Applying for Teacher Training
Routes into teaching
The Training and Development Agency is the government's site for schools. It has information about all the routes into teaching: www.tda.gov.uk/Recruit.aspx. An overview of the options is at: www.tda.gov.uk/Recruit/thetrainingprocess/typesofcourse.aspx.
Postgraduate courses
If you are considering qualifying as a schoolteacher through postgraduate training the Graduate Teacher Training Registry (GTTR) is the key site: www.gttr.ac.uk.
On it you'll find a complete listing of courses along with full details of the GTTR application process. Applications are made online through the GTTR. You need to confirm your principal referee early in the process. The online system has worked reliably for several years now.
Details of Chichester's PGCE courses are available at: www.chiuni.ac.uk/teachered/courses.cfm.
A further resource is the excellent AGCAS guide: Applying for a PGCE. It is available on the Prospects website as web pages and a pdf. It is a comprehensive guide that contains everything you need to know about applications and PGCE routes into teaching. It's updated annually by a team of careers advisers from universities across the UK. |
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Agcas also has a comprehensive list of Frequently Asked Questions for anyone interested in getting into teaching.
Employment routes
The GTP is an employment based route. General information about it is at: http://www.tda.gov.uk/get-into-teaching/teacher-training-options/gtp.aspx. The GTP is generally advertised as being a good choice for mature people who need to keep working while training.
Usually you need to find a school that will employ you as as an unqualified teacher and support you through the process. Getting experience in school is a key part of this. Occasionally GTP vacancies are advertised with other teaching vacancies.
Information about GTP at University of Chichester is at: www.chiuni.ac.uk/teachered/GTPindex.cfm.
West Sussex Grid for Learning's page on GTP in West Sussex schools: http://wsgfl.westsussex.gov.uk/ccm/content/community-projects/teacher-recruitment (shortened url)
Hampshire County Council information on GTP:
www3.hants.gov.uk/education/educationjobshampshire/ejteaching/graduate-teacher-programme.htm
East Sussex's page on training to be a teacher covers GTP: www.eastsussex.gov.uk/educationandlearning/supportforteachers/becomingateacher/default.htm
Key considerations for primary and secondary teaching
Key things to consider when you are applying for primary or secondary teaching are:
Consider different paths to teaching
- Look carefully at the different routes into teaching - school based routes could be suitable if you have relevant experience, maturity and are confident of your ability in a classroom.
For PCGE applications:
Apply early
- Places for primary and popular secondary subjects fill up quickly. Institutions can stop accepting applications for secondary PGCEs when their courses are full. There is a deadline for primary applications but aim to make your application well before this.
- Getting a place can be competitive; the ‘shortage of teachers’ currently applies to some subjects and in some areas of the country.
Check entry requirements
- Check all entry requirements very carefully. Pay particular attention to the requirements for you to have English and maths at GCSE level as well as science for primary and KS 2/3 courses. Be careful not to assume that a level 2 qualification will be enough. If you are unsure always check with the individual institutions you are applying to.
- Two useful sites to help you find GCSE courses are the National Extension College for correspondence courses or Learn Direct for courses in your local area: www.nec.ac.uk; www.learndirect.co.uk.
Make connections with your degree subject
- PGCE secondary applicants will usually need to demonstrate that at least 50% of their degree is relevant to the National Curriculum subject they want to teach. See below information on subject knowledge courses as a possible way round this.
- Primary teachers are expected to demonstrate a sound, basic knowledge of all subjects; your degree does not have to be in a National Curriculum subject.
- More information about the National Curriculum is available from: http://curriculum.qcda.gov.uk/.
Consider a subject knowledge enhancement course
- If you are interested in teaching a subject area but you do not have a relevant degree it may be possible to take a subject knowledge enhancement (SKE) course, the courses run for between two and 36 weeks and give graduates the knowledge needed to enter an Initial Teacher Training course and then qualify as a teacher.
- These courses will make your application much stronger as well as increasing your confidence before taking your initial teacher training.
- The Universtiy of Chichester run SKE courses in Mathematics, visit www.chiuni.ac.uk/teachered/MECindex.cfm.
Spend time on your personal statement
- Your personal statement is your pitch to the admissions tutors so it needs to be relevant, thoughtful and serious.
Get experience
- Get some relevant experience in a school. Check the requirements for the institutions you are applying to. Generally the minimum is for two weeks’ experience. It proves you have seriously thought about teaching as a career, have commitment and know what teaching is like.
- Schools in England and Wales are listed at http://edubase.gov.uk/home.xhtml
- Schools in West Sussex are listed at: http://wsgfl.westsussex.gov.uk/ccm/navigation/category.jsp?categoryID=22001
- You will be able to organise experience independently but some ideas are available at: The School Experience Programme gives current students the opportunity to get school experience: www.tda.gov.uk/get-into-teaching/explore-teaching/sep.aspx
- If you can’t get the school experience before putting your application in make sure you have some organised. Any other experience of working with children will also strengthen your application.
- A good overview of teaching experience is at: www.targetjobs.co.uk/teaching
Funding
Information about funding for postgraduate teaching qualifications (primary or secondary) can be found at: http://www.tda.gov.uk/get-into-teaching/funding/training-in-england.aspx. You can navigate to the same page via 'the training process' and 'course funding' at: www.tda.gov.uk. There is also a good section about funding arrangements in: Applying for a PGCE.
Teaching at Post 16 levels
For teaching at post 16 level qualifications can often be taken as part-time courses after starting work as a lecturer. For information see the Lifelong Learning UK website: www.lifelonglearninguk.org.
Institute for Learning is the professional body for the further education and skills sector: www.ifl.ac.uk
Qualifications in the lifelong sector do not qualify you to teach at secondary school level. Secondary teaching qualifications however can be used to teach in the lifelong sector.
For some subjects '14 to 19' PGCEs are available. These lead to QTS and enable those with the qualification to teach '14 to 19 diplomas' in secondary schools and in the lifelong sector. Use the course search at www.gttr.ac.uk for more information.
Alternatives to Teaching
Information about careers that involves learning, but not in mainstream education, is available from the NQTs page.