Whichever path to teaching you choose to take, there are three requirements to become a teacher:
-
All teachers must be graduates.
-
In order to get teaching jobs, all teachers must have completed ITT - Initial Teacher Training. All Initial Teacher Training involves a degree of time in school, observing lessons and, after a while, teaching.
- All teachers in England and Wales must also have been awarded QTS - Qualified Teacher Status. This enables you to teach in England and Wales. Whichever route you choose to take to get into teaching, Qualified Teacher Status can be achieved either as you do your degree or after you have graduated.
- If you want to do you teacher training in England, you will need to pass Professional Skills Tests in Literacy and Numeracy before you begin your Initial Teacher Training.
Get Into Teaching By Doing A BEd (Bachelor of Education) Degree
A BEd (Hons) Education degree is a common way to get into teaching, especially amongst students and young people who are hoping for primary teaching jobs in the future. This degree typically takes four years to complete and is a mixture of time in schools doing teaching practise and also academic study at university. You will gain Qualified Teacher Status as you do your degree, too.
If you really want to become and teacher and are committed to the idea of a teaching career, then a BEd (Hons) Education degree could be the perfect way to get into teaching for you. You will gain in-depth knowledge about how children and young people learn and you will also be given lots of time in different classrooms to both observe lessons and also teach.
However, if you are a student who is only thinking a teaching career might be a good graduate career for you, a BEd (Hons) Education could be a bit limiting for you. There are other routes into teaching though, so there is still room to keep your options open.
Get Into Teaching By Doing BA (Hons) Degree or BSc (Hons) Degree With Qualified Teacher Status
For these degree courses, you get to specialise in your chosen subject and also come at it from an education angle where you will familiarise yourself with ways of teaching your specialism. Like normal degrees, a BA (Hons) or BSc (Hons) degree with Qualified Teacher Status takes three to four years to complete and but then you will be able to get into teaching because you will have QTS and also, your ITT (Initial Teacher Training) is incorporated into your course, too.
An honours degree with Qualified Teacher Status is a popular route for students hoping for secondary teaching jobs after graduation because you get to delve more into your specialist subject.
Get Into Teaching By Doing A PGCE (Post Graduate Certificate In Education)
The PGCE is a popular route for graduates who are looking to get into teaching. It is perhaps so popular because it means you still have the freedom to do your chosen degree at university and then decide what you want to do about your future graduate career. Because you never know, in those three or four years at university, you might go off the idea of teaching jobs altogether.
The Post Graduate Certificate In Education takes one year (full time) or two years (part time) to complete. One point to bear in mind for graduates looking to get in teaching via the PGCE route is that competition for places can be high so you will need to convince the university offering the course that you are committed to a teaching career. It is also much more advantageous for you if your degree is in a subject that is taught in schools. So even with a PGCE, it is still wise to choose your degree course carefully - look at subjects that are on the National Curriculum and do your degree in one of those subjects.
Get Into Teaching In Further Education By Doing A PGCE Post Compulsory (Premium Graduate ITE)
The teaching profession is a fast changing environment and in efforts to improve standards in education, it is now possible for the country’s best graduates to get into teaching by doing a PGCE Post Compulsory course with Premium Graduate Initial Teacher Education (ITE). This is especially for those looking for a graduate teaching career in Further Education.
This course is a new innovation and is for graduates who have achieved a 2:1 or above in one of the STEME subject areas. STEME subject areas or Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths and English. If any of these subjects are your particular strength and you have a degree in any of those areas, then future teaching jobs may be easier to come by because these are the subjects that have been highlighted as shortage areas. Britain needs more STEME subject teachers.
The PGCE Post Compulsory Premium Graduate ITE course lasts for a period of two years and during that time, graduates will achieve their PGCE and credits towards the completion of a Masters degree which will be completed after the course finishes. Because this is an initiative designed to attract the best graduates into teaching in subjects where there is a shortage of teachers, there is also a bursary of up to £20,000 and funding for the PGCE and Masters.
Get Into Teaching ViaSchool Direct
And now we are well into the world of new initiatives with regards to becoming a teacher. School Direct is an alternative route you can take to get into teaching because outstanding schools and also Teaching Schools are teaming up with universities to get graduates into teaching.
Depending on the school you apply to and the university or training provider the school is working with, the School Direct course will last for one year and at the end, graduates will receive Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). Some School Direct Training Programme courses will also incorporate a PGCE, too.
Are you a graduate who has three years employment behind them and would now like to get into teaching?
The good news is, if that is you, you may be able to do a School Direct Training Programme Salaried which means you will get paid while you train. High quality graduates who have come straight from university may be eligible for a bursary to complete the School Direct Training Programme.
Find Teaching Jobs Via School Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT)
School Centred Initial Teacher Training programmes are again for graduates who would like teaching jobs. Again, SCITT is a new government initiative designed to attract the best graduates into teaching jobs. Qualified Teacher Status is awarded at the end of this course and also, sometimes a PGCE, too. School Centred Initial Teacher Training is offered by consortiums of schools where there is one lead school in each consortium. Students and graduates who would like to get into teaching via a more hands on approach might find SCITT is a good route for them to take.
How To Get Into Teaching Via The Teach First Programme
Yes, we have another new initiative and this is Teach First. Teach First is a two year programme which is designed for academics who are about to complete or have already completed doctorates. This is an employment placement where the second year is spent as an NQT (Newly Qualified Teacher).
Again, this is all about improving standards in education and encouraging those who may not have considered it previously to get into teaching. Employment is in schools in deprived areas where it is hoped pupils will benefit from the in-depth subject knowledge and be encouraged to progress themselves.
|