option to download an app version for hunting on the move

www.primelocation.com – Popular and well stocked in good houses and flats all over London and UK

www.tntmagazine.com – Popular and London focused magazine for Australian, Kiwis and Canadians – good accommodation section along with lots of news and event information to keep you from getting homesick

When you live and teach in London, you can spend your winter evenings ice skating in spectacular venues