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When someone says they’re starting as a teacher, they’re not just walking into a classroom with a lesson plan and a stack of notebooks. They’ve usually gone through something called initial teacher training-a structured, often intense process that turns someone with subject knowledge into someone who can actually teach it to others. It’s not optional. In the UK, you can’t get a job as a qualified teacher in a state school without it. And yet, many people outside education don’t even know what it involves.
What Exactly Is Initial Teacher Training?
Initial teacher training (ITT) is the formal education and practical experience you need to become a qualified teacher in England and Wales. It’s the bridge between being a graduate-or someone with a relevant background-and being someone who can manage a classroom, plan lessons that stick, assess student progress, and handle the emotional and logistical demands of teaching.
There are two main routes: university-based training (like a PGCE) and school-based training (like School Direct or Teach First). Both lead to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), which is the legal requirement to teach in state schools. The difference? One happens mostly in a university setting with placements, the other happens mostly in a school with university support.
ITT isn’t just about learning how to deliver a lecture. It’s about learning how to read a room, how to adjust when a lesson bombs, how to spot a child who’s falling behind before they even say anything. It’s about understanding child development, special educational needs, behaviour management, and how to make algebra or Shakespeare feel relevant to a 14-year-old who’d rather be on their phone.
What Does Initial Teacher Training Actually Involve?
Most ITT programmes last one academic year and combine theory with hands-on teaching. You’ll spend about 120 days in schools-sometimes more-working alongside experienced teachers. The rest of the time, you’ll be in seminars, writing assignments, planning lessons, and getting feedback.
Here’s what you’ll typically cover:
- Classroom management: How to set clear expectations, handle disruptions without raising your voice, and build routines that make learning possible.
- Lesson planning: Not just what to teach, but how to sequence it, what resources to use, and how to check if students actually learned it.
- Assessment: Formative and summative methods, marking strategies, how to give feedback that helps students improve-not just score higher.
- Safeguarding: Recognizing signs of abuse, neglect, or mental health struggles. This isn’t a side topic-it’s core. Every teacher must pass safeguarding training.
- Inclusion and SEND: Teaching students with autism, dyslexia, ADHD, or physical disabilities. You learn how to adapt materials, modify tasks, and collaborate with teaching assistants.
- Subject pedagogy: How to teach your subject well. Teaching maths isn’t just about knowing the formula-it’s about knowing why students get stuck on fractions, or how to explain quadratic equations without jargon.
And yes, you’ll be observed. A lot. Your lessons will be graded. You’ll get written feedback. You’ll have to prove you meet the Teachers’ Standards-12 clear criteria set by the Department for Education. If you don’t meet them by the end, you don’t get QTS.
Who Needs Initial Teacher Training?
If you’re a graduate with a degree in, say, history and you want to teach it in a secondary school, you need ITT. Same if you’re a former engineer wanting to switch to teaching physics. Even if you’ve volunteered as a tutor or taught English abroad, you still need formal QTS to work in state schools in England.
There are exceptions. Private schools aren’t legally required to hire only qualified teachers, but most still prefer them. Some international schools follow different systems, but even there, ITT-trained teachers are often preferred. And if you want to work in a state-funded academy or free school? You’re legally required to have QTS.
There’s also a growing group of career changers-people in their 30s or 40s who’ve worked in business, healthcare, or the arts and now want to teach. ITT gives them a structured way to make that switch. Many of them bring real-world experience that students find valuable.
How Is It Different From Just Being Good at a Subject?
Being great at maths doesn’t mean you can teach it. I’ve met PhDs who couldn’t explain Pythagoras to a Year 9 class without confusing them. Teaching isn’t about how much you know-it’s about how clearly you can help someone else learn it.
Initial teacher training forces you to think about the learner, not just the content. You learn why some students zone out during lectures, why others panic during tests, why some kids need visual aids and others need hands-on experiments. You learn how to break down complex ideas into steps, how to use questions to probe understanding, how to create a safe space where mistakes are part of learning.
It’s also about emotional resilience. You’ll have days where a lesson falls flat. Where a student shouts at you. Where parents complain. Where you feel like you’re failing. ITT doesn’t just teach you pedagogy-it teaches you how to survive the job.
