How to become a teacher

A step-by-step guide to becoming a teacher

Step 1: Decide what you want to teach

Teaching age groups explained

The UK education system is broadly divided into primary and secondary schools, with a few authorities running a three-tier system. The key stages include:

• Early years foundation stage (EYFS): 0-5-year-olds - nursery and reception
• Key Stage 1: 5-7-year-olds - school years 1-2
• Key Stage 2: 7-11-year-olds - school years 3-6
• Key Stage 3: 11-14-year-olds - school years 7-9
• Key Stage 4: 14-16-year-olds - school years 10-11.

Try to gain experience with different age ranges to help you decide which group is right for you.

QTS allows you to teach in maintained schools in England and Wales. However, schools will usually expect evidence that you have appropriate experience for the age range and subject you want to teach.

For example, teachers moving between primary and secondary education may need to demonstrate relevant curriculum knowledge and classroom experience.

Choosing a subject to teach

Primary schools cover KS1 and KS2 and teaching content is broad, covering the whole range of national curriculum subjects:

• English
• maths
• science
• art and design
• computing
• design and technology
• geography
• history
• languages (at KS2)
• music
• physical education (PE), including swimming
• Welsh (in Wales).

Primary schools are also required to teach religious education (RE).

Secondary schools cover KS3 and KS4, and sometimes post-16. Core subjects include:

• citizenship
• computing
• English
• maths
• physical education
• science.

Schools must also offer at least one subject from each of these areas:

• arts
• design and technology
• humanities
• modern foreign languages.

Pupils work towards national qualifications, usually GCSEs, during KS4. Additional subjects offered include drama, dance, and media studies. Schools are also required to offer RE, careers guidance and relationships, sex and health education (RSHE).

If your training provider feels you need to improve your knowledge, they may recommend that you take a subject knowledge enhancement (SKE) course.

Step 2: Check you meet the entry requirements

To train as a teacher in England, you need:

• A degree (or equivalent) of a 2:2 or above. If you want to teach at secondary or post-compulsory level, your degree should be in, or relevant to, the subject you want to teach. If it's not, contact a training provider as you may be able to take an SKE course.
• At least a GCSE grade 4/C or equivalent in English and maths. If you want to teach primary or early years you will also need a GCSE grade 4/C or equivalent in a science subject. Some training providers may accept equivalency tests, but you'll need to check with the individual provider.
• To have declared any previous convictions and undergone the criminal records check through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

In Wales, you'll need:

• At least a GCSE grade 4/C or equivalent in maths or maths-numeracy.
• At least a GCSE grade 4/C or equivalent in either English language or Welsh language.
• At least a GCSE grade 4/C or equivalent in a science subject if you want to teach in primary school.
• An undergraduate degree awarded by a recognised higher education institution, or an equivalent qualification.
• If you want to teach in a secondary school, your degree should have at least 50% relevance to the subject you intend to teach.
• To declare any previous convictions and undergo a criminal records check through the DBS.

You'll need the following to train in Scotland:

• English at SCQF Level 6 and maths Level 5.
• Two other National Qualifications at SCQF Level 6 and one other subject at SCQF Level 5 for an undergraduate degree.
• An undergraduate degree awarded by a UK higher education provider for Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) programmes.
• To be a member of the Protecting Vulnerable Groups scheme.
• Classroom experience.

To train as a teacher in Northern Ireland, you'll need:

• Two passes at GCSE Advanced level, with grade C or above in three other subjects at GCSE level, to be accepted onto a BEd course.
• An approved undergraduate degree for PGCE courses.
• To undergo a police criminal records check.

Skills and qualities to be a teacher

• The ability to relate to pupils and their parents/carers. This could be from working in a school, with Guides and Scouts or coaching a sports team. This will develop your awareness of how to inspire and motivate your pupils and promote good working relationships with their parents/carers.
• Enthusiasm for the subjects you teach. Show that you read up on the subject(s) in your own time and are interested in current educational issues.
• Knowledge of the age range and curriculum. This enables teachers to build a strong foundation for learning and set developmental expectations for their pupils.
• The ability to deliver information in an engaging and understandable way. Inspirational teachers develop excellent communication skills through their work with young people and can teach the curriculum in a variety of ways to students who have diverse learning styles.
• Great organisational skills. These are vital for balancing many demands, including pupils' needs, lesson preparation, assessments and discipline matters.
• Dedication, commitment and resilience. Excellent teachers reflect on their experiences and adapt their approach, constantly learning and improving.
• The ability to deal with conflict. You need to remain patient and calm in sometimes stressful situations.
• Integrity. To ensure that pupils, colleagues and parents/carers trust you as a teacher.

