Academies in England have been able to hire teachers without qualified teacher status (QTS) since 2012. That freedom ends on 1 September 2027. The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 brings most academies into line with council-run schools. If you teach without QTS, hire teachers, or plan to switch into teaching, this change affects you.
1. What the new law says
The law is the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026. Section 53 changes the Education Act 2002. That older Act already says teachers in local authority (council) maintained schools must be qualified. Section 53 adds academies to that rule. The Education Secretary will use regulations (detailed rules made under the Act) to say exactly which types of academy are covered.
2. The key date is 1 September 2027
The Act became law on 29 April 2026. The QTS rule does not start on a fixed date in the Act. Instead, ministers switch it on with regulations. The Department for Education (DfE) has said the change will apply from 1 September 2027. It also said it would publish the updated regulations and full guidance in the autumn term of 2026. Keep an eye out for these, as they will set out the fine detail.
3. Why academies were exempt until now
In July 2012, the DfE changed the standard funding agreement for academies. This let headteachers hire staff they judged suitably qualified, even without QTS. A few roles still needed QTS, such as special educational needs coordinators (SENCOs). Teachers in special academies also still needed it. The new law reverses that 2012 freedom for new hires.
4. Which schools are covered
The rule applies to teachers in primary and secondary academies, including free schools. Council-maintained schools and all special schools already require QTS. Some academy types are left out, according to DfE briefing material shared with schools.
- 16–19 academies (sixth-form academies)
- Academy nurseries
- University technical colleges (UTCs), city technology colleges and studio schools
5. Which roles are affected (and which are not)
The rule is about people employed to teach. Teaching assistants (TAs) and higher level teaching assistants (HLTAs) are not teachers, so the rule does not change their jobs. The DfE says they should not take on a full teaching role. They can still support pupils or groups under a qualified teacher’s supervision. The DfE briefings we read do not mention cover supervisors by name. Check the final guidance before you change any cover arrangements.
6. If you already teach in an academy without QTS
You are protected if you start working for your academy or trust before 1 September 2027. You can stay in your current job. You can also move to a different role with the same employer, including another school in the same trust. But if you move to a new employer after that date, you will need QTS or another exemption. In practice, this protection ties you to your current employer.
7. Trainees and the “three terms” window
An academy can still hire you if you are working towards QTS. According to DfE briefing material, you will have up to three terms to get a place with an accredited initial teacher training (ITT) provider. That place must be on an employment-based course leading to QTS, or on the assessment-only route. The three-term window is meant to stop recruitment being held up.
8. Instructors, vocational experts and supervised staff
Existing exemptions stay, and the DfE plans to make them clearer. Instructors with special skills can teach parts of a course, but not a whole curriculum. Examples include a swimming coach in PE or a physiotherapist in a special school. Experienced professionals can lead vocational courses, such as motor mechanics. Unqualified staff can also teach under the supervision of a qualified teacher. The qualified teacher does not need to be in the room, but there must be firm, formal oversight arrangements.
9. Overseas-trained teachers
Academies can still hire teachers who trained abroad, within immigration rules. If you qualified as a teacher overseas, you can teach in England for up to four years without QTS. During that time, you must work towards QTS. The four-year rule does not apply in pupil referral units or alternative provision (AP) academies that need QTS from day one. Some overseas teachers can use the DfE’s Apply for QTS service, depending on where and what they trained in.
10. Further education teachers with QTLS
QTLS stands for qualified teacher learning and skills. It is the professional status for teachers in further education (FE) colleges. Since April 2012, people with QTLS can work as qualified teachers in schools. They must also keep up membership of the Education and Training Foundation (ETF). The ETF strongly advises against using QTLS to get a primary job, as it is designed for teaching over-14s. It is mainly used for technical and vocational subjects in secondary schools.
11. How many teachers lack QTS
Tes reports 12,444 full-time and 4,316 part-time teachers without QTS in 2025-26. That is about 16,760 people in total. The DfE’s latest school workforce figures (November 2025) say 97% of teachers hold QTS, the same as in previous years. Unqualified teachers are not spread evenly. In 2024, about 9.2% of teachers in special schools and pupil referral units lacked QTS, compared with 2.0% in nursery and primary schools. Schools with more disadvantaged pupils also had a higher share.
12. New teachers in academies must do induction
Statutory induction is the required support period for early career teachers (ECTs) after they gain QTS. From 1 September 2027, it will apply to teachers with QTS in the academies the regulations name. It will not apply to teachers who gained QTS before that date. So if you qualify in 2027 or later and work in an academy, plan for induction from your first teaching job.
13. The assessment-only route just got easier for some
The assessment-only route is for experienced teachers who already meet the Teachers’ Standards. You do no extra training. A provider watches you teach and checks your evidence, usually over up to 12 weeks. Fees range from about £1,500 to £4,000. On 13 October 2026, the DfE relaxed the rules. If you have five years’ experience, you no longer need to have taught in a second school. With less experience, you still need two years across two schools. Special school and AP staff now need at least two weeks of mainstream experience.
14. Other routes to QTS
- Fee-funded training: courses such as a postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE) with QTS. Most of the time is spent on school placements.
- Postgraduate teaching apprenticeship: a paid, one-year, on-the-job route for graduates. Tes says training costs are fully covered if your school or trust pays the apprenticeship levy.
- Teacher degree apprenticeship: for people without a degree. You work in a school and study for a degree and QTS. There are no tuition fees.
- International QTS (iQTS): an online course for people living outside the UK, run by English providers.
- Recognition: QTS from Wales counts automatically in England. Teachers from Scotland or Northern Ireland can apply for QTS without more training.
15. What it means for pay
QTS lets you move from the unqualified teacher pay range onto the main pay range. In 2026-27, the unqualified range outside London runs from about £23,700 to about £36,500. The main pay range outside London starts at about £34,100. Separately, the Act lets the Education Secretary set a minimum pay level (a “pay floor”) for academy teachers. This is a minimum, not a cap, so trusts can still pay more.
16. What you can do now if you are unqualified or switching careers
- Check your start date. If you join an academy before 1 September 2027, you are protected with that employer.
- Count your teaching years and schools. See if you now meet the assessment-only rules.
- If you are not ready for assessment, ask about a salaried route or an apprenticeship.
- If you plan to change jobs after September 2027, get QTS first. Without it, you cannot move to a new employer as a teacher.
- Ask your school whether it will help pay assessment fees or give you time off for placements.
17. A checklist for school and trust leaders
- List every teacher without QTS. Note their start date and any exemption that applies.
- Match each person to a route: assessment only, a salaried course, an apprenticeship or Apply for QTS.
- Budget for fees and for release time, such as the second-school or mainstream placement.
- Write down your supervision arrangements for instructors and unqualified staff.
- Update job adverts and contracts for posts starting from September 2027.
- Plan induction support for new academy teachers who qualify from 2027.
- Watch for the DfE’s final regulations and guidance, and check your plans against them.
Find out more
- Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026, section 53 (legislation.gov.uk)
- QTS changes: information for schools (DfE briefing, via LGA)
- What QTS changes mean for your school’s recruitment (Tes)
- DfE relaxes QTS rules for experienced unqualified teachers (Tes)
- Assessment only QTS providers (Get Into Teaching)
- Routes to QTS for teachers from outside the UK (GOV.UK)
- School workforce in England, reporting year 2025 (DfE)
Details correct at 8 November 2026 based on the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026, DfE briefing material, GOV.UK guidance and reporting by Tes and Schools Week, and may change. Always check the latest guidance.