Postgraduate teacher training

CONTENTS

1. Teacher training as a graduate in the UK

2. What does PGCE or QTS stand for?

3. What’s a PGCE or PGDE like?

4. School-led teacher training in England

5. Teach First graduate scheme

6. Teaching entry requirements

7. Subject Knowledge Enhancement courses in England

8. Applying for teacher training

9. Funding for postgraduate teacher training

10. Qualifying as a teacher

11. University PGCE/PGDE qualifiers table

Teacher training as a graduate in the UK

The best-known route to qualify as a teacher is to take a PGCE at a university after you’ve graduated from your undergraduate degree. Or you can complete teacher training as part of your undergraduate degree.

However in England, school-led training is another option, now taken by over half of all postgraduate teacher trainees.

Teacher training is specific to the age group you plan to teach. You’ll need to decide whether to train as a primary or secondary teacher before you apply – or you can train to teach in further education. If you choose secondary education, you’ll need to focus either on your degree subject or one that’s closely related.

Postgraduate teacher training is usually completed in a year – making it an intensive training course, particularly as you’ll spend a lot of your time in schools. It’s important to find the course that works best for you. England now offers many routes for teacher training, so we look at the similarities and differences between them to help you make your decision.

What does PGCE or QTS stand for?

First, here’s a rundown of some teacher training abbreviations you might come across and what they mean.

PGCE: stands for Postgraduate Certificate in Education. A PGCE is an internationally recognised teaching qualification.

PGDE: short for Postgraduate Diploma in Education. It’s the equivalent to a PGCE at Scottish universities. A few English unis offer a PGDE: this differs from the normal PGCE in England because it’s worth 120 credits rather than the usual 60.

ITT or ITE: Initial Teacher Training or Initial Teacher Education. This is the term for any course that qualifies you to become a teacher. Each UK nation has its own teaching standards, and all ITT or ITE courses meet those standards.

SCITT: a school-led ITT provider in England.

QTS: specific to England, QTS stands for Qualified Teacher Status. It shows you’ve met the requirements to teach in a publicly funded primary or secondary school in England. QTS is awarded by the teaching regulator, not the course provider, so sometimes courses say ‘recommended for QTS’. QTS isn’t required to teach in a school outside of England. If your teacher training was taken elsewhere, you’ll need to pass a QTS assessment to be able to teach in England.

EYTS: specific to England, EYTS is short for Early Years Teacher Status. EYTS means you’re qualified to teach the birth to five age-range but you can’t be employed as a teacher in a primary school in England – for that you’ll need to pass a QTS assessment.

What’s a PGCE or PGDE like?

A PGCE or PGDE is an academic qualification offered by universities. It’s an award that’s recognised in all UK nations and across the world.

A PGCE usually takes one-year if studied full-time. You’ll send more than half that time in school, experiencing two contrasting school settings. This is often the most challenging but rewarding part of teacher training, as you begin to put your skills into practice.

On your PGCE you’ll learn about educational practices, theory and research, as well as practical skills in teaching such as planning and assessment and classroom management. You’ll complete written assignments and action-based research.

• If your PGCE is taken at a university, some of your time will be on campus with a cohort of teacher trainees.
• If your PGCE is part of school-led teacher training in England it’ll be awarded by a university, but you’ll be based in school and are less likely to meet other teacher trainees.

For primary teaching you take a general PGCE/PGDE. For secondary education, you must complete a course in a secondary education subject that’s closely related to your degree.

In England and Wales, not all PGCE courses lead to Qualified Teacher Status. Some PGCE courses are geared towards Further Education, Early Years Teacher Status (EYTS) or international teacher training. To find one that leads to QTS, you’ll need to look for PGCE courses ‘with QTS’ or ‘recommended for QTS’.

School-led teacher training in England

In England, school-led teacher training routes include the following:

• SCITT (School Centred Initial Teacher Training): high-achieving schools approved to run their own courses
• School Direct: a lead school partnered with a university or SCITT
• Teaching apprenticeship: an employer school uses off-site training from a SCITT or university
• Teach First: the charity Teach First targets high-achieving graduates and career changers, partnering them with schools in poorer areas to help raise attainment

All routes meet the teaching standards for England and give you practical training in the knowledge and skills you need to become a teacher.

