Teacher training attracts plenty of confident advice from people who haven’t done it. Forums and family chats often repeat the same warnings about theory, qualifications and age limits. The reality of Initial Teacher Training is more workable and far less rigid than these myths suggest.
Myth 1: you need a degree in the exact subject you want to teach
This is one of the most persistent myths, and it puts many good people off. You don’t need a maths degree to train as a maths teacher. Nor do you need an English degree to train as an English teacher.
What you do need is a degree plus enough subject knowledge to teach your phase with confidence. For primary, that means having a broad generalist base rather than specialising in one area. Primary programmes assume you will teach across several subjects, and they develop your knowledge alongside time on school placement.
For secondary, Subject Knowledge Enhancement courses can fill the gaps. SKE courses are short pre-training programmes that strengthen your subject understanding before you start. They are a standard option for people switching disciplines. For example, a provider may recommend an SKE to an applicant who has useful background knowledge but needs stronger preparation in the subject they plan to teach.
If your degree feels like the wrong one, don’t rule yourself out. Speak to a provider about SKE and find out how much additional study you might need for the subject you want to teach.
Myth 2: teacher training is only for recent graduates
Many trainees go straight from university, but plenty do not. Career changers are a normal part of teacher training cohorts. They include former teaching assistants, office managers, engineers and parents returning to work.
Career changers often have bills and family commitments, so it is worth looking for a route whose attendance pattern is realistic. Part-time courses and salaried school-led routes are available in England, although options vary by subject, area and provider. Training still requires commitment, but there may be more than one way to fit it around adult life.
Teaching bursaries can help too. They are tax-free payments available for certain secondary subjects where recruitment is difficult. You don’t repay them, and they are separate from the usual student loan application. They can sit alongside student finance and may change the calculation for someone giving up a regular wage.
Postgraduate applicants in England can compare courses through the government’s Find postgraduate teacher training service and apply through the official teacher training application service. If you’re changing career, check each provider’s placement area, attendance pattern and term dates carefully to make sure they are workable for your household.
Age alone should not put you off. There is no practical upper age cut-off for starting teacher training.
Myth 3: a PGCE and QTS are the same thing
People often use PGCE and QTS as though they mean the same thing. They don’t, and the distinction affects the choices you make when comparing courses.
QTS is the professional status that many state schools look for when recruiting teachers. It shows that you have met the Teachers’ Standards and can work as a qualified teacher. A PGCE is an academic award that often includes Master’s-level credits and confirms that you have completed postgraduate study in education.
University programmes usually offer the two together. You finish with QTS and a PGCE at the same time. School-led routes can vary. Some award QTS on its own, while others offer QTS with a PGCE through a university partner.
QTS relates to qualified teacher status, while the PGCE reflects the academic part of your training.
Neither label tells you by itself whether a course is good. Ask exactly what qualification you will leave with. Will you gain QTS as well as a PGCE? It is also worth checking how much Master’s credit is attached and whether you can use it later.
Keep this distinction in mind when comparing options. It clears up much of the confusion found in course adverts and discussed at open evenings.
Myth 4: university training is all theory with little classroom time
Ask around and you may hear that university routes keep you in lecture halls, while school routes put you in classrooms. It sounds like a tidy distinction, but it does not reflect modern Initial Teacher Training.
Approved ITT must meet DfE criteria, including substantial time in placement schools and teaching that is observed and assessed against set standards. Accredited routes include extended periods in school before trainees qualify. University-led training therefore includes placement requirements alongside its academic teaching.
The main difference is how classroom time is framed and supported. University programmes pair placement blocks with subject pedagogy and research into how pupils learn, giving you a clearer way to interpret what you see in school. You plan a sequence, teach it, receive mentor feedback and adjust your approach. SEND training follows the same pattern, with focused input on adaptive teaching and opportunities to apply it in class.
When comparing university-led options, review teacher training at the University of Northampton. Compare placement arrangements, subject or phase coverage, qualifications and support rather than relying on the route label alone.
The reading and discussion do not replace teaching. They are intended to help you teach more effectively the next day, with guidance from mentors who know your classes.
