Q: What is School Direct?
A: School Direct is an innovative way to train as a teacher. It allows schools to grow their own new teachers by giving them opportunity to recruit and train their own staff. It gives trainees the opportunity to choose the schools they wish to train in and spend more time in school learning to be an outstanding teacher. There are two separate School Direct training options:

• School Direct Training Programme is for high-quality graduates who want to be part of a school team from day one. You may be eligible for a bursary of up to £20,000 to support you while you train.
• School Direct Training Programme (salaried) is an employment-based route for high-quality experienced graduates with at least three years’ work experience. You will earn a salary while you train.

Q: What are the advantages of School Direct?

• It gives schools the ability to influence the way in which Initial Teacher Training is delivered.
• It enables schools to recruit and select the trainees that best meet their and their partnership’s needs, with the possibility that the newly qualified teachers will go on to work in the group of schools in which they trained.
• The School Direct Training Programme also enables schools to negotiate their choice of accredited ITT provider (CT4T are partnered with Northumbria University), the funding they receive from the provider and the way in which the training is delivered.

Q: What are the skills tests?
A: See our comprehensive section on the QTS Skills Tests

Q: How much does it cost?

A: The fee for the course is £9250

Q: What qualifications do I need to apply for a Schools Direct place?
A: 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.

Q: What does the School Direct Training Programme involve?
A: This is a training programme where the training is funded by tuition fees paid by the trainee. This programme is suitable for high-quality graduates.
All School Direct places will lead to qualified teacher status (QTS) and the training programme route will lead to the award of a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). Both routes can lead to optional Masters credits.