Postgraduate: QTS, PCGE Assessment Only
There are several pathways for Postgraduates to become teachers.
These would all be dependent on an individual’s needs and circumstances. The available route are detailed below:
Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE)
A popular Postgraduate academic qualification leading to QTS, the PGCE is a one-year course focused on developing trainees’ teaching skills and underpinning their knowledge. Available for Primary and Secondary, Postgraduates are expected to have a good understanding of their age range and/or chosen subject before they start training towards this qualification. A degree in a national curriculum subject is preferred but not essential.
In England and Wales, PGCEs are offered on all university-led courses and most school-led courses. To teach as a qualified teacher in England, trainees only require QTS, but might find gaining a PGCE advantageous if they’re considering teaching in Scotland or overseas.
Assessment Only (AO)
If a graduate is currently working as an unqualified teacher in England, they could achieve Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) via the Assessment Only route.
If an individual has a degree and substantial experience of working in a school, Early Years or Further Education setting, this option allows them to gain QTS without undergoing a full Initial Teacher Training programme. Typically a 12-week programme, this pathway is offered by a number of universities, colleges and SCITTs across the country.
The Assessment Only route does not lead to a PGCE qualification however it is not a requirement for Postgraduates to obtain a PGCE qualification in order to teach in England.
School Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT)
Similar to a School Direct (tuition fee) route into teaching, SCITT programmes are run by schools or a group of schools. SCITTs provide practical, hands-on teacher training, taught by experienced, practising teachers. This route works in partnership with universities, enabling trainee teachers to gain a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) alongside working towards Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
Higher Education Institution (HEI)
Click here to view a list of UK Universities that offer courses in teacher training; HEI provide a traditional University route into teaching but also work with SCITTs to deliver the PGCE. Haybridge Alliance SCITT is a franchise of Birmingham City University to deliver both the PGCE and Undergraduate Programme.
Apprenticeship
Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship programmes are a nationally-recognised, work-based route into teaching. It is an alternative to a traditional full-time university course, offering a postgraduate-level qualification, no tuition fees and the opportunity to ‘earn while you learn’. Apprenticeships are available for prospective Primary and Secondary school teachers in England and will require trainees to be employed by a school while they learn on the job. Trainees will receive a combination of classroom teaching and off-the-job training as they work towards Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
As Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeships are new, there are currently only a limited number of vacancies. Each training provider will have a set plan for when they make places available so prospective trainees must check regularly.
If an individual is currently working as an unqualified teacher or teaching assistant, this route offers new opportunities for career progression as well as higher earning capacity, recognition and status.
Train to teach primary students in a rewarding career choice
Primary routes focus on the study of teaching in all Primary National Curriculum subjects, with emphasis on the core subjects: English, Mathematics and Science. Our Primary courses allow applicants the opportunity to study a range of ages, ranging from 3-11 (Undergraduate) or 5-11 (Postgraduate) and the distinctive pedagogies encountered in reception, nursery, KS1 and KS2 classrooms, as well as a KS3 experience.
