Training to be a teacher is a challenging but incredibly rewarding experience. You gain some fantastic experiences that will support you wherever your teaching career takes you. Our trainees form great relationships with their cohort, tutors, coaches and teachers, so there’s a real sense of camaraderie.
The Lift Schools Teacher Training course is a school-based programme, which means the entirety of your training year takes place in one of our amazing, vibrant schools – not a lecture theatre in sight!
While training to be a teacher can be challenging at times, it’s an incredibly rewarding and fulfilling experience. With Lift Schools Teacher Training, you’ll be making an impact on the lives of young people from your very first day. You’ll also be fully supported throughout your training.
At the end of the training year, you will gain QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) and a PGCE.
This is a school-based programme, which means your teacher training year will take place in one of our schools.
Yes! You’ll be training in one of our schools from your very first day.
We have 57 schools across five locations in the UK: London, Essex, the South West, West Midlands and Yorkshire & Humber. Many of our schools are in areas facing social and economic challenges or historic academic underachievement, so you can be sure you’re making a difference from your very first day of training.
Let us know the location you’d like to teach in on your application. You’ll also be able to tell us if you have any preference about the school you’ll be placed in. Typically, our recruitment team will work with you to find a school that’s the perfect fit for you!
Trainees in primary schools will work with children aged between 5-11 years, and those training in secondary schools will be teaching pupils between 11-16 years.
Yes! Our teacher training is a school-based programme, meaning that your training will be in a school from your very first day of term. You’ll get to watch your pupils grow throughout the whole academic year.
You can begin your application to the Lift Schools Teacher Training programme by completing our online application form.
The great thing about our schools is that they all have their own character, so you’re sure to find the perfect fit! That being said, it’s important that you share our ethos and values, and have a good understanding of your chosen subject.
Of course! There are certain requirements you will need to meet however.
IELTS score of level 7 or above will be accepted as long as it is within its expiry date.
You’ll be able to teach a subject that you have an A-Level in (grade C or above) or a related degree (2:2 or above). In place of qualifications, we will also consider applicants with relevant work experience in their chosen subject. See above for our full eligibility criteria. Before deciding on a subject, make sure it’s one you’re passionate about! You’ll want to convey all that excitement to your students. If you have any STEM qualifications, we’re always looking for exceptional STEM candidates!
You can apply to our teacher training programme directly through our online application and DfE Apply.
It isn’t a mandatory requirement that you’ve had experience in a school, but this can help your application. Different routes offered in our schools will have varying requirements and will be discussed during application. What’s important is that you’re able to demonstrate how the experiences that you do have are transferable to teaching and the classroom environment.
Teacher Training always begins in September at the start of the academic year. There will be several days of induction, including a tutor induction meeting, school orientation experience and a compulsory two-week summer school which takes place in August.
Absolutely! If you aren’t accepted the first time around, it often presents a great opportunity to get some more relevant experience that will help your application the next time you apply.
One of the unique things about training to teach with Lift Schools & Ark is collaborating with exceptional people across our network. Staff come together regularly locally and nationally to share best practices and develop teaching techniques across the network.
We make sure that our teacher training programme is open and accessible to everyone with a passion for teaching and helping young people reach their full potential. If you have a disability that you’d like us to be aware of and support you with, let us know in your application so we can make arrangements where required.
Some of the ways trainees are able to fund their training include:
There are a number of different ways that trainees fund their training year. You can find the full details of the subject bursaries available for this year here. You may also be eligible for student finance such as maintenance loans.
We’re committed to the welfare of our trainees, and our programme is developed specifically with teacher wellbeing in mind. You’ll also be fully supported by your tutor, coach, teachers and fellow trainees – we’re here to help each other through the challenging days and celebrate the many great ones!
We offer a wide range of subjects to teach as part of our programme, including primary and STEM subjects.
To teach a subject, you must either have an A-level (we look for Grade C or above) or a degree in a related subject. If you have a few options, you need to ensure you are passionate about the subject to convey this enthusiasm to our students. We are always looking for great STEM trainees, so make sure you think extra hard about those subjects. Learn more about our eligibility criteria above.
We’re committed to eliminating discrimination and encouraging diversity among our employees and trainees. Our aim is that our cohort will be truly representative of all sections of society and that each employee and trainee feels respected and able to give their best.
