eligibility criteria

Overview

To teach in state schools in England, you must gain Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).

With our Initial Teacher Training programme, you’ll be awarded QTS on successful completion, along with a PGCE carrying 60 Master’s Level credits.

This means you’ll leave fully qualified and ready to start your career as a primary teacher.

You can quickly find out if you meet our entry requirements by using our simple Eligibility Checker – it only takes a few minutes to complete.

Degree

You’ll need an Undergraduate Honours degree (or equivalent) with a minimum classification of 2:2.

If your degree was awarded overseas, you’ll need to provide UK ENIC evidence confirming it’s comparable to a UK undergraduate degree. We’ll check this evidence against your original certificates.

In exceptional circumstances, we may consider applicants with a third-class honours degree where there were significant extenuating circumstances. These cases will be reviewed individually by a dedicated panel.

GCSE's

You must have GCSE passes or equivalent* at Grade C/4 or above/in English, Maths and Science.

We welcome applications for our Initial Teacher Training programme from candidates who do not currently have the minimum GCSE requirements.

Any offer of a place would be conditional on you achieving the qualification(s) by the time you enrol on the programme (usually August 31st prior to commencing).

You will need to check that the organisation offering equivalency tests is accepted. Equivalency tests from astarequivalency.co.uk and equivalencytesting.com are accepted.

DBS

To ensure the safety and wellbeing of the children in our care, all applicants are required to complete an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check as part of the pre-enrolment process.

Any endorsements on DBS (previous criminal convictions) will be subject to risk assessment and approval by a panel convened to assess each application on a case-by-case basis.

This check confirms that you are suitable to work with children and young people in a school environment.

Right to Work

All applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK to be eligible for training with REAch Teach.

This is a mandatory requirement for enrolment on our Initial Teacher Training programme and applies for the full duration of your training year.

You will be asked to provide official documentation to confirm your right to work, such as a UK or Irish passport, evidence of settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, or a valid visa that permits work and study in the UK.

Unfortunately, we are unable to sponsor visas for international applicants, so you will need to ensure your immigration status is in place before applying.

English and Maths

To be awarded Qualified Teacher Status, all trainees must demonstrate the required competencies in the fundamentals of English and Maths as set out by the Department for Education.

These core skills are essential for effective teaching and for supporting pupils’ learning across the curriculum.

This means you must be able to show a secure understanding of key concepts, apply them confidently in a classroom context, and model accurate use of English and Maths in your teaching practice.

Assessment of these skills will take place throughout your training year, and any areas requiring improvement will be supported with targeted guidance and resources.

By the end of the programme, you must have met these competencies to ensure you are fully prepared to enter the profession and deliver high-quality education to every child you teach.