BEFORE YOU APPLY
GCSEs and a degree
You need GCSEs at grade 4 (C) or above in English and maths, plus science to teach primary, and a bachelor's degree in any subject.
Find your routeWHAT THE GUIDANCE SAYS
From degree
to classroom.
There is more than one way into teaching.
Find your route
QTSthen two years of support
In England you need qualified teacher status, or QTS, to teach in most primary and secondary schools. The route depends on where you are starting from, and every route ends in two supported years as an early career teacher.
At a glance
- Check your GCSEs
- Pick a route
- Expect two supported years
- A clear path into the classroom
466,400
Full-time equivalent teachers in England
There were 466,372 full-time equivalent teachers in state-funded schools in November 2025, about 1,900 fewer than in 2024. Headcount was 512,000.
TEACHERS · DfE 2025
17.9: 1
Pupils per teacher
The pupil to teacher ratio was 17.9, broadly stable from 18.0 in 2024. It was 20.7 in nursery and primary schools and 16.7 in secondary schools.
CLASS SIZES · DfE 2025
TWO NUMBERS WORTH KNOWING
A big profession,
with steady demand.
Both figures are from the Department for Education's
School workforce in England, as at November 2025.
The same release counted 41,012 full-time equivalent entrants to teaching and 38,632 leavers. It was published on 4 June 2026.
A QUICK ROUTE CHECK
Where are you
starting from?
Pick the situation closest to yours to see the usual route to qualified teacher status. The bar shows how much of the journey is still ahead.
Based on Get Into Teaching (Department for Education) and DfE induction guidance. Check current course details with providers.
THE SHORT ANSWER
Qualifications, training,
then induction.
Get Into Teaching, the Department for Education service,
sets out the same three stages for everyone.
TRAINING
About 9 months full-time
Full-time postgraduate training takes about 9 months, with placements in at least 2 schools. Part-time courses take 18 to 24 months.
The steps
FIRST TWO YEARS
Supported, with a mentor
New teachers get a two-year induction with a mentor and a lighter timetable: no more than 90% of a normal load in year one and 95% in year two.
How induction works
FOUR STEPS TO TAKE
Your route,
one step at a time.
The order is the same whichever route you take. The timings come from Get Into Teaching.
Get some classroom experience
Get Into Teaching suggests spending time in a school to help decide whether teaching suits you.
Apply at the right time
Postgraduate applications usually open in October and undergraduate ones in May, the year before courses start. Most start in September.
Pass the checks
After an offer, your provider arranges a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, which you must pass to teach under-18s.
Train, then start induction
Gain QTS, then begin two supported years as an early career teacher. Schools start advertising vacancies from January.
THE FIRST TWO YEARS
Induction is
built in.
For teachers starting induction on or after 1 September 2021, it lasts the full-time equivalent of two school years, usually six terms. Part-time teachers serve the same equivalent, so someone working half-time takes four school years.
Each early career teacher has a mentor, who is expected to hold QTS, and a separate induction tutor. There is a formal assessment in the final term of each year, measured against the Teachers' Standards.
Questions
Questions people ask
Do I need QTS to teach in England?
Get Into Teaching says you need qualified teacher status to teach in most primary and secondary schools in England.
Does my degree have to be in the subject I teach?
No. Get Into Teaching says you need a bachelor's degree in any subject to teach primary and secondary.
Can I become a teacher without a degree?
Yes. Undergraduate teacher training leads to a bachelor's degree and QTS and usually takes 4 years, or you may qualify for a teacher degree apprenticeship.
How long does teacher training take?
Full-time postgraduate courses take about 9 months and part-time courses 18 to 24 months, with placements in at least 2 schools.
What happens after I qualify?
You start a two-year induction as an early career teacher, with a mentor and a reduced timetable: no more than 90% of a normal timetable in year one and 95% in year two.
Sources
Where the facts come from
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