Choosing Your Route into Teaching
The training route that you select will depend on several things that are individual to you, such as whether you have a degree or not, so take your time and explore all the options before making your choice. The DfE 'Get Into Teaching' website is an excellent place to start planning your journey into teaching, whatever your starting point.
You need ‘qualified teacher status’ (QTS) to work in the majority of schools in England including state maintained primary, secondary and special schools, which can be achieved in several different ways (assuming you have a degree as a starting point). Below are some of the most widely available in our region:
School-centred initial teacher training (SCITT)
SCITT programmes are designed and delivered by a network of schools and focus on training as you teach.
University
With university-led teacher training you spend some of your time in academic learning, but the majority in school placements.
Like Universities, many SCITT and School Direct programmes offer a PGCE or PGDE in addition to QTS. Courses typically take one year but you may be able to study part-time. Fees are usually around £9,250 but you can: get funding that you do not have to pay back for certain subjects or apply for a student loan.
Earn a salary
Some teacher training programmes like ‘postgraduate teaching apprenticeships’ offer a salary for those with the right experience. These courses are usually suitable for people who already have relevant teaching experience, or are already working as unqualified teachers. You will need the support of an employer as you will be paid as an unqualified teacher during your training period.