How to become a teacher

If you want to help young children under 5 years old to develop, you might consider becoming an early years teacher.

Early years teachers play an essential role in children’s development up to the age of 5 and provide high-quality early education.

Learn more about the routes to become an early years teacher.

Primary (ages 5 to 11)

• key stage 1 (KS1) covers years 1 and 2, with children up to 7 years old
• key stage 2 (KS2) covers years 3 to 6, with children from 7 to 11 years old

The teaching content is broad, covering the whole range of national curriculum subjects including English, maths, science, as well as art and design, computing, geography, history, music and physical education (PE).

If you like the energy and curiosity of young children, and would be comfortable covering a wide range of subjects, you might prefer teaching in primary schools.

Secondary (ages 11 to 18)

• key stage 3 (KS3) includes years 7 to 9, with children aged 11 to 14
• key stage 4 (KS4) includes years 10 and 11, with pupils aged 14 to 16
• key stage 5 (KS5) includes years 12 and 13, with students aged 16 to 18 at secondary schools with sixth forms, or colleges

Subjects at this level include core subjects such as English, maths and science, as well as many others. The full range of subjects available to teach at secondary level will depend on the school.

If you are passionate about teaching one subject, you might prefer teaching in secondary schools. 

You do not necessarily need a bachelor’s degree in a subject to teach it. It’s up to your teacher training provider to decide if you have the skills and knowledge required.

In some cases, you may be able to train to teach a different subject to your degree if:

• you have an A level in the subject
• your degree is related to, but not in the subject 
• you have an unrelated degree but relevant professional experience

You could also receive a scholarship or bursary of up to £29,000 to train to teach certain subjects. Find out more about your eligibility for a scholarship or bursary.

If you’ve got industry experience and a passion for teaching young people over 16 and adults, then further education could be for you. There are three key areas:

• vocational courses covering areas like plumbing and health care
• academic courses on subjects like English and maths
• basic skills courses covering literacy and numeracy.

Learn more about teaching in further education.

Teach pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)

Most disabled pupils and pupils with special educational needs learn in mainstream schools. Wherever you train and work – whether it’s in mainstream schools, special schools, or both – you’ll work with pupils with a range of needs.

You can choose to apply for a teacher training course that specialises in SEND or you can gain the skills and experience as you train to teach.

Learn more about the routes to teach pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

The department funds SKE programmes for applicants who have the potential to become outstanding teachers but who need to increase their subject knowledge. The length of the SKE courses can vary in duration, from an eight-week refresher or booster course through to a 28-week programme. The SKE courses can be undertaken on a full-time or part-time basis but must be completed before QTS can be recommended and awarded.
The secondary subjects funded are biology, chemistry, computing, design and technology, English, foreign languages, mathematics, physics, religious education (eight weeks only), and primary mathematics.
Further information can be found here.