“I had excellent support during the entire process of applying for training. Now Teach made it possible for me to become a teacher, I wouldn’t have thought it possible before meeting them.”
So, you’re at that stage in your career where you’re thinking about making a switch to teaching, but before we look ahead to the future, let’s take a quick trip back in time to your previous job applications.
You spot a new opportunity or decide it’s simply time for a change. Great! You update the CV, send it off, and before you know it, you’re sitting in your future boss’s office for an interview.
Then comes the wait… and finally the email: you’ve been successful and they’d like to offer you the role!
Now, fast-forward to the present. You’re here because you’re considering teaching and this is where things become a little different.
The key timings for teacher training
It often surprises prospective Now Teachers just how long the application process for teacher training courses can take, and how strongly the school year runs the show (even before you’re a qualified teacher!).
Unlike most industries, schools follow a very fixed rhythm, three main terms, each broken down into half terms. Though they vary slightly between schools, here are some 2025/2026 dates as an example:
- Spring Term: January - March
- Half Term: February 14 - 18.
- Summer Term: April - July
- Half Term: May 29 - June 2.
- Autumn Term: September - December
- Half Term: October 23 - 31.
- Christmas Holidays: December 23 - January 2
When to start applying for teacher training
To hear back from a training provider before the Easter break, I would recommend applying to teacher training at the start of March; 3 weeks before the schools break up for the holidays.
If you have just started thinking about teacher training, you can talk to me, or one of our other Career Chance Specialists by Monday 13 April, giving you plenty of time before the summer holidays close everything down.
To summarise: as holidays approach, staff get busier, interview time becomes limited, and processes slow down.
That’s why setting yourself a clear goal for when you’d like to secure your teacher training course really helps.
When do courses for teacher training start?
Teacher training programmes begin each September, but applications open the previous October and popular courses fill up quickly.
Schools and training providers match applicants to placements long before the summer holidays. So, if you wait until spring your ideal course (or location) might already be full.
In short: time is shorter than it seems.
So, what would I advise about timings? Apply for teacher training as early as possible — ideally before March.
Applying early gives you a huge advantage:
• Choice – more subjects, more schools, more flexibility.
• Preparation time – locating certificates, getting school experience, completing any GCSE equivalencies, or boosting subject knowledge (with courses such as SKEs) before teacher training begins.
• Peace of mind – knowing where you’ll be training gives you time to organise personal commitments, plan your new commute and look ahead to changing the lives of young people.
If you apply for teacher training too long after Easter, many routes will already be closed.
So, what to do next?
Don’t let the academic year catch you out!
Register with us to speak to a career change specialist. We’ll help you align your own timeline with the school calendar and get your application on track for success.
Want to ask me a few questions first? No problem — just email me at Rachael@nowteach.org.uk and I’d be happy to help.