There are a number of pre-entry criteria that must be met before you can start to train as a teacher. These apply to all wishing to enter primary teaching programmes:

• You must have GCSE (or equivalent) at grade 4 (or Grade C)or above in English, Maths and Science
• You must complete a Declaration of Health
• You must demonstrate an acceptable standard of spoken and written English (this will generally be assessed at interview)
• You must attend an interview
• You must obtain a Disclosure and Barring (DBS) certificate

For undergraduate students you should look at the entry requirements for the university to which you are applying and apply in the usual way through UCAS. Most universities will accept BTec and CACHE diplomas as well as A levels. Most will have entry requirements for those coming through Access routes.

For post graduate students a 2:1 degree classification or above is preferred. You may be considered with a 2:2 degree but are unlikely to be accepted with a third-class degree.

Most providers will want you to have spent some time in mainstream state primary schools ~ generally a minimum of two weeks. This is to ensure you do know what you are letting yourself in for!

You should also be aware of what is happening in the world of education and primary education in particular. Watch the news and read education papers such as Times Educational Supplement (TES) so that you are aware of current educational trends and initiatives.