For Primary, you need to have a degree and GCSEs (at least a C or 4) in English, Maths and Science.

For Secondary, you need to have a degree related to the subject that you wish to teach and GCSEs (at least a C or 4) in English and Maths.

A minimum of a 2.2 is required although, in rare circumstances, a third class degree may be accepted for candidates with a significant amount of prior school experience.

We accept applications from candidates with pending GCSEs. GCSE equivalency tests are available through our university partners.

For more information, or to discuss your individual circumstances with us, please get in touch via teach@svat.org.uk.

A passion for working with young people is essential. Prior work experience, either in a school or working with the age range that you wish to teach  (such as Girl Guides, youth clubs, sports teams, etc) is desirable.

A passion for your subject, particularly at Secondary, is also essential.

All of our School Direct courses are unsalaried.

Tuition fees of £9250 apply and are paid to the HE provider. Tuition fees and maintenance loans are available through Student Finance. Training bursaries are also available for some Secondary subjects.  

For more information on funding your training, please visit: https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/funding-your-training

The majority of our courses are unsalaried. We do however, offer a Primary Apprenticeship pathway to QTS for people already working in school. For more information please get in touch.

Significant training bursaries and scholarships are available for some Secondary subjects. This is set by the DfE and changes annually so please get in touch for the most up-to-date information. 

Related degrees need to contain a significant amount of the subject that you intend to teach. If you are unsure if your degree contains enough of a particular subject in order to go on to teach it, it is useful to have a copy of your degree transcript. A-levels in the subject that you wish to teach, whilst not essential, are desirable. 

Subject Knowledge Enhancement courses (SKEs) are available for successful applicants who need to improve aspects of their subject knowledge before their training begins.

Please get in touch via teach@svat.org.uk to discuss your individual circumstances. We are more than happy to help.

We are happy to support prospective applicants to gain work experience in school. Please get in touch with us via teach@svat.org.uk to discuss the potential arrangements.

All of our School Direct courses result in a PGCE with QTS.

A Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) is a higher education qualification. Usually, a PGCE awards 60 credits that can be applied to a future Masters qualification. In England, there are two routes to gaining a PGCE – either on a university-led teacher training course or school-led courses such as School Direct.

Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) is a legal requirement to teach in many English schools and is considered essential for teachers in the majority of schools in England. Even in schools where QTS is not a legal requirement, many schools use QTS to assess the quality of candidates for teaching jobs. 

At the end of your training, you are assessed against the Teachers’ Standards. If you have met those standards at an appropriate level, you will be awarded QTS. You will then be able to work as a qualified teacher in England and start your two-year Early Career Teacher (ECT) induction.

Stour Vale provides support for our trainees to help them gain employment. This includes Professional Studies sessions, tips for interviews, and support with drafting applications. As we have excellent links to a wide range of local schools across the Black Country, we are well-placed to bring upcoming jobs to our trainees’ attention.  

Often, our trainees go on to gain employment in one of their placement schools and there are a number of our former trainees working in our schools today. In fact, some of our former trainees, a few years later, have gone on to become mentors for our subsequent trainees!