Primary School
Teacher Training
Routes to primary school teacher training
Primary Teacher Training
In the primary teacher training programme, you’ll qualify to teach children aged 3 – 11 years, with the requirement to specialise in a specific age range.
Options for specialisation include:
3 – 7 years (EYFS and KS1 placements)
5 – 11 years (KS1 & 2 placements)
Train to teach Primary School pupils
Throughout the training year, you will observe teaching across the school to develop a comprehensive understanding of progression within the primary curriculum.
Expectations include teaching the full spectrum of primary subjects during your training year. To prepare you for this, we collaborate with accredited, specialist curriculum hubs, ensuring the nurturing of subject confidence throughout the year.
Routes To Primary School Teacher Training
There are a number of routes to teaching primary school children. Before you start the application process, you will need to decide which option best suits your skills.
We offer several training courses for primary school teachers, all leading to Qualified Teacher Status.
All routes (below) include the option of a Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) awarded by the University of Lincoln.
The primary school teacher training calendar and key tasks are the same for fee-paying or salaried trainees. The optional PGCE qualification takes the fee total to £9250.
Trainees opting for this route are required to do extra academic assignments. However, the guidance for these is given in extra academic writing sessions provided by the University of Lincoln staff. We recommend the added academic structure this element brings, and it is also worth 60 Masters Credits.
The School Direct Training Programme (Salaried)
The School Direct, salaried teacher training programme is for high-quality graduates. It is for trainees with usually at least three years of relevant work experience, although this doesn’t have to be in schools.
Your training school pays you a salary during your training. However, as this is a work-based route into teaching, you will have your own solo timetable from the beginning of the year.
These places are scarcer as the cost to the school means that Head Teachers usually only offer salaried routes to candidates already known to them.
This programme will lead to the award of QTS (PGCE option available – see below). The School Direct, salaried route is a full-time one-year course, and employment is likely at the end of it. Prospective candidates will likely be career changers who can bring valuable skills and experience to the profession.
Provider-led (SCITT)
Training Places (Fee Paying)
Fee to train: £9250
The SCITT provider-led route is a fee-paying route but can be funded by tuition fees which may be obtained from the Student Loans Company (SLC) or directly from the Trainee or sponsor.
This programme will lead to the award of QTS (PGCE option available) and runs as a full time 1-year course.
There is no commitment to employment on this route although many trainees on this route have been snapped up by schools in our association.
The Assessment Only Route (AOR)
Assessment Cost: £2,500
Award for QTS in age range 3 – 11 (Primary)
This is not a training programme but a route to assessment for applicants currently working as teachers in schools but who do not have QTS.
Candidates must be currently working in a school and have a minimum of two years’ full time teaching experience across at least two schools.
Applicants must have the support of the headteacher to evidence their suitability to teach as well as their ability to evidence all the standards for QTS without the need for any further training. All other national teaching criteria (GCSEs, degree, ability to prove fundamental English and Maths proficiency etc) must be fulfilled.
Funding
You will have access to student loans to cover your training for all except the AOR.
For more information on the training route / requirements / funding, please see the A Guide to School Direct and its associated
documents available on the Teaching Agency website.
getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/bursaries-and-funding
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If you have the passion for enhancing the future of children and young people, empowering them through the transformative power of learning then teaching could be your calling.