How Long Does It Take and How Much Does It Cost?
Most full-time ITT programmes take one year. Part-time options exist but usually stretch to two years. Costs vary depending on the route.
University-led programmes (like PGCE) can cost up to £9,250 for UK students. But there’s help: you can get student loans, and if you’re training in a high-demand subject-like maths, physics, or modern languages-you might qualify for a tax-free bursary of up to £30,000. Some routes even pay you a salary while you train.
School Direct (salaried) routes are for people with significant work experience. You’re employed by the school as an unqualified teacher and earn a salary-usually between £25,000 and £32,000-while you train. No tuition fees. You’re still expected to complete the same academic and practical requirements.
Teach First is a two-year programme that places you in schools in disadvantaged areas. You get a salary, training, and a leadership development programme. In return, you commit to teaching for two years and then often stay in education or social impact roles.
What Happens After Initial Teacher Training?
Getting QTS isn’t the end-it’s the beginning. Newly qualified teachers (NQTs) enter their first full-time teaching role with a year of support called the Early Career Framework (ECF). This replaced the old NQT year in 2021 and includes:
- Reduced teaching hours (typically 90% of a full timetable)
- A trained mentor in the school
- Structured professional development sessions
- Access to evidence-based resources on behaviour, assessment, and curriculum design
The ECF is designed to reduce burnout and improve retention. Teaching is hard. The first year is the hardest. The ECF makes sure new teachers aren’t left to figure it out alone.
After that first year, you’re fully qualified. But the learning doesn’t stop. Teachers are expected to keep developing-through courses, peer observations, reading research, and attending training. The best teachers are the ones who never stop learning.
Why Is Initial Teacher Training So Important?
Every country with strong education outcomes-Finland, Singapore, Canada-has high standards for teacher training. They don’t let just anyone walk into a classroom. They invest in making sure teachers are well-prepared.
In England, teacher shortages are real. But hiring untrained people doesn’t fix it-it makes it worse. Students taught by unqualified teachers fall behind. They lose confidence. They disengage. And it’s harder to catch up later.
Initial teacher training isn’t a box to tick. It’s the foundation of a profession. It’s what separates a person who can explain a concept from someone who can change a student’s life by helping them understand it.
If you’re considering teaching, ITT is your doorway. It’s demanding. It’s exhausting. But it’s also one of the most meaningful things you can do.
Is initial teacher training the same as a PGCE?
Not exactly. A PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education) is one type of initial teacher training programme, usually offered by universities. It leads to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and includes academic study. But there are other routes to QTS, like School Direct or Teach First, which may or may not include a PGCE. So all PGCEs are ITT, but not all ITT is a PGCE.
Can I do initial teacher training without a degree?
No. You need at least a bachelor’s degree to start initial teacher training in England. The degree doesn’t have to be in education-it just needs to be relevant to the subject you want to teach. For example, if you want to teach biology, you need a degree in biology or a closely related field. If your degree isn’t closely related, you might need a subject knowledge enhancement (SKE) course first.
Do I need to pass any exams to get into initial teacher training?
Yes. All applicants must pass skills tests in literacy and numeracy-though as of 2025, these have been replaced by a requirement to demonstrate core English and maths skills at GCSE level (grade 4 or above). You’ll also need to pass a DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check and attend an interview where you’ll be assessed on your motivation, understanding of teaching, and ability to work with children.
Can I train to teach part-time?
Yes. Many universities and training providers offer part-time ITT routes, usually over two years. This is often chosen by people with family commitments or those working while training. Part-time routes still require you to complete the same number of school placement days and meet the same Teachers’ Standards. The academic workload is spread out, but the expectations are unchanged.
What if I fail initial teacher training?
Failing ITT is rare, but it can happen. If you don’t meet the Teachers’ Standards, you won’t be awarded QTS. Most training providers offer support and a chance to improve. You might be asked to complete additional placements, resubmit assignments, or attend extra workshops. If you still don’t meet the standards after that, you won’t qualify. But you can reapply later-many people do, after gaining more experience or addressing weaknesses.