Before you start your initial teacher training (ITT), you can visit schools to find out what life in the classroom is like.
School visits can help you:
- decide if you want to train to be a teacher
- discover if you’d like to teach in a primary or secondary school
- build a relationship with a school you might want to work for later
What to expect
You will either attend a school in person or join classes and meet teachers online. Your school visit will usually last one or 2 days, but some can last up to 3 weeks.
You’ll get to do things like:
- observe lessons
- see how teachers manage a classroom
- find out how specific subjects are taught
- speak to teachers and meet pupils
- learn more about teacher training - including the application and interview process
Finding a school to visit
Use our Get school experience service to search for and request school visits in England. You can find schools in your area by entering your postcode, and filter the results by the subject and age group you’re looking to teach. It also tells you whether your visit will be in-school, virtual or both.
Once you have chosen a school, you can get more information about their availability and any requirements they may have. Some schools may charge fees to cover their costs and you may need to have a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.
Use our service to search for and organise school experience in England.
Arrange a school visit independently
You can also organise a school visit by yourself by contacting your old school. If you’re a student you can check whether your university has any existing links with local schools.
You can also get information about schools near you and ask who to talk to about visiting their school, so your request goes to the right person.
It’s important to remember that school staff are busy, so they may not always respond quickly and you may also need to be flexible about when you visit.
I volunteered at a local primary school for 2 days a week and from the moment I walked into my first class, it felt very natural to be interacting with children.
Other ways to get experience
Paid teaching internships
A paid teaching internship could help you to understand what it’s really like in the classroom. You need to be in your second, third or final year of an undergraduate degree, or studying towards a master’s degree, and are interested in teaching:
- chemistry
- computing
- design and technology
- languages
- maths
- physics
You’ll get to experience a range of activities to help you get a feel for school life.
Find out more about paid teaching internships.
Watch pre-recorded lessons
Many school and training provider websites have helpful information like “day in the life” videos and recorded lessons. You can also observe teachers’ lessons on the Oak National Academy website to help you get to know teaching better, before or alongside your ITT.
Beyond the classroom
There are other ways to gain valuable experience of working with young people. Sports coaching, youth groups, after-school clubs or other volunteering activities are great opportunities that may be easier to fit around work and other commitments.
For example, you could get paid to work in a school that offers childcare before and after school. This is known as wraparound because the childcare wraps around the school day.
Working in wraparound gives you experience working with children and in a school environment. Contact your local council or school to find out about any available opportunities.
Next steps
Once you have completed your school experience, you can decide if you want to apply for teacher training in England and get qualified teacher status (QTS).