School-led vs university-led teacher training

With so many routes to qualify as a teacher in England, how do you choose between them? Some of it may come down to what’s available in your area. Sometimes the same school may offer more than one route, depending on how the teacher training is funded.

One key difference is whether you’ll need to pay for the training – or be paid while you train.

• If your teacher training is with a university or SCITT provider, you’ll need to pay tuition fees and take out a student loan
• If your teacher training is through a Teaching apprenticeship or Teach First, you’ll be paid as an employee and won’t have to pay your fees
• If you take a School Direct programme, it could be either of the above

Other than Teach First, most salaried teacher training routes are aimed at graduates with over three year’s work experience. Your experience doesn’t have to be related to teaching, and schools have discretion for hard-to-fill subjects. The salary paid is that of an unqualified teacher, which may be less than you’re used to.

The other key difference is who leads the training. If it’s a school-led route, you’ll be based in school from outset but you’re not thrown into teaching straight away.

Similarities in teacher training

• All trainees experience a minimum of two different school settings
• All are mentored while in school, to help trainees apply their learning to situations faced in the classroom.
• All ITT providers and programmes are inspected by Ofsted

Differences in teacher training

University-led teacher training

• You'll be based at uni with a cohort of teacher trainees
• You'll benefit from university life and support
• You'll spend about a third of your time on academic learning
• Your university will organise your placements

School-led teacher training (SCITT, School Direct, Teaching apprenticeships)

• You'll be based in school and may not meet other trainees
• You'll learn from teachers in practice; mentoring could have a closer fit with your training
• You'll get greater insights into your school’s approach to teaching
• You'll start in your key placement school; the provider will arrange another placement
• You may also get university-led training, such as a PGCE

On School Direct routes, the school agrees the programme of training with a university or SCITT, including any areas delivered by the school. The school takes a leading role and has a greater say in the recruitment of trainees. You might be offered employment at the end of this programme, but there’s no guarantee.

With a teaching apprenticeship you’re employed by the school, with 20% of your time in off-the-job training. You'll need to take an end point assessment to pass the apprenticeship. Apprenticeships are only offered when the employing school has vacancies, which may be at any time of the year.

Teach First trainees get extra training and development to help them develop leadership qualities – for more, see the section on Teach First further down this page. You won’t need prior work experience.

School-led teacher training and PGCEs

Teacher training led by a school doesn’t always include a PGCE, and you don’t actually need a PGCE to be a teacher in England. That said, if you have a PGCE it’s an internationally recognised teaching qualification and may be useful if you plan to move elsewhere.

Whether you can get a PGCE will depend on the training provider and what’s offered. You might have to pay extra to take the PGCE.

Teach First graduate scheme

In England, the charity Teach First offers a leadership development programme to train high-achieving graduates or career changers to become teachers and leaders. It aims to end educational inequality and partners with schools in low-income areas.

The graduate scheme combines teacher training and a fully funded two-year PGDE course, with the option to take a master’s. You’ll be trained by a Teach First expert as well. You’re placed in schools that need the most help and will support students and staff so they can thrive.

Before you start, you complete Teach First's Summer Institute course. You’ll then learn on the job in school. After a year of studying for your PGDE you’ll achieve QTS and be qualified to teach. In the second year, you’ll develop the skills needed to be a leader in the classroom as well as in wider society.

You’ll also have opportunities to do internships, take on additional responsibilities and work towards a master’s qualification. You’re employed, which means you’ll earn a salary.

Teaching entry requirements

You’ll need a UK undergraduate degree or equivalent and must meet the minimum standards in maths and English for each nation. Different providers may have higher requirements.

To teach at secondary level, you’ll need to have covered enough of your chosen subject within your degree – although in England, subject knowledge enhancement courses may be available (see below).

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland

• GCSE grade 4/C or higher in English and Maths (5/B or above in Wales)
• To teach at primary level you must also have at least one GCSE grade 4/C or above in Science (5/B or above in Wales) – equivalent qualifications are accepted

In Scotland

• Highers (SCQF level 6) in at least four areas including English, plus National 5 Maths
• For primary education, you must have studied two of the following: Science, Social Studies, Expressive Arts, Religious and Moral Education, Technology and Modern Foreign Languages
• Teaching providers may want at least one National 5 in a Modern Language or Science

You’ll also need to pass health checks and Disclosure and Barring Services (DBS) checks as part of the admissions process (PVG scheme in Scotland).

