Teach First
Teach First is a British education charity established in 2002 that recruits high-achieving university graduates to teach in schools serving disadvantaged pupils, providing a two-year salaried postgraduate training programme to address educational inequality and enhance life chances for children facing poverty.[1][2][3] Founded by Brett Wigdortz, the organization draws inspiration from models like Teach for America and focuses on developing participants into school leaders capable of systemic change in underperforming education settings.[4][5] By 2024, Teach First had trained more new teachers than any other provider in England, supported thousands of educators and leaders, and reached over a million pupils through its initiatives in challenging schools.[6] Independent evaluations, including those from the National Foundation for Educational Research, demonstrate that Teach First participants contribute to school-wide improvements in pupil attainment, such as gains equivalent to about 5% of a grade in GCSE results, and are significantly more likely to advance into senior leadership roles early in their careers compared to other teachers.[7][8][9] While the programme has faced criticism for deploying relatively inexperienced teachers into high-needs environments, empirical evidence indicates net positive effects on both pupil outcomes and teacher retention in leadership positions, countering claims of detriment to school quality.[10][7]History
Founding and Initial Launch
Teach First was founded by Brett Wigdortz, a former McKinsey consultant originally from the United States, who drew inspiration from the Teach For America model to address educational inequality in the UK.[11][12] Wigdortz authored the organization's initial business plan and left his position at McKinsey to establish the charity, aiming to recruit high-achieving graduates to teach for two years in schools serving disadvantaged communities.[13] The organization officially launched on July 15, 2002, with support from then-Minister for London Schools Stephen Twigg, initially focusing on secondary schools in London.[14] The first cohort consisted of 182 trainees, selected from top university graduates and placed in underperforming schools in deprived areas to deliver intensive training combined with on-the-job teaching.[15] This pioneering approach emphasized leadership development to tackle systemic educational challenges, marking Teach First as an independent charity committed to long-term impact beyond the initial two-year placement.[5]Growth and Key Milestones
Teach First's inaugural cohort commenced training in 2003, marking the start of its operations after founding in 2002, with initial focus on London schools serving disadvantaged communities.[16] The program expanded incrementally thereafter, growing from a niche initiative to a major provider of initial teacher training, training 5% of postgraduate entrants by 2017.[17] A pivotal milestone occurred in 2013, when Teach First became the United Kingdom's largest recruiter of university graduates, surpassing traditional employers like professional services firms.[18] This reflected rapid scaling in recruitment and geographic expansion beyond London to regions across England and Wales, reaching over 1,000 schools by 2018.[19] Cohort sizes continued to rise, achieving a record of 1,735 trainees in 2019—38% more than the prior year—and placing them in schools serving disadvantaged pupils.[20] [21] Growth faced setbacks in 2020, with a reduction of 120 trainees due to schools withdrawing vacancies amid the COVID-19 crisis.[22] By 2023, cumulative growth had produced 16,000 trained teachers supporting over 2 million pupils, alongside alumni progression to leadership: 50% of completers from 2003–2019 cohorts in middle leadership after four years, and over 40 headteachers.[16] In 2024, the program recruited over 1,000 trainees—1 in 10 of England's secondary trainees—extending support to 26,500 teachers and leaders across 5,500 schools, with ambassadors in senior roles at 1 in 5 low-income secondary schools.[6] This expansion underscores Teach First's role as England's largest trainer of new teachers since 2003.[6]Recent Developments
In 2023/24, Teach First supported over 26,500 teachers and leaders, reaching more than 1.5 million pupils across nearly 6,000 schools serving low-income communities.[23] The organization's 2024 Impact Report highlighted ongoing efforts to train teachers, develop school leaders, and influence policy aimed at reducing educational disparities.[6] Recruitment targets faced shortfalls, with the 2024 cohort totaling 1,415 participants against an annual goal of 1,750, following 1,335 in 2023; these declines reflect broader teacher supply pressures amid the program's emphasis on high-achieving graduates for initial two-year placements.[24] In response to increased use of AI tools by applicants, Teach First shifted to mandatory in-person interviews starting in 2025 to better assess candidate suitability.[25] Under the Labour government elected in 2024, proposals emerged in July 2025 to reform Teach First's recruitment by prioritizing graduates committed to long-term teaching careers, critiquing the model's historical focus on short-term high-flyers who often transition to leadership roles elsewhere.[26] Ministers subsequently intervened to preserve the charity's Department for Education contract after backlash accusing the government of attempting to dismantle it, ensuring continuity despite underlying tensions over retention rates.[27] James Toop assumed the role of CEO in 2025, pledging to "double down" on training quality, boost participant retention, and cultivate 500 headteachers from the program by 2030 to amplify systemic impact.[28] However, in September 2025, the Department for Education reduced its funding offer for the next contract phase by £74 million, signaling potential constraints on expansion amid fiscal priorities.[24]Program Design and Delivery
