What GCSEs Do You Need to Be a Primary School Teacher?

Written by: James Alsop

Reviewed by: Nick Redgrove

Published

17 December 2024

Read time

7 minutes

Illustration of a woman holding letter blocks, with the question "What GCSEs do you need to become a primary school teacher?" on a blue background.

Contents

Primary school teaching is an incredibly varied and rewarding career choice, and there are a few different routes that you can take into the profession. To teach in the UK, you need a degree, so primary school teachers often begin their training at university as part of their undergraduate course. However, there are also postgraduate and degree apprenticeship pathways into teaching.

Each of these options can provide you with the knowledge and diverse skill set required to become a successful teacher at primary level. In my years working in both teaching and higher education, I’ve seen that excellent, inspirational primary school teachers come from all different kinds of backgrounds, regardless of the training route that they choose.

So whether you hope to train at university, specialise in a particular subject, or enter teaching as a postgraduate or apprentice, you’ll learn what GCSEs you need to become a primary school teacher, and what skills and other qualifications training providers look for.

Core GCSEs for primary teaching

You’ll need GCSEs in English, mathematics and science at Grade 4 (C) or above to train as a primary school teacher. These three core skills will be vital whether you choose to train as an undergraduate, via an apprenticeship or decide to begin teacher training later in life. Other entry requirements will differ depending on your training provider, but your GCSEs will be an excellent foundation for any application.

My advice is simply to do as well as you possibly can in these three core subjects: the better you do, the easier you will find the application and training processes.

English language and literature

GCSE English Language and GCSE English Literature will provide you with the all-important literacy skills that you will rely on as a teacher every single day. Your English studies will help you to understand how good writing “works” so that you will be able to model it for primary-age students.

You will also learn how literature changes and adapts to suit different audiences and purposes. The written element of the course will help you to convey information clearly and precisely, as well as to write for a specific audience and with a specific intention — very helpful skills when working in education.

Mathematics

Numeracy is incredibly important in teaching, even if you plan to specialise in a non-mathematics subject. Having a good grade in GCSE Maths will equip you with the skills necessary to teach basic numeracy skills to young learners, and will also prepare you for the parts of the job that involve data entry and analysis. A good grounding in Maths can also help hone your attention to detail, a crucial aspect of working in education.

Science

Science is the final GCSE requirement for primary school teachers, and primary teachers need to have a good grasp of basic biology, chemistry and physics. Knowledge of the sciences will give you the confidence that you need to produce exciting, engaging and informative lessons for young learners as they discover all about the world around them. Studying the sciences will also help you to practice data analysis and quantitative measurement — important professional skills for a teacher.

Optional GCSEs for aspiring primary school teachers

No other GCSEs are mandatory to become a primary school teacher, but other subjects can definitely be useful for your application.

Physical education

GCSE Physical Education can be incredibly helpful for primary school teachers. Not only will studying PE support your science teaching, but a basic proficiency in sports will also help you to contribute to the extracurricular aspects of teaching. This, in turn, could make your eventual job applications even stronger.

Media studies

More young people than ever before are being exposed to digital media. Primary school teachers can play an important role in teaching media literacy and supporting students as they navigate a digital world. Media studies will help you to make sense of the media landscape for your students, and inform them of the risks and benefits of different forms of media.

History

GCSE History will help you develop the key skills of research and evaluating sources that will be useful during your teacher training. It will also help you to contextualise aspects of other subjects, such as English and maths, and help you to make your lessons more engaging.

Beyond GCSEs – what’s next?

Although no specific A Levels are required to become a primary school teacher, if you are hoping to enter teaching via a traditional university route, then you’ll need to get good grades. University training courses are competitive, with most teaching degrees requiring grades BBB (120 UCAS points) or higher.

An undergraduate training course is usually a three-year programme from 18. To study a one-year postgraduate course such as a PGCE or a School-Centred Initial Teacher Training programme (SCITT), you’ll need to have completed another degree course first. Both pathways are equally valid, although the postgraduate route is more expensive.

According to UCAS, these are some recommended A Levels that universities may look for:

Of course, you do not need to go to university to become a primary school teacher. You could instead take a Teacher Degree Apprenticeship (TDA). The TDA is a new four-year programme that allows trainees to learn and train on the job. You will not be charged tuition fees, and you can earn a salary as you study. The A Level and UCAS requirements will vary depending on the provider, so check carefully before you begin your application.

The importance of work experience

For a career in primary school teaching, you need to show your commitment to, and a passion for, education.

One of the best ways to do this is by completing work experience. You can get work experience at a primary school by simply asking schools directly (via email or a friendly phone call). You will need to complete a DBS check as well, but it’s a quick process and the school will handle it for you. When I was 20, I worked for two terms at a local primary school, and I learned the fundamentals of how classroom teaching worked. I was even allowed to teach a few lessons by myself! Not only was it excellent fun, but it prepared me wonderfully for teacher training.

Frequently asked questions

What GCSEs do you need to be an early years teacher?

English, maths and a science at Grade 4 (C) or above.

What science GCSEs do you need to become a teacher?

You need a GCSE in a science subject if you wish to become a primary school teacher or a science teacher. Different providers will have different specific requirements, but most will require you to have GCSEs in biology, chemistry and physics at Grade 4 (C) or above.

How many GCSEs do you need to become a teacher?

Most university training providers will ask for a minimum of five GCSEs at Grade 4 (C) or above, including English and maths (and a science if you are applying to be a primary school teacher).

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