ITT/E Programmes for a 2025 Start

Scope

The University of Derby is keen to promote access to our Initial Teacher Training/Education Provision. The ITT Criteria C1.1 states that all accredited ITT providers must:

ensure that all entrants have achieved a standard equivalent to a grade 4 in the GCSE examinations in English and Mathematics and
ensure that those who intend to train to teach pupils aged 3 to 11 additionally have achieved a standard equivalent to a grade 4 in the GCSE examination of a Science subject.

Where applicants do not meet the required standards outlined above, then we will accept a range of qualiﬁcations which we deem as equivalent as they explore both the breadth and depth of the GCSE curriculum in these subject areas. These are outlined below. Please note that not all providers of ITT/E will accept this list of qualiﬁcations. They are the ones that the University of Derby will accept in the absence of the GCSE subjects at the standard stated in the ITT criteria 2024/25. Applicants should refer to each provider of ITT/E to which they apply.

Programmes covered by this guidance

Bachelor of Education (Honours) Primary Education with Qualiﬁed Teacher Status (B.Ed QTS)*
Master of Education [in curriculum enhancement] with Qualiﬁed Teacher Status (M.Edu QTS)
PGCE (Provider-led, University-based) Primary Education (3 – 7 or 5- 11) with QTS (PGCE PL-UB)*
PGCE (Provider-led, school-based) Primary Education (3 – 7 or 5 – 11) with QTS (PGCE PL-SB)*
PGCE (Provider-led, school-based) Secondary Education (11 – 19) with QTS (PGCE Sec)*
Postgraduate Level 6 Teacher Apprenticeship Assessment Only (including AOi)
International Qualiﬁed Teacher Status (iQTS) and iQTS with PGCE

*Courses may have diﬀerent titles at the Lead Delivery Partner.

Please note that where courses accept international students, the ENIC certiﬁcate of comparability must be sought to prove that the certiﬁcation is of the breadth and depth required by the ITT criteria.

Accepted equivalency qualiﬁcations

English

Qualification	Subject	Minimum award
iGCSE	English Language or English Literature	C (4) or above
GCSE	English Language or English Literature	C (4) or above
‘O’ LEVEL	English Language or English Literature	C or above or 1 - 3
Scottish Certificate of Education	English (up to 1985)	Ordinary Grade, Grade C or above
Scottish Certificate of Education	English (after 1986)	Standard Grade, Grade 3 or above
Scottish Qualifications Authority	National	5
Scottish Qualifications Authority	Intermediate	2
Scottish Qualifications Authority	Skills for Work National	5
Scottish Qualifications Authority	Standard Grade – credit level	(Grades 1 – 2)
A/AS	English Language	C or above
A/AS	English Literature	C or above
CSE	English, English Language, English Studies	Grade 1
International Baccalaureate	Higher or Standard English Language	Grade 4 or above at Standard level English ‘passed’ at higher level
Diploma of the International Baccalaureate	English A (formerly English A1), studied at first language level English B, English ab initio and the now obsolete English A2 course are/were studied as a second language	2 or higher
European Baccalaureate	English	Minimum 6/10 in first or second language
University of London Examinations and Assessment Council	English	Level 4 or above
Irish Republic Awards In or after 1975, Irish Leaving Certificate with subject English	Ordinary Level (up to and including 2016)	Every subject passed at Ordinary Level, Grades of O1-O4 (or A-C/A1-C3) have been achieved
Irish Republic Awards In or after 1975, Irish Leaving Certificate with subject English	Higher Level (up to and including 2016)	Every subject passed at Higher Level, where grades of H1-H7 (or A-D / A1-D3) have been achieved
Irish Republic Awards In or after 1975, Irish Leaving Certificate with subject English	Ordinary Level (2017 onwards)	Every subject passed at Ordinary Level, where grades of O1-O4 have been achieved
Irish Republic Awards In or after 1975, Irish Leaving Certificate with subject English	Higher Level (2017 onwards)	Every subject passed at Higher Level, where grades of H1-H7 have been achieved
Pre 2014 Access to HE Diploma	Level 2 English	12 credits achieved
Online equivalency test	A Star Equivalency \| GCSE Equivalency Tests & Courses Equivalency Testing \| Home \| GCSE equivalency testing	Pass in English
AQA/WJEC/CCEA/ Cambridge	Level 2 certificate in English Language	Grade C or above
University of London Examinations and Assessment Council	Certificate of Attainment in English	Level 4 or above
West African Senior School Certificate	Must include English	Grades A1 – C6 (1– 6)
Indian Standard XII	English Language	65% and above in the following boards: CBSE, CISCE

