Straight to Teaching: a personalised preparation course for QTS

Many schools are struggling to recruit the qualified teachers they need, particularly for shortage subjects. Yet, countless schools have highly skilled and experienced members of staff who could be supported to become qualified teachers, if the means were available. Our Straight to Teaching course is designed to provide this support.

It's a high-quality, low-cost alternative to initial teacher training (ITT) that's flexible, accessible and personalised to your staff and your school. Delivered in-school and online, it supports staff to develop their teaching skills and gain evidence to demonstrate that they meet the Teachers’ Standards and other criteria for the award of QTS. Once ready, we'll support them through QTS assessment via our Assessment Only route.

An experienced Tes Institute pathway tutor will work with your staff and school to create a personalised QTS preparation plan and timeline, as well as providing support and guidance throughout the course. Courses vary in length from one to five terms depending on the extent and range of each individual's existing experience.

Let's explore the Straight to Teaching journey through three different scenarios, each representing a typical learner at a different stage of their teaching career, and discover how our course can assist them in reaching their goals.

Scenario 1: Short QTS preparation – meet Sarah, the PE teacher

Sarah is a PE teacher in a mainstream secondary school and she has two terms of teaching experience. She teaches up to GCSE and A-level, which makes her a valuable asset to her school's sports department. Before this role, she spent a year (three terms) teaching 11-16 PE in a Catholic school. However, there's one small hurdle in her way – she hasn't obtained her GCSE maths qualification yet.

How can Straight to Teaching help Sarah?

- Sarah's course will focus on QTS age phase 11-16.

- She will successfully gain her GCSE maths qualification during the course, with support from Tes Institute's equivalency service for English, maths and science.

- Sarah's short QTS preparation course will last one to one-and-a-half terms, providing her with the necessary skills to move towards her final assessment.

Scenario 2: Medium QTS preparation – meet Alex, the maths teacher

Alex is currently teaching maths to 11-16-year-old pupils in a SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) setting. He has been employed at the school for one year and three terms, but this is his only school experience. Alex holds a Bachelor's degree in maths and achieved a grade B in GCSE maths and English language. He has a full-time timetable across Key Stage 3 and 4 classes.

How can Straight to Teaching help Alex?

- Alex will complete a 30-day second school experience in a mainstream secondary school, where he will teach maths to gain broader experience.

- He will undergo three terms of Straight to Teaching, which will provide comprehensive training and support to help him succeed in the QTS assessment.

Scenario 3: High QTS preparation – meet Emily, the Early Years teacher

Emily is a primary teacher working in an independent school. She's been teaching for one term in the Early Years Foundation Stage, where she teaches 3-5-year-olds in the school's reception and nursery classes. Emily works full-time and has her own classes. She's also in the last term of completing her degree with the Open University.

How can Straight to Teaching help Emily?

- Emily will complete a 20-day second school experience in a state-funded primary school, teaching Key Stage 1 to gain valuable experience across the 3-7 age range.

- She will confirm a minimum of a 50-80% timetable, taking sole responsibility for the classes taught, including planning, teaching and assessment.

- Emily will also ensure her degree award is confirmed before completing the course.

- To support her journey, Emily will undergo five terms of Straight to Teaching, providing her with the comprehensive training and experience needed for the final assessment.

To date, we've supported 3,131* teachers to gain QTS. No matter where your staff are in their teaching journey, our Straight to Teaching course offers a flexible and tailored pathway to prepare them for QTS assessment via our Assessment Only route.

Learn more about Straight to Teaching

If you’re a school leader interested in developing staff at your school you’ll find more information on our Straight to Teaching for schools page.

If you’re looking to progress from TA to qualified teacher without leaving your current school, take a look at our Straight to Teaching course page.

*Database of trainee teachers and providers and internal data (Salesforce), December 2022