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Your application and eligibility Teacher training FAQs View open vacancies

Your application and eligibility

Want to make an impact from day one? Our school-based Initial Teacher Training (ITT) programme puts you in the classroom from the very start. Discover our recruitment process, check your eligibility, and take the first step toward your career to train to teach with Lift Schools.

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Your teacher training application journey

Step 1: the online teacher training application

Your journey to become a teacher starts with a straightforward online form via the DfE.

You’ll need to provide:

  • personal details
  • academic qualifications
  • a personal statement outlining your motivation and suitability for school-based teacher training

Top tip: Align your personal statement to show us how you share our mission and values.

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Step 2: getting to know you

We’ll get to know you through competency-based questions.

Top tip: Research your preferred Lift School and our specific training routes.

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Step 3: school-based assessment

This interview takes place in your chosen school and gives you the chance to learn more about where you’ll train. It also helps us assess your subject knowledge and classroom potential.

  • Before the day, we’ll send you a lesson topic so you can prepare.
  • For the actual assessment, you will deliver a five-minute taster lesson.
  • You will receive immediate feedback, get a few moments to adapt, and then teach it again. We want to see how you take on feedback.

You’ll also have the opportunity to meet key staff involved in your training year, get a feel for life in one of our schools, and ask any school-specific questions.

Top tip: Keep it interactive! Think about how you can engage students right from the start.

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Step 4: teacher training offer and onboarding

Success at the assessment stage means an offer to join the Lift Schools trainee cohort starting in September! Our dedicated onboarding team will then walk you step-by-step through the onboarding process.

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Your application and the use of AI

AI can support your application, but it can’t replace you.

While we’re excited about technology and the future of AI in education, your personal voice matters most. It is perfectly fine to use AI tools to help brainstorm or structure your thoughts, but your personal statement must reflect your unique experiences and genuine motivations.

We read thousands of applications each year - and we can easily spot copy-and-pasted AI text. 

Use AI to support and refine your thinking, not replace it. We want to hear from you.

ITT eligibility criteria: can I train to teach?

To train to teach with Lift Schools, you must meet both national standards and our specific criteria.

Hear from candidates on our application process

National DfE criteria

To join any Initial Teacher Training programme in England, the DfE requires you to:

  • hold (or achieve by the start of the programme) an Undergraduate Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent);
  • have a Grade 4 (C) or above in GCSE English and mathematics (plus a science subject if applying for primary teaching);
  • have the right to live and work in the UK for the duration of your training; and
  • not currently hold Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
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Lift Schools’ criteria

You must have an undergraduate degree with a classification of 2:2 or above (or equivalent) by the start of the programme.

For secondary teaching, a relevant degree or a strong A-level (grade C or above) in your chosen subject is preferred.

The five key qualities we look out for:

  • Deep commitment to our mission and values
  • Excellent communication
  • Curiosity and teachability
  • Self awareness and resilience
  • Passion for your subject and phase
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International and non-UK qualifications

If you studied outside of the UK, you are welcome to apply. You will need to provide:

  • Evidence of your right to work in the UK for the duration of the programme.
  • A UK European Network of Information Centres (ENIC) 'Statement of Comparability’ confirming your degree and school qualifications meet the national eligibility requirements for Initial Teacher Training in England.
  • If your high school grades don't match the required GCSEs, you can sit an equivalency test via A Star Equivalency or Equivalency Testing.

Please note: We cannot accept international school qualifications equivalent to English as a Second Language (ESL) for GCSE English requirements.

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Frequently Asked Questions about teacher training

It is an intensive but deeply rewarding hands-on experience with an opportunity to impact young lives from day one! Unlike traditional routes, you won't be isolated; you are paired with a dedicated in-school mentor and join a supportive network of fellow trainees across Lift Schools.

100% of it – not a lecture theatre in sight! Your learning happens directly on the ground inside one of our schools, supported by structured professional development days.

Upon successful completion, you will graduate with:

  • QTS (Qualified Teacher Status)
  • PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education)
  • If you choose our Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship route, you will also earn a formal apprenticeship qualification.

Because you apply directly to a vacancy at a specific school, you choose exactly where you want to train. We have a diverse network of schools across the country.

Explore our school network and regions

Depending on your chosen subject and background, you may be eligible for tax-free Department for Education (DfE) bursaries, scholarships, or student tuition fee loans. If you choose the apprenticeship route, you earn a salary while you train.

If you have international qualifications you will need to obtain a UK ENIC ‘Statement of Comparability’ to confirm your qualifications meet the entry requirements for Initial Teacher Training in England.

If your qualifications aren't equivalent to the required GCSEs, you can take a ‘GCSE equivalency test’. We accept equivalency tests from A Star Equivalency and Equivalency Testing.

Unfortunately, we are unable to sponsor visas for our teacher training positions. However, once you have successfully gained your QTS, visa sponsorship may be considered for permanent teaching roles, subject to eligibility and organisational requirements.

All applications must be submitted through the Department for Education (DfE). Browse our live vacancies to find your course and start your application.

View open vacancies

Our aim is to support you beyond QTS. Many of our trainees progress into Early Career Teacher (ECT) roles in the same school where they trained, continuing their development through our ECT programme and wider professional development opportunities. Where suitable opportunities arise, roles may also be available across our wider network of schools.

Still have questions?

We’re here to help. Contact the ITT recruitment team: ittrecruitment@liftschools.org.

Take the first step towards becoming a teacher. Train to teach with Lift Schools!

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