Important

The 2026 to 2027 academic year will start on 1 August

View dates and deadlines for the upcoming academic year.

Placement requirements before changing trainee status

What is changing

The register trainee teachers service is now checking if the minimum number of required placements have been recorded on each trainee’s record.

You can only change a trainee status for qualified teacher status (QTS) or early years teacher status (EYTS) once this requirement has been met.

Who this guidance is for

This guidance is for accredited initial teacher training (ITT) providers who use register trainee teachers.

Minimum placement requirements by route

The number of placements required depends on the trainee’s ITT route.

Undergraduate fee-funded

Trainees must have a minimum of 2 placements recorded.

Teacher degree apprenticeship (TDA)

Trainees must have recorded:

  • 1 placement in the employing school
  • a minimum of 1 placement in another school

Postgraduate fee-funded

Trainees must have a minimum of 2 placements recorded.

High potential ITT (HPITT)

Trainees must have a minimum of 2 placements recorded.

Postgraduate teaching apprenticeship (PGTA)

Trainees must have recorded:

  • 1 placement in the employing school
  • a minimum of 1 placement in another school

School direct salaried (SDS)

Trainees must have recorded:

  • 1 placement in the employing school
  • a minimum of 1 placement in another school

Assessment only

No placements are currently required for this route.

International qualified teacher status (iQTS)

Trainees must have a minimum of 1 placement recorded.

Adding placements to trainee records

You must add missing placements to trainee records before changing them for QTS or EYTS.

You can add a placement to an individual trainee’s record in register trainee teachers service.

You can also add placements for multiple trainees at once.