Secondary school teacher | Explore careers (2024)

Undergraduate degree

You can do an undergraduate degree that leads to qualified teacher status (QTS), for example:

• Bachelor of Education (BEd)
• Bachelor of Arts (BA) with QTS
• Bachelor of Science (BSc) with QTS

Postgraduate certificate

If you already have a bachelor's degree without qualified teacher status, you can complete a postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE). This can be done at university or through a training programme based in a school.

You do not always need to have a degree in the subject you'd like to teach. Your teacher training organisation will decide whether you have the required skills and knowledge to teach the subject

You can sometimes do a subject knowledge enhancementcourse to improve your understanding of the subject you want to teach.

More teacher training options

There are more training options if you want to change career or specialise in teaching certain subjects.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths
• 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
• a degree in any subject for a postgraduate course

More Information

• equivalent entry requirements
• student finance for fees and living costs
• university courses and entry requirements
• funding for teacher training
• postgraduate teacher training courses

You could do the Teacher Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) in English and maths
• a degree for a teaching apprenticeship

More Information

• postgraduate teaching apprenticeships
• equivalent entry requirements
• guide to apprenticeships

You might find it helpful to get some experience of working with young people.

You couldvolunteer at a school,do youth work or work on a holiday scheme.

Registration

• you'll usually need qualified teacher status (QTS) to teach in a state school in England

Career tips

You can also attend a Get Into Teaching eventbefore you apply to get advice about teaching, funding and the different training routes available. You can attend events in person and online.

Further information

You can discover more about how to become a teacher from Get Into Teaching.

You can also search for jobs through the Teaching Vacancies service.