FAQs

School Direct is a school-led route offering you a way to qualify as a teacher (Qualified Teacher Status or QTS) while based mainly in a school. Many people prefer the School Direct route as the course offers them more experience through immersion in school life and allows them to gain a greater range of knowledge and practical skills working on the job. 

Both School Direct and a University-led PGCE can provide you with the same outcome: a PGCE and QTS.  Check the offer from the School Direct provider you are looking at as not all offer them both together. The main difference, however, is the time you spend training in school and the essential 'hands-on' experience of teaching you can gain with a School Direct course. With our full-time course you are able to be in your placement school for 4 days a week then one day a week at Core Training, facilitated by our expert practitioners who will model outstanding planning, teaching and assessment to support your development as a teacher. You will have lots of opportunities to interact and learn from peers from across subjects and phases. 

The University-led route usually focuses on the theory of teaching before you apply your knowledge in your placement schools (24 weeks minimum). 

The context and structure of both options is similar. They both offer school-based training. School Direct courses might be in partnership with a SCITT or a University, so you will need to check. SCITTs are allowed to award their own QTS. School Direct courses have to be accredited by either a University or SCITT. 

School experience is helpful when applying, but not essential. If you are coming straight from your degree, or changing career, you will have transferable skills you can take into the classroom. School experience helps you to prepare for training and we can help you with this if needed. 

Flying Start is a compulsory element of the course and will prepare you for your first weeks in school. For one week during the summer, you will be based at the Harris Institute, Peckham, where you will meet the National Institute of Teaching Lead Mentor team and your fellow trainees. Over the week we will provide you with knowledge and information to get you started for September, including course structure and overview, an introduction to our training curriculum and teacher training workshops including subject knowledge enhancement.  

Obtaining any school experience can be helpful in the lead up to your main placement in September, this can help you to become more familiar with classroom etiquette, how other teachers manage behaviour, how they use their voice and non-verbal prompts. Looking through the National Curriculum is always helpful and using social media can be a good way to enhance your development both before, during and after your training, giving you the chance to build a professional learning network of educators because you can tap into a thriving community of teachers and educators sharing ideas and best practice ideas.  

QTS stands for Qualified Teacher Status and it means that you have met the statutory requirements (The Teachers’ Standards 2012) for teaching in England. PGCE (Post Graduate Certificate in Education) is an internationally recognised academic qualification. Our course offers QTS and PGCE.  

When arranging your references, it's vital that you choose individuals who know you well enough in a professional or academic capacity to highlight your potential as a teacher. Those chosen must provide a professional email address not personal.  

Ideal referees could include: 
•    your university tutor or supervisor. 
•    your current line manager at work. 
•    your previous employer. 
•    the headteacher at a school where you work. 
•    a supplier or client you've worked with (if you're self-employed) 

For full-time applicants on both the Fee-paying and the salaried route, you complete an academic year of training. Salaries are based on the unqualified teacher pay scale and are linked to where you train (Inner London, Outer London, Fringe). Please check funding options here as the DfE bursaries available for the Fee-paying School Direct routes differ depending on your subject or phase.