Mathematics

Qualification	Subject	Minimum award
iGCSE	Mathematics or Additional Mathematics	C (4) or above
GCSE	Mathematics or Additional Mathematics	C (4) or above
GCSE	Methods in Mathematics OR Applications in Mathematics	C (4) or above Where this subject is offered as a pair of GCSEs, only one needs to be passed
‘O’ LEVEL	Mathematics or Additional Mathematics	A – C or 1 - 3
‘O’ LEVEL	Additional Mathematics	A - C
Scottish Qualifications Authority	Standard Grade – credit level	(Grades 1 – 2)
Scottish Qualifications Authority	National	5
Scottish Qualifications Authority	Intermediate	2
Scottish Qualifications Authority	Skills for Work National	5
A/AS	Mathematics or Additional Mathematics	C or above
CSE	Maths	Grade 1
International Baccalaureate	Higher or Standard Mathematics	Grade 5 or above at Standard Level Maths ‘passed’ at Higher Level
European Baccalaureate	Maths	6/10 or higher
Irish Republic Awards In or after 1975, Irish Leaving Certificate with subject Mathematics	Ordinary Level (up to and including 2016)	Every subject passed at Ordinary Level, Grades of O1-O4 (or A-C/A1-C3) have been achieved
Irish Republic Awards In or after 1975, Irish Leaving Certificate with subject Mathematics	Higher Level (up to and including 2016)	Every subject passed at Higher Level, where grades of H1-H7 (or A-D/A1-D3) have been achieved
Irish Republic Awards In or after 1975, Irish Leaving Certificate with subject Mathematics	Higher Level (2017 onwards)	Every subject passed at Higher Level, where grades of H1-H7 have been achieved
Pre 2014 Access to HE Diploma	Level 2 Maths	12 credits achieved
Online equivalency test	A Star Equivalency \| GCSE Equivalency Tests & Courses Equivalency Testing \| Home \| GCSE equivalency testing	Pass in Maths
CSE	Mathematics	Grade 1
AQA/WJEC/CCEA/ Cambridge	Level 2 certificate in Mathematics	Grade C or above
West African Senior School Certificate	Must include Mathematics	Grades A1 – C6 (1– 6)
Indian Standard XII	Mathematics	65% and above in the following boards: CBSE, CISCE