Take a look at what skills employers want.

Step 3: Gain school experience

Gaining practical experience in schools is a good idea before starting your teaching career. Here are the main ways to get classroom exposure:

• School placements - Included in most undergraduate or postgraduate teacher training courses, they allow you to observe lessons and gradually teach small groups.
• Volunteering in schools - Support lessons, clubs, or extra-curricular activities to gain insight into classroom management.
• Teaching assistant (TA) roles - Work as a TA or a higher-level teaching assistant (HLTA) to develop hands-on experience with students and school routines. Find out more about being a teaching assistant.
• Tutoring and mentoring - Private tutoring or mentoring younger students helps build teaching and communication skills.
• Career change programmes - Programmes like Teach First provide structured placements and mentoring for new teachers. Discover how to change careers.
• Observation days/short visits - Even brief experiences in classrooms can strengthen applications and help you understand school life.

Read all about gaining school work experience.

Step 4: Choose your teacher training route

If you have a degree:

• PGCE.
• School-Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT).
• School-based salaried training routes.
• Teaching apprenticeships.

Most postgraduate routes take one academic year full time and lead to QTS.

If you don't have a degree:

• Take an undergraduate teaching degree with QTS.
• Most courses take three to four years full time.

To see what each path involves, explore routes into teaching.

Step 5: Explore funding

Funding your teacher training in the UK depends on the route you choose, the subject you want to teach, and your personal circumstances.

Tuition fee loans are available through Student Finance for most undergraduate and postgraduate teacher training courses, covering the full cost of your course. Maintenance loans can help with living costs and are means-tested, based on your household income.

Shortage subjects receive the most funding for teacher training. The bursaries for 2026/27 are:

• £29,000 - chemistry, computing, maths and physics
• £20,000 - design and technology and languages
• £5,000 - biology and geography.

Teacher training bursaries and scholarships can change each academic year, so always check the latest funding guidance before applying.

For school-led routes such as SCITT or teaching apprenticeships, you may receive a salary while training, providing practical experience and financial support.

Your funding options could include:

• tuition fee loans
• maintenance loans
• bursaries for shortage subjects
• scholarships (subject-specific or charitable)
• salaries via school-led routes or apprenticeships
• postgraduate loans (for PGCE students)
• career changer programmes with additional support.

Discover more about funding for teacher training.

Step 6: Complete your training and gain QTS

During your teacher training, you'll complete school placements, develop classroom management skills and demonstrate that you meet the Teachers' Standards.

Successful completion will lead to QTS in England and Wales, or eligibility to register with the relevant teaching body in Scotland or Northern Ireland.

Once qualified, you can begin applying for teaching positions and start your ECT induction.

Step 7: Consider all types of schools

The UK has broadly two sectors of school education - state-maintained and independent.

The type of school can affect how it's run, admissions criteria, who staff are employed by and what's in their contracts. The different types include:

• Academies and free schools don't have to follow the national curriculum. They may focus on a specialism such as business and enterprise, technology, science or art and will participate in the same KS3 and GCSE exams as other schools.
• Maintained schools are funded by local authorities and must follow the national curriculum. Some may have a particular ethos or specialism, such as faith schools.
• Grammar schools are funded by the local authority but select pupils based on their ability. To gain a place at a grammar school, pupils must sit an exam known as the '11-plus'. There are no state grammar schools in Scotland or Wales but they still exist in parts of England and Northern Ireland.
• Independent schools, including Montessori and Steiner Waldorf Schools, are exempt from following the national curriculum, focusing instead on the child's individual creative, moral and personal development. Independent schools often have their own recruitment requirements. While many prefer applicants with QTS, some may recruit teachers with relevant subject expertise or alternative qualifications.

To choose the right school for you:

• Start looking early and don't just apply to any school.
• Think about what's important to you, considering the ethos, site, size and catchment of the school you'd like to work at.
• Visit any schools you'll be interviewing at, as this will help you to get a feel for the school and find out if it fits your preferences beforehand.

Take time to read recent Ofsted reports. Identify areas for improvement and consider how your skills could help address them.

To see which type of school would suit you, try to gain school work experience.

