Talented teachers where it matters most
Find trainee teachers who’ll go above and beyond for your school. Talented, committed and ready to rewrite the future for pupils facing the toughest challenges.
Join us for the launch of Teach Lead Change at our webinar on 24 November.
A teaching and leadership programme like no other
Designed in partnership with schools like yours, Teach Lead Change connects ambitious individuals who have what it takes to become brilliant teachers with schools serving the pupils and communities most in need.
Partner with us to find teachers and future leaders who are passionate about tackling educational disadvantage, equipped with outstanding training, and committed to your school, your pupils and your community.
Tell us what your school needs.
At a glance
Duration
Two years, starting September 2027
Annual school fee
Primary: £1,000
Secondary: £2,450 – £3,350*
Trainee salary
Unqualified pay range in Year 1
Mainscale pay range 1 in Year 2
Eligibility
Schools serving pupils most in need
*Depending on subject. Fees are lower from 2027.
What makes our teachers stand out?
Every trainee teacher we place is:
- Passionate about tackling disadvantage: Selected for their commitment and drive to making a difference where it’s needed most.
- Equipped with outstanding training: High-quality subject and phase-specific training that is research-based and expert led.
- Committed to your community: We develop participants’ local understanding alongside leadership skills to build lasting careers in education.
- Matched to your school’s needs: We recruit brilliant subject and phase specialists willing to go where the need is greatest.
- Supported at every stage: Tailored support helps your school and participant develop and thrive together.
Need a trainee teacher for September 2027?
I always find you get a certain calibre of person from Teach First.
How the programme works
Your Teach Lead Change participant follows a structured two-year journey combining teacher training, classroom practice and leadership development from day one. Starting with Summer Institute, they build the skills and experience to become effective teachers and future leaders.
Year one
- Start teaching from day one, with expert mentoring and training.
- Secondary: teach Key Stage 3 and 4 (or Key Stage 4 and 5 in business studies), building to an 80% timetable.
- Primary: teach Key Stage 1 or 2, starting at 60% and increasing to 80% by Christmas.
- Gain experience in a contrasting school and begin developing leadership skills.
- Work towards QTS and a PGCE (subject to validation).
Year two
- Progress to a standard early career teacher timetable.
- Strengthen classroom expertise and leadership skills.
- Learn alongside peers committed to tackling educational disadvantage.
Costs, salary and eligibility
The government covers most of the cost of recruitment and training. We've reduced our fees for schools from 2027.
Is my school eligible?
We use criteria agreed with the Department for Education to find the schools that will benefit most from working with us. These are schools where:
- the proportion of pupils eligible for pupil premium is in the top 70% of secondary schools, or the top 60% of primary schools
- attainment is below average
If your school would benefit from our support but doesn't match these criteria, we'd still like to hear from you. Talk to our team.
Annual school fee
- Maths, physics, biology, chemistry, computing: £3,350
- Modern foreign languages, geography: £3,000
- English: £2,700
- All other secondary subjects: £2,450
- Primary: £1,000
Trainee salary (paid by your school)
- Year 1: unqualified teacher pay range (U1 primary, U2 most secondary subjects, U3 secondary priority subjects (tbc))
- Year 2: qualified teacher salary (M1)
These are minimum points. Your school or trust can pay more.
93%
of headteachers rated the quality of our high potential initial teacher training as either 'good' or 'very good'.
Teach First Headteacher Survey 2026 (252 respondents)
90%
of headteachers were satisfied or very satisfied with their school’s partnership with Teach First.
Teach First Headteacher Survey 2026 (252 respondents)
Quality you can trust
Teach First's initial teacher training is rated 'Outstanding' by Ofsted. We're partnered with the Department for Education and the National Institute of Teaching to create a teaching and leadership programme like no other.
Ready to welcome a trainee teacher to your school?
Want to nominate a member of your support staff? Find out about Teach Lead Change Nomination
Want to train as a teacher yourself? Explore our teacher training