What routes are available to train to teach with GLF Teacher Training as a Lead Provider for Inspiring Future Teachers?  

Watch a short introduction on training with GLF Teacher Training from our Director of Teaching School Hub, Angela Rodda.

GLF Teacher Training offers the following range of teacher training routes:  

Non-salaried routes into teaching: 

Standard fee-funded route:  

This is the standard route into teacher training taken by most trainee teachers.  Candidates do not earn a salary but are offered a gradual route into teaching with extensive opportunities for lesson observation and co-teaching.

Our training course runs over one academic year and trainee teachers are school based for four days a week; core training takes place on a Friday in either our Surrey (Banstead) hub or Oxfordshire / Reading (Didcot / Emmer Green) hub, depending on which is geographically closer to you.    

This route comes with a QTS and PGCE option. The University of Brighton accredits the PGCE with learning that is integral to your course and supported by your course tutors.

Once you have gained Qualified Teacher Status, as a large trust GLF will support you in finding your first Early Career Teaching placement within a school.

Finance: The course costs £9,550 for QTS only and £10,050 for QTS plus PGCE.  A tuition fee loan via Student Finance may be available, plus a maintenance loan. For more information on Student Loan eligibility, see HERE.  Candidates can also pay tuition fees from private funds.

Bursaries or scholarships may be available for certain 'demand' secondary subjects although these change annually. For up to date information on bursaries and scholarships, visit the DfE pages HERE.

Flexible fee-funded route:

This is a 'flexible' route aimed at supporting those with caring responsibilities, those studying, or those who need to continue working.  Candidates do not earn a salary but are offered a gradual route into teaching with extensive opportunities for lesson observation and co-teaching.

The training course runs over four terms starting in September and finishing the following December.  Trainees will be on the programme for four days a week for the majority of the course, to include both a Friday and a Monday. For three of the days, trainees are school based; core training takes place on a Friday in either our Surrey Hub or Oxford/Reading hub , depending on which is geographically closer to you. In addition there will be four whole weeks of training that candidates are expected to participate in.

Once you have gained Qualified Teacher Status, as a large trust GLF will support you in finding your first Early Career Teaching placement within a school.

This route leads to Qualified Teacher Status; there is no PGCE option.

Finance: The course costs £9,550 for QTS only.  A tuition fee loan via Student Finance may be available, plus a maintenance loan. For more information, see HERE. Candidates can also pay tuition fees from private funds.

Bursaries or scholarships may be available for certain 'demand' secondary subjects although these change annually. For up to date information on bursaries and scholarships, visit the DfE pages HERE.

Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) fee-funded Primary route: 

For September 2027 starters we are delighted to be able to offer a new fee-funded SEND route into teaching allowing primary trainees to complete part of their training in a Special School Setting. 

This course will run over one academic year and will lead to QTS with an option to complete a PGCE.   

Finance: The course costs £9,550 for QTS only and £10,050 for QTS plus PGCE.  A tuition fee loan via Student Finance may be available, plus a maintenance loan. For more information, see HERE. Candidates can also pay tuition fees from private funds. 

Salaried routes into teaching:

Places on any salaried route are extremely limited and are only offered if a partnership school has a need for a salaried trainee who has the ability and experience to teach a class from day one of the programme.  Generally speaking salaried opportunities tend only to be offered in shortage subject areas in secondary schools, and primary schools who can support the funding.  Currently, we do not have any salaried routes open for applications; if this changes, opportunities will be advertised via the DfE Apply portal.  

Below are the salaried routes that we can offer if a partnership school can support a placement:  

Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship (PGTA):

This is a school-based, employment-route training programme that lets high quality graduate aspiring teachers earn a salary whilst they train. Typically, candidates will have had a minimum of one year’s teaching experience as an HLTA, Cover Supervisor or Teaching Assistant (TA) and have had exposure to lesson planning, lesson delivery and marking.  The amount of timetabled unsupervised teaching depends on prior experience and is often increased each term. 

Candidates will need the support of an employing school and must teach some lessons independently from the start of the programme. 

This course will run over one academic year from end of August to the following July and will lead to QTS with an option to complete a PGCE.   

Finance: Candidates will be paid a salary and the Employer/Trust pays the training fees. For candidates wanting to do the PGCE uplift there is an additional fee of £1,100.

Standard salaried route:

If a partnership school has a requirement for a salaried trainee, GLF are able to offer an employment-based route into teaching for high-quality graduates, typically with at least one year of classroom experience in the UK education system and supporting Headteacher references. Trainees will be employed by the school as an unqualified teacher while they complete their training programme.  

Note: Places are very limited on this training route and candidates would need to have secured an employing school.  Any salaried opportunities will be published via the DfE Apply portal.

This course will run over one academic year from September to the following July and will lead to QTS with an option to complete a PGCE for an additional cost.   

Finance: Candidates will be paid a unqualified teaching salary and the school pays the training fees. For candidates wanting to do the PGCE uplift there will be an additional fee.  Salaried trainees are not eligible for support from Student Finance.   

Assessment-only route:

The Assessment Only route is designed for experienced unqualified teachers who want to gain QTS (Qualified Teacher Status). Candidates will already be working in a school as an unqualified teacher, with substantial experience of whole class planning, teaching, assessment and reporting.  Candidates need to have taught for at least two years in the UK education system in order to demonstrate the required ‘substantial experience’, with experience of teaching in two different school settings, across two consecutive key stages.  Applications must be supported by both Headteachers and are school-led. 

Finance: Please contact info@glftt.org for further information on fees plus the application and assessment process.   

Routes into teaching for non-degree holders:

If you do not have a degree or are not working towards one but you want to become a teacher, we work with two university providers who offer current Teaching Assistants without a degree the opportunity to progress into teaching via apprenticeship routes, allowing applicants to remain employed whilst working towards Qualified Teacher Status. These degree pathways are aimed to support current staff with their journey into teacher training at a later date. 

All candidates require the support of their current Headteacher.  These programme are not delivered by GLF, and therefore, we are unable to provide placements. Undergraduate apprenticeship opportunities are very limited and only offered if the school and candidate are in agreement.  

- BA (Hons) Secondary Education Maths and SEND: Offered by the University of Buckingham 

- Secondary Education Maths Teacher Degree Apprenticeship: Offered by the University of Brighton 

- BA (Hons) Primary Education: Offered by the University of Buckingham 

- Primary Education Teacher Degree Apprenticeship / Plus SEND option: Offered by the University of Brighton 

Eligibility for apprenticeship routes: 

Most courses require candidates to have 2 x A’ Levels and GCSE’s in maths, English Language plus a science subject for Primary candidates. Please check the provider’s course profiles for further information. 

All candidates must have secured employment in a school and have the support of a Headteacher  

If you are currently employed by a GLF School and have had a conversation with your Headteacher who is happy to support you as an undergraduate apprentice, please contact our apprenticeship team: apprenticeships@glfschools.org for information on next steps.  

Further help and support:

For further information regarding the routes into teaching offered by GLF, read our brochure 

If you are ready to make an application to train to teach with GLF, please access the DfE Apply portal HERE.  

If you have further questions and would like to contact our team, please email us via info@glftt.org.  We would be happy to book in a call with you to answer any further queries that you may have.  We also run a series of weekly information events which you can access via our events page.