You’ve made the decision to career change into teaching and you’re talking to your Now Teach Career Change Specialist. You’re exploring teacher training options and there are choices you haven’t had to make before. We can help.
One of those choices is what type of training course. There are two different routes: school-based (also called provider-led) or university-based teacher training.
It can be hard to know which one is right for you and how to get to grips with the differences – what do the differences mean?
The questions to ask
So let us unpack it for you. We can do this with lots of detail via one of our 1-1 calls, but here are some starters.
One thing that’s important to know is that school-based routes are especially popular among career changers. To understand what's right for you we look at this by focusing on 3 main questions:
- Where will I be training?
- What structure works best for me?
- What learning style do I prefer?
1. Where Will I Be Training?
- School-Based Training: From day one, you’ll be in the school environment, working closely with experienced teachers and mentors. If you prefer hands-on learning and want to fully connect with the daily life of a school, this option might suit you. For career changers with prior professional experience, this environment often feels familiar and rewarding.
- University-Based Training: You will start at university, attending lectures and seminars to build a theoretical foundation before starting your first school placement. Placements are arranged by the university, so it’s a good idea to research their partner schools and when you’ll be informed of your first school placement.
2. What’s the Structure Like?
- School-Based Training: From the outset you will be experiencing classroom teaching, working alongside mentors, integrating theory into practical teaching. You’ll have time out of the classroom to do the theory (on the QTS and PGCE route), which can be at university or in school (this is dependent on the training provider). You’ll typically start in your "home" school, then spend time in a contrasting school placement (usually January to February half term), and return to your home school.
This allows you to gaining experience in different school environments. This is often a natural choice for career changers who are keen to adapt their existing skills to the classroom. It also gives some continuity and allows you to observe students’ development over the course of the year.
- University-Based Training: Starts with lectures at university then moving to your first placement school. You will return to the lecture hall before embarking on your second school placement. This route offers a mix of theory and practice and different learning environments. You usually spend the same amount of time in each school.
3. What’s the learning style?
- School-Based Training: Practical and immersive, and includes understanding of school life, teaching and adapting to specific school needs. Unlike university, you will experience a full school year from day one. For career changers hands – on learning is often a popular choice, it feels more of a natural progression from their career experience.
- University-Based Training: You’ll study research, pedagogy, and even some educational philosophy. It allows for you to understand the ‘why’ behind teaching before applying this in schools. In addition to the wider overview of education and its history, where it has evolved from and potentially where it is heading.
"It's nice to be reassured that you are not utterly crazy to be doing this late in life - and having a cohort of like-minded similarly aged student teachers really helps."
Are there a difference in qualifications on these routes?
Both routes lead to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), which is required to teach in state schools in England. However, there can be differences in the qualifications offered:
- University-Based Training: Includes QTS and a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE).
- School-Based Training: Offers QTS only or QTS with a PGCE. If you choose the PGCE route, you’ll spend some time at university during the course.
A PGCE isn’t mandatory to teach in England but it is an internationally recognised postgraduate academic qualification. It covers both theoretical and practical training, including teaching methods and educational theory. Both routes will require the payment of tuition fees, but sometimes the school-based routes can be lower.
Some school-based routes offer QTS only courses which tend to cost less than QTS with PGCE. This can be a key consideration for career changers when deciding on the affordability and workload of the training year. QTS only is not available on the University route.
Which do Now Teachers prefer?
In Now Teach’s two most-recent cohorts, school-based training has been the clear favourite for career changers:
- 2024: 85% chose school-based routes.
- 2023: 75% chose school-based routes.
And why is this? Many career changers find that learning on the job aligns with their previous professional experiences. Immersing themselves in the school environment from the start allows to build on existing skills while quickly adapting to the realities of teaching.
Indeed, some school-based routes have started to weave Now Teach content into their curriculums to provide further support and tailored content to career changers.
Come and talk to us about the best route for you. As our 2023 Cohort Now Teacher explains, it will be a good use of your time.
"Now Teach helped simplify a complex process, - one which I might have decided was too bothersome to tackle on my own. Also, they understand the needs and concerns of career-changers, and try to work with them, rather than forcing them into the standard template."