Step 8: Search for teaching jobs

• Search for the latest teaching and education jobs.
• Teaching Vacancies - A free job-listing service from the Department for Education (DfE). You can search for a job at a school or Trust in England and set up job alerts.
• Direct applications to schools - Start with where you're working or training. Check your university's jobs portal, and talk to staff at your school or your mentor to see if they have any openings. Check individual schools' websites between January and June for vacancies, and use your networks - keep in touch with the schools you volunteered with or worked at previously. Approach schools you're particularly interested in by sending a CV and arranging a visit to the school to discuss your interest. Find out how to write a speculative job application.
• Careers and employability services - These usually run teaching fairs for students, which are attended by local authorities, teaching unions, schools and recruitment agencies. They will probably have an online job portal or board and can give you useful advice on local, national and international opportunities.
• Local authorities - Authorities advertise jobs online, with some offering a weekly or monthly email bulletin service including the latest teaching vacancies. They'll also have details of open days and may operate an ECT pool database, where schools can pick from an approved list of suitable candidates. Pool vacancies are typically used for primary opportunities.
• Online - Tes and others run job alert services where you can upload a CV or create a profile.
• Vacancies in independent schools - Often advertised with the Independent Schools Council (ISC) and Independent Association of Prep Schools (IAPS).
• Teacher recruitment agencies - Always check if they or the school they place you in will support you through your ECT year. Some teaching agencies have links with other countries. Talk to national and local agencies and approach local schools to ask which agencies they use. Consider CER and Engage Education.
• Teaching jobs abroad - While this may sound attractive, always check if you're able to complete your ECT year overseas. Many overseas recruiters prefer applicants to hold a recognised teaching qualification, such as a PGCE, and have at least one year's teaching experience.
• Jobs for early years teachers - look for vacancies on sites such as Eteach and DayNurseries.co.uk.
• Further education jobs - explore vacancies on FEjobs.

Step 9: Apply for teaching jobs

Most schools recruit through their own adverts and selection procedures. The peak time for this is February to June, although jobs may appear throughout the year. For many teachers, 31 May is the final resignation date for leaving at the end of the summer term.

The application process can be completed quickly, so submit your application as soon as possible.

Some local authorities, agencies and multi-academy trusts (MATs) run teacher registration schemes, pools and databases, which enable you to complete a single application form and register an interest or apply to work with them, possibly for a particular school. Registration schemes often open after Christmas for teaching roles that begin the following September.

Be specific when completing your application form. Focus on what you've achieved and support your claims with examples from your teaching experience. Write a strong personal statement showing that you understand the school you're applying to, talk about your course and what you're bringing to that school. Get some feedback on your form before you send it off.

Writing a personal statement

Covering two sides of A4, it should demonstrate how and why you teach and who you are as a person. Always read the specification and tailor your personal statement to what they're looking for. You need to:

• convey a passion for teaching
• explain any gaps in your employment history
• evidence your success, where you bring added value and have met targets
• get it proofread to ensure there are no spelling mistakes
• tailor your application to the school, for example, their ethos, Ofsted report and latest exam results
• tell them what skills and extra-curricular opportunities you can bring.

Creating a teaching CV

You might need a teaching CV:

• if you're making a speculative application to a specific school
• to get work through a teaching agency
• if you're looking to move to a different area or country and are unable to visit in person.

Local authorities and schools usually follow 'safer recruitment procedures' and so ask all applicants to complete a standard application form. That way, no one can hide information, which may be possible in a cleverly written CV.

School recruiters expect candidates to have visited before applying. They will be observing you as you go round the school, especially noting how you relate to pupils and staff. This will also help you decide if it's the right school for you. Refer to the visit and why you want to work with them in your application, ideally in the cover letter.

As with other CVs, a teaching CV should be clear, easy to read and well-structured.

To make your teaching CV stand out, begin with a targeted personal profile of three to four sentences. Some schools and agencies may ask for this instead of a full CV. This helps the reader decide whether to take your application further. Where possible, include a reference quote. School recruiters are busy, so put your work experience on the front page so they can see what you would bring to their organisation.

Throughout your teaching CV, highlight the qualifications and experience you've gained, including:

• details of your teacher training, plus what you were graded on in your recent teacher training placements
• relevant modules from your degree/postgraduate course
• your school experience, prioritising where it's in the age range you want to teach
• any other teaching experience, e.g. sports coaching, summer camps or youth groups
• relevant voluntary experience
• interests relevant to teaching, e.g. musical abilities or sporting activities
• skills that will be useful in the role, e.g. leadership, IT and languages.

Take a look at our example teaching CV.

Step 10: Start your teaching career

After securing your first role, you'll begin your ECT induction period, receiving support, mentoring and ongoing professional development as you establish yourself in the profession.

Newly qualified teachers in England currently start on a salary of at least £34,000 per year, with higher rates available in London. Discover how much teachers get paid.

Find out more

• If you're interested in university-led training then search for a PGCE.