Primary Teacher Training Comparison Table

Use the table below to compare the key features of our Fee-Funded Initial Teacher Training and Teacher Apprenticeship programmes at a glance.

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  Fee-Funded ITT Teacher Apprenticeship
🎓 Awards Qualified Teacher Status only Qualified Teacher Status + Level 6 Teacher Apprenticeship
(opportunity to achieve a distinction!)
💰 Funding Student loan or self-funded £0 – funded by Apprenticeship Levy
💼 Salary Unsalaried Salaried (unqualified teacher scale)
🧭 Placement School Organised by BPN Must be employed by a school
📅 Start date September 2025 September 2025
🗓️ Programme length

Full time: 11 months

Part time: 18 months

 10 months + End-Point Assessment
🎯 Ideal for Graduates not employed in a school Graduates already working in a school
📚 Study style

Full time: 4 days in school, 1 day training 

Part time: 2 days in school, 1 day training

 4 days in school, 1 day training
📍 Qualification requirements Degree + GCSEs (English, maths, science) Degree + GCSEs (English, maths, science)
🏠 Residency requirements 3+ years UK residency or valid visa 3+ years UK residency or valid visa
(We cannot sponsor visas)

  How will I train to become a Primary teacher?


Over the academic year, you will complete practical training in two schools. Throughout the programme, 1 day a week (20%) of your time will be dedicated to off-the-job training delivered by Best Practice Network.

Upon completion of your practical training, you will...

  • Present your portfolio and demonstrate your readiness to be awarded Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) in July.
  • (For Apprenticeship route only) complete your End Point Assessment, which includes a lesson observation and a professional discussion with an external examiner—giving you the opportunity to achieve a distinction-level award.

 


  • Induction: you will have your first day of learning and ITT Induction before the start of your training to help you prepare for the programme
  • Term 1: You will be in your host school this term. Training in school four days a week and attending online or in-person training one day a week
  • Term 2: You will spend 6 weeks in a contrasting school placement. 
  • Term 3: You will return to your host school to prepare for the recommendation of QTS
  • Term 4 (Apprenticeship only): End Point Assessment for Level 6 Teacher Apprenticeship Qualification, where you can reach distinction level in addition to your QTS!

 

Can I train to teach primary part-time?

Yes – we offer flexible part-time primary teacher training with QTS for those who need to balance teacher training with work, family or other commitments. It follows the same high-quality curriculum and leads to the same qualification as the full-time route, but is delivered over two years. 

Explore part-time teacher training

 

Hear what our student teachers have to say...

 

Why choose Best Practice Network for your teacher training? 

  • Ofsted outstanding: provider of the DfE’s full teacher progression pathway, supporting student teachers from entry into teaching through to executive leadership.
  • 20+ Years experience: Delivering teacher training and professional qualifications for teachers, school leaders, support staff and early years professionals.
  • Subject & phase specific groups: As a leading national provider, our enrolment enables student teachers to train alongside peers specific to their phase, subject and specialism.
  • Local placement: Our network of 500+ schools provides our student teachers with local access to in-school placements.
  • Supporting wellbeing: Our pathway is QTS-only, helping support student teacher capacity and wellbeing on their journey into teaching.
  • Award-winning: Best Practice Network has been named Education Apprenticeship Training Provider of the Year for the past two years.
  • 100% of our 2023/24 graduate teachers have secured employment for September



  

Meet the team!