Eligibility

In order to apply for a place on School Direct, you must have:

• A UK undergraduate degree or a recognised equivalent qualification.
• A GCSE grade C or above in English and mathematics.
• A GCSE grade C or above in a science if you are applying to teach primary or key stage 2/3 (ages 7–14).

If you studied outside of the UK, you should visit the National Academic Recognition Centre (NARIC) website to find out whether your qualifications are of an equivalent level to UK GCSEs, A levels and an undergraduate degree.

The School Direct Training Programme focuses on developing teaching skills. You should have a strong understanding of the subject you wish to teach before you start training. If your degree subject does not link closely to your chosen teaching subject, it is recommended that you undertake a subject knowledge enhancement course before you begin training.

In addition, all candidates applying for initial teacher training (ITT) courses beginning after 1 July 2013 are required to have passed the literacy and numeracy professional skills tests before starting teacher training.

School Direct Training Programme (salaried)

If you wish to apply for a place on the School Direct Training Programme (salaried), you are required to have at least three years’ work experience in addition to the eligibility requirements detailed above. This experience may be in any career and does not have to be from an educational setting, but should generally apply to the years following graduation. Schools will decide which skills and experience are important to them and you should contact your chosen school with any questions regarding your experience.

If you do not meet the eligibility requirements for School Direct, there are alternative teacher training options available to you.

Gov.uk offers advice and information about gaining mathematics and English qualifications