Early Years Initial Teacher Training (EYITT) leads to Early Years Teacher Status (EYTS) for teaching children aged 0-5 in various early years settings, but does not qualify you to lead teaching in mainstream schools. Initial Teacher Training (ITT) grants Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), allowing you to lead teaching in mainstream primary and secondary schools, with specialisms available in general primary, SEND, or selected secondary subjects. You can complete EYTS and then QTS, or vice versa.
Choose Early Years Initial Teacher Training (EYITT) if you want to specialise in teaching children aged 0 to 5 in early years settings. Choose Initial Teacher Training (ITT) if you want Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), including the ability to lead teaching in mainstream schools.
Who is Early Years Initial Teacher Training for?
Early Years Initial Teacher Training is for you if you want to specialise as an early years teacher across the 0-to-5 age range, including babies, toddlers and young children.
EYITT leads to Early Years Teacher Status (EYTS). With EYTS, you can work in:
- Private, voluntary and independent early years settings, where most children and early years provision are based.
- Free schools.
- Academies.
- Independent schools.
Free schools, academies and independent schools can employ teaching staff without requiring them to have QTS.
EYTS does not allow you to lead teaching in mainstream schools. You need QTS to do this.
Who is Initial Teacher Training for?
Initial Teacher Training leads to Qualified Teacher Status. It may be the right route if you want to lead teaching in a mainstream school.
You can specialise in:
- General Primary for ages 3 to 7 or 5 to 11.
- Special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) for ages 3 to 7 or 5 to 11.
- Secondary education for ages 11 to 16 in selected subjects: maths, geography, French, Spanish, biology, chemistry, computing and English.
Qualifying through any of these ITT pathways still allows you to teach across the entire primary and secondary age range. However, you should choose a specialism that gives you teaching experience relevant to your career plans.
For example, if you train in SEND for ages 3 to 7 but want to teach in a mainstream setting, the General Primary route may be more suitable.
Can I complete both EYITT and ITT?
You can complete EYTS and then move on to complete QTS. You can also complete QTS first and then move on to EYTS.