Recruitment and Selection Process
The recruitment and selection process for Teach First's two-year Training Programme is multi-staged and rigorous, aimed at identifying candidates with high potential to lead educational improvement in under-resourced schools. Applicants must first meet basic eligibility criteria, including holding or being predicted a 2:1 degree or higher (or equivalent experience for career changers), GCSE equivalents in English and maths (and science for primary teaching), and the right to work in the UK.[29] The process begins with an online application form, where candidates submit details of their degree, qualifications, subject preferences, and regional choices. This is followed by a task-based assessment provided by Arctic Shores, a psychometric firm specializing in behavioral evaluations grounded in cognitive neuroscience; the assessment, lasting 15-50 minutes and completable on various devices, measures observable behaviors predictive of teaching success through interactive tasks with no predetermined right or wrong answers, emphasizing natural responses to gauge potential beyond traditional metrics.[30] Applications are then screened by two trained assessors using a bias-mitigation protocol, evaluating alignment with Teach First's nine core competencies—humility, respect and empathy; interaction; understanding and motivation; leadership; planning and organising; problem solving; resilience; self-evaluation; and adaptability—within 15 working days, with approximately two-thirds of applicants historically advancing past this stage as of 2019.[31][32][33] Successful candidates proceed to a Development Centre, conducted virtually or in-person in London, comprising a competency-based interview, a group case study on a school-related scenario (with up to six participants), a 5-minute teaching episode requiring preparation and re-delivery with feedback, and two self-evaluations. Pre-work for these activities is provided seven days in advance, along with an optional preparation workshop, allowing assessors—who are blind to prior application materials—to evaluate demonstrated strengths, growth potential, and fit for the programme's demands.[34] Outcomes are communicated within three weeks, with successful applicants receiving a conditional offer contingent on completing tasks such as references, a subject knowledge assessment, and a personal information form; unsuccessful candidates receive a feedback call and written report within 30 days.[31] Overall acceptance rates hover around 40-50%, reflecting the programme's selectivity in choosing from thousands of annual applicants to ensure trainees possess the leadership qualities needed for challenging school environments, though recent adjustments aim to enhance diversity without specified impacts on standards.[35][36]Initial Training and Placement
Trainees commence the Teach First Training Programme with a five-week Summer Institute, an intensive preparatory phase conducted prior to the academic term, focusing on essential classroom skills such as behavior management, lesson delivery, and subject-specific pedagogy.[37] This hybrid program, combining online and in-person elements, equips participants with foundational teaching competencies through lectures, practical sessions, and simulated teaching experiences, typically spanning late June to late July.[38] Following this institute, participants transition directly into full-time teaching roles in partner schools serving disadvantaged communities, assuming approximately 80% of a qualified teacher's timetable (or 60% for primary and early years phases) from the first day of the school year.[39] Placement occurs in schools identified by Teach First as facing systemic challenges, with trainees matched based on regional needs, subject expertise, and school partnerships rather than individual preferences, ensuring deployment to areas of high educational disadvantage across England.[37] During Year 1, ongoing support includes weekly mentoring from school-based experts, university tutors for academic components, and Teach First development leads, culminating in the award of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) upon successful completion of assessments and teaching standards.[39] This school-centered initial teacher training (SCITT) model emphasizes rapid immersion, with historical data from an Ofsted inspection (2006–2007) indicating that around 50% of early cohorts achieved outstanding QTS standards, though school-based training quality varied, being good or better in most but requiring improvements in areas like second placements.[40]Ongoing Support and Leadership Training
