Education Tay

Training to be a teacher in the UK is not the same for all parts of the UK, teacher training is different, and Scotland, England and Wales teacher training is similar.   Depending on the types of teacher training course you complete will provide you with the professional qualification required for the primary, secondary and tertiary sector.

Become a Teacher?

A teaching career can be fun and enjoyable, although not for everyone, and teacher training has certain barriers to restrict admission.  Good teachers and people willing to learn are always in demand and a UK University can provide teacher training courses for all levels of teaching.  To teach in local education authority schools in England & Wales, N Ireland and Scotland you require to have Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) England, Scotland QT.

Teacher training for post compulsory learning in sixth form and colleges and recognition is also in connection with Institute of Learning (IFL) with a PGCE for the further education (FE) colleges or sixth form colleges, you require Qualified Teacher, Learning and Skills (QTLS) status or QTS if starting teaching after 2001.

QTS Award (England)

The awarded of QTS during teacher training by the General Teaching Council for England (GTC) award you must:

• Successfully complete a teacher training course, as a one year professional or postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE) course, which recommends you for QTS also known as initial teacher training (ITT).
• One year induction after teacher training, known as the newly qualified teacher (NQT) first year.
• Pass QTS Skills Tests in literacy, numeracy and information and communications technology (ICT) by the end of your ITT period.  Other similar tests in literacy and numeracy are part of teacher training in Scotland and N Ireland.

Teacher training in Scotland and signing up as a professional teacher is through GTCS.

What age range?

Teacher training is conducted at a specific age range:

• Nursery teacher 3-5 years, known as early years
• Lower primary 5-7 years, Key stage one
• Upper primary 7-11 years, Key stage two
• Secondary 11-16 years
• Further education 16 years + Post compulsory sector

Although teacher training is for a specific age range you could teach in another age range when fully qualified if the head teacher is in agreement.

Teacher Training Courses

The training period for a teacher known as Initial teacher training can be conducted through a number of teacher training courses to suit most people from distance learning, part time and full time.

Undergraduate teacher training

• Bachelor of education (BEd)
• Bachelor of arts or science with QTS (BA or BSc)

Postgraduate teacher training

• Postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE)
• Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE)
• School-centred initial teacher training (SCITT)

School Based Teacher Training

• Graduate Teacher Programme (GTP)
• Registered Teacher Programme (RTP)
• Teach First

Assessment based teacher training is available to experienced teachers that do not hold QTS in the UK or similar

Teacher Training Providers

School based teacher training is in general based in school and other forms of teacher training is conducted in two training placements and attendance at university on a teacher training course.

Funding Teacher Training

Teacher training bursaries re available for postgraduate for one year teacher training, and fees are paid by the government.

Entering teacher training then you will require grade C or above in English, Mathematics and if looking to enter teacher training in primary you will also require a C grade at least in Science also.  Post compulsory teacher training does not have the specific same entry requirements as schools, although they are similar, such as an Enhanced Disclosure police clearance.

Written by: Education Tay RCB