Leading the way: No.1 in the UK for Teaching, Assessment & Learning Opportunities (National Student Survey 2025)

Routes into Teaching

We have over 160 years' experience in education and offer a variety of routes into teaching, allowing you to train in a way that best suits you.

Teaching is a hugely rewarding and exciting career. To become a qualified teacher, you'll need a Bachelor's degree and Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). You can gain this through a degree that includes recommendation for QTS or by studying for an undergraduate degree followed by doing a PGCE.

Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) is a legal requirement for teaching in many schools in England.

Depending on your current level of education, your experience and your personal circumstances, we can offer a number of different options for you to get into teaching.

Once you've decided the best route for you, have a look at the teacher training courses we offer.

Take our Quiz!

Thinking about a career in teaching but not sure which path is right for you? We’ve got you covered!

Take our brand new Routes into Teaching Quiz to discover the best path based on your qualifications and experience.

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Find your route

If you don't already have a degree...

Our BA (Hons) Primary Education with QTS course is a three year undergraduate route that leads to Qualified Teacher Status.

If you're currently working in a school...

If you have a degree, you may consider our two year Primary PGCE part-time blended route.

If you don't yet have a degree, choose one of our Education in Practice Foundation Degrees followed by our Primary Teaching Studies Top Up Degree with QTS.

If you already have an undergraduate degree…

A one year full-time PGCE (Postgraduate and Professional Graduate Certificate in Education) is a course which includes recommendation for QTS.

If you are already a teacher but need QTS...

If you have substantial classroom practice, you can apply for an Assessment Only route to QTS.

If you'd like to teach and travel...

Our three year BA (Hons) English Language and Teaching degree* could be the perfect option for you if you want to teach and travel, or develop your skills to support children with EAL (English as an Additional Language) in the Early Years, or in primary or secondary classroom settings.

You'll also have the option to gain an internationally recognised initial English Language teaching qualification, the Trinity Cert.

TESOL (a discounted fee is available for students on English Language and Teaching/TESOL programmes).

If you’d like to teach post-16 or further education learners...

If a career teaching in the education, training and skills sector (such as within further education colleges, private sector training providers and offender education) suits you best, we offer the Level 5 Certificate in Education (Teaching Post-16 and Further Education) for non-graduate subject or vocational specialists, and the Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (Teaching Post-16 and Further Education) for graduates. Both lead to a robust teaching qualification, which is recognised by the sector.**

* This course does not include QTS
** This course does not include QTS, but on completion, you may apply for the professional status of Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS)

You get a really good balance between placement and time on campus, and it helps to have time with your peers, because you can share experiences and ideas. The tutors are excellent and there's so much support available the whole way through the course.

Daniel
PGCE History