Secondary School Direct

School Direct is a one-year full-time route into teaching. All School Direct programmes lead to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) - allowing you to teach at either primary or secondary level in England and Wales. Two School Direct programmes lead to a PGCE as well as QTS.

School Direct programmes enable you to gain a school-led teaching qualification whilst working in close partnership with the University of Reading.

We work with over 400 schools - both primary and secondary - to offer this route into teaching alongside the well-established university-led PGCE route. At the Institute of Education, we pride ourselves on the excellent relationships we have with these partner schools.

School Direct Partners

If you decide to follow a school-led route you will need to select from the following programmes:

School Direct Tuition Fee Programme QTS only

Lead Schools offer training based in school with supporting sessions at the Institute of Education. You may be eligible for a bursary depending on your subject and undergraduate degree.

• Duration: 1 year
• Fees: payable by the student
• Outcome: QTS only

School Direct Tuition Fee Programme PGCE

This programme is delivered through training in schools and supporting sessions looking at effective teaching taught at the Institute of Education. You may be eligible for a bursary and student loan for this programme.

• Duration: 1 year, full time
• Fees: payable by the student
• Outcome: PGCE and QTS

School Direct Salaried Programme QTS Only

This programme is taught through training in schools and supporting sessions at the Institute of Education. For a salaried place you must have at least three years' full time work experience (in any industry) after your degree.

• Duration: 1 year, full time
• Fees: paid by School and the student will receive a salary
• Outcome: QTS only

School Direct Salaried Programme PGCE

This programme is taught through training in schools and supporting evidence-based sessions at the Institute of Education. For a salaried place you must have at least three years' full time work experience (in any industry) after your degree.

• Duration: 1 year, full time
• Fees: paid by School and the student will receive a salary
• Outcome: PGCE and QTS

Apply for teacher training is a new GOV.UK service where you can apply for postgraduate teacher training.

Secondary School Direct Subjects

• Art and Design
• Computer Science
• Design & Technology
• Drama
• English
• Geography
• History
• Mathematics
• Modern Foreign Languages
• Music
• Physical Education
• Religious Education
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Physics

Candidates wishing to teach Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry or Computer Science at secondary level and who do not have a related degree should also visit the SKE (Subject Knowledge Enhancement) page.

Please check the DfE’s find postgraduate teaching training website for details of our school direct partners (see list) who are accepting applications.

Our Secondary School Direct Partners

Berkshire Teaching School Alliance: Lead school Maiden Erlegh Institute (Wokingham)

Subjects offered: Biology, Chemistry, Design and Technology (Product Design), Drama, English, Geography, History, Mathematics, Modern Foreign Languages, PE, Physics.

Subjects offered: Art & Design, Biology, Chemistry, Computing, Design and Technology, Drama, English, Geography, History, Mathematics, Modern Foreign Languages, Music, PE, Physics.

Subjects offered: Art & Design, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Design & Technology, Drama, English, Geography, History, Mathematics, Modern Foreign Languages, Music, PE, Physics, Physics with Mathematics, Religious Education. 

Court Moor Partnership: Lead school Court Moor School, Fleet (N Hants)

Subjects offered: Art and Design, Biology, Chemistry, Computing, Design and Technology, Drama, English, Geography, History, Mathematics, Modern Languages, Music, Physical Education, Physics, Religious Education.

Subjects offered: Art & Design, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Design & Technology, Drama, English, Geography, History, Mathematics, Modern Foreign Languages, Music, PE, Physics, Religious Education.

Teach Maidenhead: Lead School Furze Platt Senior School (Maidenhead) 

Subjects offered: Art & Design, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Design & Technology, Drama, English, Geography, History, Mathematics, Modern Foreign Languages,Music, PE, Physics, Religious Education.

Teach Slough: Lead school Upton Court Grammar School (Slough)

Subjects offered: Biology, Chemistry, Computing, Design and Technology (Product Design),Drama, English, Geography, History, Mathematics, Modern Languages, Physical Education, Physics, Religious Education.

The Trinity Partnership: Lead school The Trinity School, Newbury (West Berks)

Subjects offered: Biology, Chemistry, Drama, English, Geography, History, Mathematics, Modern Foreign Languages, Music, Physics.

Two Counties Partnership: Lead school The Willink School (West Berks)

Subjects offered: Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, English, Geography, History, Mathematics, Modern Foreign Languages, Music, Physical Education, Physics, Religious Education.

Wokingham Federation: Lead school The Piggott School (Wokingham)

Subjects offered: Art & Design, Biology, Chemistry, Computing, Design and Technology, Drama, English, Geography, History, Mathematics, Modern Foreign Languages, Music, PE, Physics, Religious Education.

Climate and sustainability education

At the University of Reading, we believe that climate and sustainability education is everyone’s responsibility. This is why we have set out our vision that all initial teacher trainees should be able to access training that empowers them to effectively incorporate climate education within their teaching across all levels and subjects as part of our National Climate Education Action Plan.

Across all of our ITT programmes at the Institute of Education, you will learn about:

• what is happening to our climate, how to help children learn about climate and sustainability in an age-appropriate and accessible way, and how to develop your own positioning as a teacher
• climate justice, the impact of current and future changes to our environment and climate on ourselves and others, and implications for teachers
• how to translate knowledge and theory into change and personal action through building climate and sustainability education into your planning, teaching, and children’s learning.

Visit Partnering for the Planet to find out more about the University of Reading’s world-leading work in climate science.

Applications and Enquiries

Apply for teacher training is a new GOV.UK service where you can apply for postgraduate teacher training. You can apply to more than one school with School Direct, and also for other routes into teaching such as our University-led campus-based Secondary PGCE programmes. 

Visit the Department for Education (DfE) website for more information on School Direct, or contact the University of Reading School Direct administration team on schooldirect@reading.ac.uk.