Myth 5: school-led training is always more hands on
School Direct and other school-led options are strong choices for many trainees. They are full ITT routes with their own partnerships and mentors rather than shortcuts or second-best alternatives.
However, they are not automatically more practical than university routes. Both models work through school partnerships that place trainees with experienced mentors, and both include long placement periods that gradually build towards full teaching responsibility.
The practical differences are less dramatic than the debate suggests. Funding can vary, with some school-led places offering a salary while others follow the same student finance route as university places. The final award may also differ, as with QTS and the PGCE. The depth and organisation of subject pedagogy can vary because university teams often work across a wider network of schools.
The useful question is which setup suits you and your life at the moment, rather than which route is tougher or more real. Some trainees prefer daily immersion in one school from the start. Others value contrasting placements with university seminars between blocks.
Visit schools and meet the mentors before deciding.
Neither route has a monopoly on classroom time.
Myth 6: training leaves you to figure out behaviour alone
New trainees often worry about behaviour more than anything else. One common claim is that university courses skip it and leave trainees to cope alone when classes get noisy.
Behaviour work is built into the ITT curriculum from the beginning. You study routines and expectations before using them in front of a full class. You watch experienced teachers establish a calm classroom and reset attention without raising their voices. You then practise manageable parts of a lesson, such as the starter or a transition, before taking responsibility for the whole session. Those early wins can build confidence quickly.
Placement then puts those ideas to the test, with support nearby. Your mentor observes and gives direct feedback on presence and clarity, using examples from your own lesson. You try the approach again and see what changed. That repeated cycle matters more than any single lecture.
You won’t master behaviour in one term. No one does at first. You should, however, have practical tools to use and someone to help you understand what went wrong.
Trainees often notice a shift when feedback becomes specific. Instead of simply being told to work on presence, you might be advised to stand still while giving an instruction and wait for quiet. That detail comes from mentors who see you teach week after week, know your classes by name and can identify the exact moments that changed the room.
If behaviour worries you, ask providers how often trainees are observed and how mentor meetings are organised throughout each placement.
Myth 7: you need top grades to get a place
Some applicants assume university places are reserved for straight-A students with polished academic records. The entry picture is generally broader than that.
Providers commonly consider your degree and relevant school-level qualifications alongside your ability to communicate clearly with young people. Interviews also carry weight because they show how you listen, explain ideas and respond to feedback. Schools need trainees who can communicate in straightforward terms and learn from the people around them.
Gaps do not necessarily end the conversation. If your subject knowledge is limited, an SKE course can strengthen it. If older or missing qualifications are an issue, providers may be able to explain the available equivalency routes. A degree in an unrelated field may still support an application for primary training or a secondary subject switch with additional preparation.
Readiness for classroom life and a willingness to learn from mentors both matter. Grades can open the door, but they do not predict who will cope well on a difficult Friday afternoon.
Speak to admissions teams early. Bring your transcripts and ask what preparation or top-up study would strengthen your application.
Myth 8: qualifying is the finish line
Qualifying may feel like the end, but Initial Teacher Training is only the first phase. In England, the Early Career Teacher Entitlement supports teachers during their first two years after training. Its programme is based on the Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework, and early career teachers receive mentoring and development support as they improve their practice.
That structure matters because early teaching is difficult in ways training cannot completely remove, even with good preparation and supportive mentors. Timetables fill up quickly, and marking does too. Parents’ evenings and reports sit alongside planning while many routines still feel unfamiliar.
The entitlement recognises those pressures and provides support as you adjust to full responsibility. You meet with a mentor and continue developing habits that can last beyond induction.
Placement is where theory gets tested. The early-career period is where it settles into daily practice. Workload and school culture still matter, which is why continued mentoring and a supportive first school are important.
Good training cannot guarantee an easy second year. It can give you practical habits and mentor relationships that help you work through it with perspective.
If you’re considering teaching, set aside the sweeping claims and ask concrete questions. Find out what award you will receive, where placements are located, who will mentor you and how behaviour is taught. Those answers will tell you far more than any myth.