Finding a teaching course
Most teacher training routes are for people who already have a university degree. All routes lead to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
The PGCE course (Post Graduate Certificate of Education) is the most common route into the profession. During this one-year course, 12 weeks are spent at a university or other higher education institution and 24 weeks on teaching placements in two different schools. The trainees work with other trainees and, if successful, gain a recognised post-graduate qualification, enabling the trainee to teach in secondary schools in England. Courses are available at many f universities and higher education institutions. The PGCE offers a phased transition into professional life. In some institutions PGCEs may be studied part-time or by distance learning.
PGCE trainees currently receive £6,000 during their training year.
This is in addition to the financial incentive for shortage subjects of
which modern languages is one. Those starting a PGCE course in modern
languages will receive a government financial incentive amounting to £4,000.
This is paid following the induction year on taking up a teaching post
in a maintained school in England.
There are other routes into teaching, some of which also attract financial
incentives.
They include:
Graduate Teaching Programme (GTP). An employment-based training programme
that gives the trainee a salary during the year.
School-centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT). This school-based programme
has the same financial incentives as the PGCE.
Graduate Teacher Training
Registry (GTTR)
The GTTR handles applications to most teacher training courses in England
and Wales, and produces a handbook to assist with selection.
More information can be found on the CILT website, especially on Information Sheet 9.