Postgraduate Paths to Qualified Teacher Status

This section includes guides to qualifications such as the PGCE and PGDE - postgraduate courses leading to the Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) required to teach at primary and secondary level.

We've also explained other routes into teaching, including advice on professional training options such as School Direct, Teach First and School-centred initial teacher training as well as information on specialist training in Early Years or Further Education teaching.

Postgraduate routes into teaching – what's involved?

What's involved in postgraduate teacher training will depend on the programme you choose, and whether it's school-led or university-led (like the PGCE or PGDE). Generally speaking, your training will include:

• At least 24 weeks worth of classroom experience in a minimum of two different schools. You'll generally work with a teaching mentor to start with, before gradually transitioning into giving your own lessons
• Academic study to help you gain practical skills and understand the theoretical underpinnings of education
• An assessment of your teaching skills (this is usually through being observed while you're teaching classes).

What are some of my options for studying Teacher Training?

The PGCE and PGDE are the most common university courses offering initial teacher training qualifications. We list PGCE and PGDE qualifications here on FindAMasters (along with a wide range of other postgraduate courses).

However, other routes into teaching exist for graduates who haven't previously studied a degree in Education. We've provided a quick introduction to them in the sections below.

The School Direct programme involves spending a year with at least two schools, getting first-hand teaching experience in a classroom setting. Courses often lead to the award of a PGCE, but not always – make sure you ask the specific provider about this.

Once you’ve successfully finished the programme, you’ll receive QTS. People who train through the School Direct are frequently offered by jobs at the schools in which they’ve trained.

Funding for School Direct is the same as it is for PGCEs, which means you may be eligible for generous government bursaries and scholarships.

There’s also the School Direct (salaried) option, open to people with at least three years of employment experience (in any discipline). This salaried route pays trainees the same wages as an unqualified teacher.

Teach First is the charity that runs the Leadership Development Programme (LDP), an initiative aimed at helping outstanding graduates qualify as teachers in low-income communities. You’ll need at least a 2:1 undergraduate degree to be eligible for this scheme.

You can choose between Early Years/primary school level and secondary school level. Whichever pathway you pick, you’ll be supported by several expert mentors and will attend a number of extracurricular conference days over the course of the programme.

The LDP lasts two years and, by the end of your first year, you’ll have QTS. Once you’ve finished you’ll receive a Postgraduate Diploma in Education (not to be confused with the PGDE in Scotland!) worth 120 CATS credits. You can ‘top up’ this PGDip to a Masters later on.

SCITT programmes are run by networks of schools, rather than universities. By following this route you'll receive hands-on training, eventually leading to the same Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) you'd earn through an academic course. Scome SCITT courses also allow you to earn a PGCE.

You can learn more in our guide to SCITT programmes.

If you want to teach children up to 5 years old, you’ll need to gain Early Years Teacher Status (EYTS) – the equivalent of QTS for young children.

There are a few postgraduate EYITT options:

• University-led early years programmes: If you already currently work with young children, you could complete one of these courses on a part-time basis and gain EYTS. If you don’t have employment experience, you study full-time in combination with school placements. Some of these programmes include a PGCE.
• School-led early years programmes: If you’d prefer to train with a network of schools or nurseries, a School Direct (Early Years) course offers you this opportunity. Like university-led early years courses, some of these include a PGCE.
• Assessment Only: Ideal for people who already meet the Teacher’s Standards (Early Years) and don’t need further training, these courses result in EYTS.

If you’re training to become an early years teacher, you may be eligible for a £7,000 grant to cover your course fees, as well as a bursary of up to £5,000, depending on your undergraduate degree classification.

Further education (FE) covers a broad range of post-compulsory education, from vocational courses to teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL).

The FE sector works differently to primary and secondary education, so you won’t necessarily need the same formal qualifications that are required by state schools. However, there are still a range of Education courses aimed to help you gain skills and experience, such as the PGCE and the Diploma in Education and Training.