Routes into teaching - Print version

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Why become a teacher?

As a teacher, your passion and creativity will inspire and shape future generations. Choosing or changing a career can be a big decision. If you're wondering if teaching is the best path for you, find out what it's really like and where it can lead. As a teacher you'll work with lots of young people with a range of abilities, thinking on your feet to find creative solutions to problems. Teaching gives you the chance to shape a role that suits your skills, situation, and ambition, and allows you to use your subject knowledge to help shape the curriculum and work with a pastoral team to support pupil wellbeing. As you progress, you can move into leadership and influence the way things work.

Qualifications required

You need qualified teacher status (QTS) to teach in maintained primary, secondary and special schools in England (schools funded by local authorities). You can get this through teacher training. 

To train to teach in primary, secondary and special schools in England you'll need:

  • GCSEs at grade 4 (C) or above in English and maths (and science if you want to teach primary)
  • A bachelor's degree

Read more about the qualifications you need to teach [https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/is-teaching-right-for-me/qualifications-you-need-to-teach].

Routes into teaching

Explore what teaching is really like, including how you can get experience in the classroom to find out if it's the career for you.

  • If you have or are studying for a degree [https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/train-to-be-a-teacher/if-you-have-a-degree] - Train to Teach (QTS ? PGCE) - You need a bachelor’s degree to teach in primary, secondary and special schools in England. This does not have to be a bachelor’s degree in teaching. You also need to gain qualified teacher status (QTS) to teach in most schools which you get through teacher training. Teacher training courses usually take 9 months full-time, or 18 to 24 months part-time and can be funded via scholarship, salaried or non-salaried.
  • If you've worked as an unqualified teacher [https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/train-to-be-a-teacher/assessment-only-route-to-qts] - Assessment route - If you’ve worked as an unqualified teacher, you may be able to get qualified teacher status (QTS) through an assessment only programme. You can take the assessment only route to QTS if you already meet the standards for qualified teacher status, so do not need any further training. Instead, you will undertake a series of assessments. This may include lesson observations, providing a portfolio of evidence to show you meet the teachers’ standards, or written assessments. This will vary by your provider. The assessment programme takes up to 12 weeks.
  • If you want to change career [https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/train-to-be-a-teacher/if-you-want-to-change-career] - Train to teach - A career change into teaching allows you to use the skills and expertise you’ve already developed to inspire young people. You’ll need a degree and qualified teacher status (QTS) to work in the majority of schools in England including state-maintained primary, secondary and special schools. There are different ways to get QTS.
  • If you do not have a degree [https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/train-to-be-a-teacher/if-you-dont-have-a-degree] - Train to teach -  You need a bachelor’s degree to train to teach in primary, secondary and special schools in England. This does not have to be in teaching.  Degree courses that include QTS typically cost £9,250 per year and can take up to 4 years but you can get funding for your training.  As part of selecting your degree course, you will need to decide if you want to train to teach at a primary or secondary level. Learn about deciding who to teach.
  • Funding [https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/funding-and-support] - If you're applying for teacher training in England, there is help to enable you understand what funding and practical support you could be eligible for.

Steps to becoming a teacher

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