Subject Knowledge Enhancement courses in England

If you're keen to train as a teacher but don't have the required subject knowledge, don't let this put you off. If you’re deemed to be a good candidate, your teaching provider may get you to take a Subject Knowledge Enhancement (SKE) course as part of your training. This might be if you have:

• An A Level in the subject but not a degree
• A different but related degree, for example Accountancy and you want to teach Maths
• An unrelated degree but relevant professional experience
• A languages degree, but need to improve your knowledge of a second language
• Not used your subject knowledge in a while

SKE courses are available in Biology, Chemistry, Computing, Design and Technology, English, Languages, Maths (including primary-level Maths), Physics and Religious Education. Courses can be full-time or part-time, and taken before or alongside your initial teacher training.

As an SKE candidate, you’ll have already been accepted onto a teacher training course, whether a university-led PGCE course or a school-led route. Entry requirements vary between SKE providers.

Applying for teacher training

England

Other than Teach First, all postgraduate teacher training courses are listed on the GOV.UK postgraduate teacher training course service. This includes SCITT-run courses and School Direct programmes. Places may be advertised up to a year in advance. If you only want to study at a university, you can find PGCE courses on the Complete University Guide.

Applications are via DfE Apply – for Teach First programmes apply via the Teach First website. For further information, see England’s Get into Teaching website.

Northern Ireland

For postgraduate courses, apply direct to the institution in Northern Ireland. The Department for Education in Northern Ireland has further information on getting into teaching in Northern Ireland.

Scotland

Use UCAS Undergraduate for Scottish postgraduate teacher training courses. For more information on teaching in Scotland, see the Teach in Scotland website.

Wales

For postgraduate courses in Wales, search and apply via UCAS Undergraduate. You can find further information about teaching on the Educators Wales website.

Funding for postgraduate teacher training

Unless you’re on an employment-based teacher training scheme, you’ll need a student loan. Postgraduate teacher training is eligible for undergraduate student finance – meaning you can apply for tuition fee loan and maintenance support based on the usual rules of where you normally live.

If you’re in England, you can get a loan whether your course is led by a university or an SCITT provider – including School Direct programmes if they are unsalaried.

If you support children or family, government grants may be available; some are means-tested.

Incentives may be available for secondary school subjects where there's a shortage of teachers. You will need to be eligible for student finance. Amounts are subject to change from year to year.

Below are details of the teaching incentives for each UK nation.

England

Scholarships of £30,000 are available for secondary Chemistry, Computing, Maths and Physics, with £27,000 for those teaching French, German or Spanish. You’ll need a first degree of 2:1 or higher to be eligible. These scholarships are provided by charitable institutions that promote their subject, and you’ll need to apply direct.

• Royal Society of Chemistry for chemistry
• BCS the Chartered Institute for IT for computing
• British Council for French, German or Spanish languages
• Institute of Mathematics and its Applications for maths
• Institute of Physics for physics

Bursaries are also available for the following subjects, but you can’t get both a scholarship and a bursary. You’ll need a first degree of 2:2 or higher to be eligible. The amounts offered and subjects funded change from year to year.

Find out more about teacher training incentives from Get into Teaching.

Northern Ireland

There is no extra funding for teacher training in Northern Ireland.

Scotland

Career changers with over three years work experience and at least a 2:1 in their undergraduate degree may be eligible for a bursary of £20,000. You must have an offer of a place on a PGDE in one of the following subjects:

• Chemistry
• Computing Science
• Home Economics
• Maths
• Physics
• Technical Education
• Gaelic medium (in primary or secondary school)
• Gaelic (as a secondary education subject)

Find out about bursaries from Teaching Bursary in Scotland.

Wales

Incentive payments total £15,000 for the following subjects, paid during and after your PGCE and teaching induction.

• Biology
• Chemistry
• Design and Technology
• Information Technology
• Maths
• Languages
• Physics
• Welsh

You can also get up to £5,000 if you’re taking an eligible secondary postgraduate teacher training course that enables you to teach in Welsh or teach Welsh as a subject.

Find out about teaching incentives from Educators Wales.

University PGCE/PGDE qualifiers table

Figures below show the number of postgraduates gaining teacher training qualifications in the UK’s universities in 2021/22 (HESA Jan 2023; rounding will affect totals).