Types of course

Initial teacher training (ITT) combines theoretical learning with at least 18 weeks practising teaching during school placements. ITT helps you develop the skills you need to become an effective teacher.

Initial teacher training comes in all shapes and sizes, providing options to suit everyone – no matter what your qualifications, experience, preferences or personal circumstances.

Have a look at the options below, clicking on the links to find out more about a particular course or programme. All programmes lead to qualified teacher status (QTS), which you will need if you want to teach in state-maintained schools.

Undergraduate teacher training

Train to be a teacher while completing a degree.

Postgraduate teacher training

Already have a degree? Train to be a teacher in one to two years.

Employment-based teacher training

Train and qualify as a teacher while working in a school.

Assessment-based teacher training

If you have substantial teaching experience but do not hold QTS in the UK, you could consider taking this route.

Overseas trained teachers

“Watching and working with other teachers was the best part of my training”

Gill Turnbull
Head of modern languages at a secondary school in Lincoln