Science

Qualification	Subject	Minimum award
iGCSE	Science / Biology / Physics / Chemistry / Physical Science / Coordinated Sciences / Combined Science	C (4) or above
GCSE	Science / Physics / Chemistry / Biology / Human Biology / General Science / Applied Science / Human Health and Physiology / Further Additional Applied Science / Additional Applied Science / Additional Science / Environmental Science / Electronics	C (4) or above
‘O’ LEVEL	Science / Physics / Chemistry / Biology	A – C or 1 - 3
Scottish Qualifications Authority	National	5
Scottish Qualifications Authority	Intermediate	2
Scottish Qualifications Authority	Skills for Work National	5
Scottish Qualifications Authority	Standard Grade – credit level	(Grades 1 – 2)
Irish Republic Awards In or after 1975, Irish Leaving Certificate with subject Science, including Agricultural Science and singles Sciences	Ordinary Level (up to and including 2016)	Every subject passed at Ordinary Level, Grades of O1-O4 (or A-C/A1-C3) have been achieved
Irish Republic Awards In or after 1975, Irish Leaving Certificate with subject Science, including Agricultural Science and singles Sciences	Higher Level (up to and including 2016)	Every subject passed at Higher Level, where grades of H1-H7 (or A-D/A1-D3) have been achieved
Irish Republic Awards In or after 1975, Irish Leaving Certificate with subject Science, including Agricultural Science and singles Sciences	Ordinary Level (2017 onwards)	Every subject passed at Ordinary Level, where grades of O1-O4 have been achieved
Irish Republic Awards in or after 1975, Irish Leaving Certificate with subject Science, including Agricultural Science and singles Sciences	Higher Level (2017 onwards)	Every subject passed at Higher Level, where grades of H1-H7 have been achieved
CSE	Science / Physics / Chemistry / Biology	Grade 1
International Baccalaureate	Higher/Standard Science / Environmental Systems and Societies	Science grade 4 or above at Standard level Science ‘passed’ at Standard level
European Baccalaureate	Science	A score 6/10 or higher
A/AS Level	A/AS Level Science / Physics / Chemistry / Biology / Human Biology / General Science / Applied Science	Grade C or above
BTEC Level 2	Certificate in Science/Applied Science	Pass (1 GCSE)
BTEC Level 2	First Certificate Science/Applied Science	Pass (2 GCSEs)
BTEC Level 2	First Diploma Science/Applied Science	Pass (4 GCSEs)
BTEC Level 2/Level 3	Extended Certificate in Science/Applied Science	Pass
BTEC Level 2/Level 3	Extended Diploma in Science/Applied Science	Pass
IGNVQ	Science	Pass
Pre 2014 Access to HE Diploma	Level 2 Science / Physics / Chemistry / Biology / Human Biology	12 credits achieved
Online equivalency test	A Star Equivalency \| GCSE Equivalency Tests & Courses Equivalency Testing \| Home \| GCSE equivalency testing	Pass in Science subject
West African Senior School Certificate	Must include Science / Physics / Chemistry / Biology / Human Biology	Grades A1-C6 (1-6)
BTEC	Applied Science subsidiary Diploma	Level 3
Cambridge National Certificate	Level 2 Science	Pass Certificate is likely level 1/2 to indicate level 2 pass. Check with admissions.
OCR	National Award in Science	Pass (2 GCSEs)
OCR	National Certificate in Science	Pass (4 GCSEs)
Indian Standard XII	Science	65% and above in the following boards: CBSE, CISCE

Non-accepted equivalency qualifications

The following qualifications cannot be accepted as equivalents:

Level 2 Key Skills in any subject
Level 2 Functional Skills in any subject
GCSE Psychology in lieu of Science A-Level Psychology in lieu of Science
NVQ level 2 in any subject
Vocational Single Award in Additional Applied Science
AQA Free Standing Mathematics Qualifications
Functional Skills Level 3 Maths and English
AQA Certificate Level 3 Mathematical Studies (Core Maths)
A-Level Mathematics Statistics
GCSE Use of Mathematics
OCR Level 1/2 in Adult Numeracy
OCR Level 1/2 in Adult Literacy
OCR Level 1/2 Science in the Workplace
Science in the Workplace
Grade 12 Mathematics Pre-Calculus
Access to HE course – Key skills components and Functional skills component
Certificates at Level 2 in Adult Literacy and Numeracy
Modules in any Foundation Degree or Degree course or Master degree modules – although at a higher level these do not contain the breadth needed
English for Academic Purposes
University of Cambridge “English for Speakers of Other Languages” or “Certificate of English Language Skills” (Higher)
GCSE Double Science graded CD or DC
City & Guilds Literacy or Numeracy
Irish Leaving Certificate Agricultural Science
iGCSE English as a second language
BTEC First Certificate Level 1
BTEC First Extended Certificate Level 1
Edexcel Level 2 Adult Numeracy
International / EU English Language qualifications deemed ‘Second Language’ by NARIC.
Equivalencies from any provider not named above
West African Senior School Certificate Health Science
IELTS - this may be a requirement alongside a GCSE equivalency but is not equivalent in its own right