Teach First |

This is your opportunity to make a real and lasting difference to the lives of pupils from the most disadvantaged backgrounds. Right from the outset. Before you start in the classroom you will receive five weeks of intensive training, getting you ready to begin teaching from September. You will be employed by the same school for the two years of the programme. During this time you will receive constant support from Teach First as well as your in-school mentor. By the end of your first year, you will have received your PGCE and earned qualified teacher status.​

​On the programme you’ll:​

• earn a salary from your first day in the classroom​ (learn more on the Teach First website)
• pay no fees as you work towards your internationally recognised qualifications​
• benefit from an Initial Teacher Training programme which is rated outstanding by Ofsted​
• receive expert guidance and support every step of the way​
• develop leadership skills which will turbo boost your career​
• become part of a supportive community of teachers and leaders who want every child to have the chance to fulfil their potential​
• be offered other development opportunities unique to Teach First​
• help pupils facing the biggest barriers discover their potential.​

Applications are now open to start in 2026. Apply early for the best chance of getting your first-choice location.​

Teach First is a leading education charity. Since 2003, we’ve been improving the life chances and choices for children experiencing poverty.  

We believe education is the most powerful tool to help a child fulfil their potential. And we’ve already improved the life chances of over two million pupils. 

On our two-year Training Programme, you’ll earn a salary as you train and gain a fully funded PGCE (an internationally recognised teaching qualification). We trust you to lead a class from day one. 

We also offer a number of undergraduate opportunities – including internships and taster experiences – so you can find out what the Training Programme is really all about. 

With your talents and ambition, you have many career options ahead of you. But few are more meaningful than teaching. You’ll develop skills all employers are looking for, make lifelong friends and connections and help build a fair education for all. 

At Teach First, we’re look for potential. Our selection process is structured to find out if you’ve got the right attributes to thrive in the classroom. 

First, you’ll complete an online application form highlighting key information about yourself and why you would be a good fit for our Training Programme. 

If you pass the online application, you’ll be invited to a Development Centre. The Development Centre is a chance to show us what you might be like as a teacher in a short teaching episode, a competency-based interview, a group case study and two self-evaluations. 

What you’ll need:

1. A 2.1 degree or above (we'll consider a 2.2 for secondary teaching) 
2. Grade C/4 or equivalent in GCSE maths and English
3. For primary, a grade C/4 in one GCSE science subject as well 
4. The right to work in the UK for the duration of the programme

The following characteristics, skills and attributes are at the heart of Teach First. We aim to develop these in everyone who trains and works with us. 

• Humility, respect and empathy
• Interaction
• Understanding and motivation
• Leadership
• Planning and organising
• Problem solving
• Resilience
• Self-evaluation
• Adaptability
• Mission

In a nutshell, what are the benefits of our graduate programme?

Join the UK's largest teacher training and leadership programme and you’ll:  

• Earn a salary, from day one in the classroom.
• Learn to lead, with opportunities for quick progression (and pay increases to match)
• Receive a fully funded leadership qualification and professional coaching worth over £10k
• Have access to our 17,750+ network of teachers, leaders and businesses
• Make a difference, teaching in the schools that need you the most. 

We’re all about fighting injustice. A vital part of the work we do is increasing the representation of our teaching workforce to better reflect the UK population and the communities we serve.  

As one of the largest education charities in the UK, we’ve launched multiple campaigns to help drive lasting change at a societal level. Our recruitment process ensures that no one is at a disadvantage because of their ethnicity, gender, sexuality, or background. And our teacher training has been developed to make sure all our programme members are prepared and educated on how to be inclusive teachers and leaders.