Participants in the Teach First two-year programme receive ongoing support from school-based mentors who provide regular guidance, feedback, and assistance with goal-setting throughout their teaching placement.[41] Development Leads from Teach First offer specialized teaching support and act as liaisons between participants, schools, and the organization, while university tutors assist with assignments for the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) and Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).[41] In the second year, participants are supported as Early Career Teachers (ECTs) with continued training sessions and resources focused on professional growth and classroom efficacy.[41] Wellbeing support includes access to an online mental health course and an Employee Assistance Programme to address personal and professional challenges.[41] Leadership training forms a core component of the programme, particularly in the second year, where participants engage in targeted coaching to build skills in school improvement, team management, and systemic educational change.[37] This development is integrated into the teaching qualification, emphasizing practical application in under-resourced schools, and prepares participants for roles influencing broader policy and practice.[41] Over 3,000 former participants have advanced into school leadership positions as a result of this training.[37] Upon completing the programme, alumni become ambassadors and gain lifelong access to a network exceeding 20,000 members, facilitating peer collaboration, career advice, and community events.[37] Ongoing leadership development includes free one-to-one professional coaching tailored to teaching advancement, personal goals, or coach training certification.[42] Ambassadors can pursue National Professional Qualifications (NPQs) at various levels to enhance leadership capabilities in teaching and school management.[42] Additional opportunities encompass short-term Summer Projects—1- to 3-week internships with corporate partners, the Department for Education, or charities—and the Ambassador Fellowships Programme, which supports deeper involvement in educational initiatives.[42] These elements aim to sustain participant impact beyond initial teaching, with many alumni founding enterprises or influencing policy through the ambassador network.[43]Scale and Operations
Geographic and Demographic Reach
Teach First operates across England, recruiting and placing teachers in schools within multiple regions, including the East Midlands (with a focus on Nottingham and Derby), London, the North West, North East, Yorkshire and the Humber, West Midlands, and others, prioritizing areas of high educational disadvantage such as urban centers and coastal towns.[44] The program targets secondary schools serving low-income communities, where placements emphasize subjects like maths, English, and sciences amid persistent shortages; it also maintains a presence in Wales via Teach First Cymru, though the majority of activity remains in England.[6] Cumulatively, Teach First has trained over 26,500 teachers and leaders, who have served in more than 5,500 schools, reaching approximately 1.5 million pupils, including one in three disadvantaged secondary pupils in England.[45][6] In the 2024 cohort, 1,415 trainees were recruited—the largest intake to date—primarily for placements in these high-need schools, supporting efforts to mitigate teacher vacancies that exceed 10% in some disadvantaged regions.[46] Trainees are typically high-achieving recent graduates, with over 50% holding degrees from Russell Group universities, but the program's demographics have diversified: 37% of participants identify from ethnic minority backgrounds, surpassing other teacher training routes by 10 percentage points, while 28% were eligible for free school meals during their own education, reflecting targeted recruitment from underrepresented groups.[6] Schools served predominantly feature pupil demographics marked by socioeconomic disadvantage, with placements in institutions where pupil premium eligibility often exceeds 40%, alongside higher proportions of ethnic minority and English as an additional language students compared to national averages.[47]Cohort Expansion and Recruitment Trends
Teach First's cohorts expanded significantly in its early years, growing from an initial intake of fewer than 200 trainees in 2003 to approximately 1,500 by the mid-2010s, reflecting ambitions to scale impact amid teacher shortages in disadvantaged schools.[9] This growth aligned with government support, including a 2012 commitment to train up to 2,000 high-achieving graduates annually by 2015–2016, quadrupling earlier volumes to address systemic inequities in pupil attainment.[48] By 2019, the organization reported its largest-ever cohort, with a 38% year-on-year increase in recruits and a rise in career changers to 30% of the intake, up from 22% in 2015, indicating broader appeal beyond recent graduates.[20] Recent recruitment has fallen short of targets amid broader initial teacher training (ITT) challenges in England, where applicant volumes for postgraduate courses stagnated or declined despite rising needs.[49] Teach First achieved 1,335 new trainees in 2023 and 1,415 in 2024, below the contractual target of 1,750 annually extended through 2025, contributing to funding adjustments like a £74 million cut in a Department for Education contract renewal.[24] [50] These shortfalls occur in a "tough market" for ITT, with overall new entrants to postgraduate routes up only modestly (9% in 2023/24) against higher targets, exacerbated by competition from other providers and economic factors deterring entrants.[46] [49]| Year | Cohort Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | <200 | Founding cohort.[9] |
| Mid-2010s | ~1,500 | Steady expansion phase.[9] |
| 2019 | Largest on record (exact figure undisclosed) | 38% growth from prior year.[20] |
| 2023 | 1,335 | Below 1,750 target.[24] |
| 2024 | 1,415 | Below target; most diverse cohort yet.[24] [46] |