What route should I take to become a teacher?

To teach in an English state school, you must have:

• A university degree

• Qualified Teacher Status (QTS)

• Achieved minimum requirements in GCSE English, maths, and science if you wish to teach at Primary level

You can teach in independent schools, academies, and free schools in England without QTS, but it’s a definite advantage to have it.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT TEACHING IN ENGLAND

To teach in a Welsh state school, you must have:

• A university degree

• Qualified Teacher Status (QTS)

• Registration with the Education Workforce Council (EWC)

In Wales, most postgraduate training programmes are university-based, and you have a choice of programmes delivered in English or Welsh. QTS awarded by the Education Workforce Council in Wales is automatically recognised in England.

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To teach in a Scottish state school, you must have:

• A university degree

• A Teaching Qualification (TQ) which can be achieved by following a programme of Initial Teacher Education (ITE)

• Registration with the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS)

Unlike in England, all Scottish teacher training programmes are university-led. There are two routes available to prospective primary and secondary school teachers:

• 4-year undergraduate programme

• 1-year Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE)

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT TEACHING IN SCOTLAND

To teach in a primary or post-primary (secondary) school in Northern Ireland, you must have:

• A university degree and a recognised teacher training qualification

• Registration with the General Teaching Council for Northern Ireland (GTCNI)

There are two routes available to prospective teachers:

• 4-year undergraduate Bachelor of Education (BEd)

• 1-year Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE)

Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmes are available from the following universities and colleges in Northern Ireland:

• Queen’s University School of Education

• Saint Mary’s University College

• Stranmillis University College

• The Open University

• The University of Ulster

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT TEACHING IN NORTHERN IRELAND