· United Kingdom · 5 min read
Do UK trainee teachers still sit a skills test?
If you've heard that trainee teachers in the UK must pass a literacy and numeracy test before qualifying, you may be working from outdated information.
The short answer: no — the national skills tests are gone
If you’ve heard that trainee teachers in the UK must pass a literacy and numeracy test before qualifying, you may be working from outdated information. The QTS Professional Skills Tests — the centralised computer-based tests that sat between ITT applicants and their training place — were abolished.
The decision was announced in July 2019 by the Department for Education. Test centres stopped taking bookings, and the tests were formally replaced from 1 April 2020 (centres closed 24 June 2020). As of the 2025/26 academic year, the tests have not been reinstated. There is no central national skills test for trainee teachers in England.
This is important to get right. Searching online can turn up a lot of legacy content — revision sites, old forum threads, historical DfE guidance — that makes the tests sound very much alive. They are not. If you are applying for Initial Teacher Training (ITT) in England in 2025 or 2026, you will not be required to book or sit a centralised skills test.
So what replaced the tests?
The government moved to a provider-led assurance model. Instead of a central exam, the responsibility shifted to accredited ITT providers — universities, school-centred initial teacher training programmes (SCITTs), and School Direct partnerships.
Under this model, each accredited provider must assure that every trainee has the fundamental English and maths skills needed before the end of their training. Exactly how they do that is up to them. There is no single DfE-mandated test, no national equivalence exam, and no central pass mark.
What the DfE does set is the standard providers must assure against — and that standard matters a great deal for prospective trainees.
The standard that replaced the test
Under the ITT criteria, providers must ensure that entrants have a standard equivalent to GCSE grade 4 in both English and maths. (For primary programmes — covering ages 3 to 11 — a grade-4 standard in science is also required.)
There is a crucial distinction in how the DfE frames this requirement: “It is the standard, not the certificate.” You do not need to hold a GCSE grade 4 certificate specifically. What you need to demonstrate — to the satisfaction of your provider — is that your knowledge and skills are equivalent to that level.
If you already hold a GCSE grade 4 (formerly grade C) or above in English language and maths, your provider will typically accept that as evidence of the standard. If you don’t — perhaps your qualifications are from another country, or you sat your GCSEs years ago and didn’t achieve grade 4 — your provider will usually ask you to do something else to demonstrate the standard.
What if you don’t have GCSE grade 4?
This is where it gets provider-specific. Some will offer their own equivalence test. Others may accept functional skills qualifications, evidence of prior learning, or a combination of both. There is no centralised DfE equivalence test or approved list of alternative qualifications — each provider decides what counts as equivalent.
That means the first step, if you’re unsure whether your qualifications meet the standard, is to contact your intended ITT provider directly and ask what evidence they require.
What about Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland?
Initial teacher education is a devolved matter, so the rules in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland are set by their own regulatory bodies — the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS), the Welsh Government / Estyn framework, and the General Teaching Council for Northern Ireland (GTCNI) respectively.
Based on available information, all three nations appear to use a qualification-based entry approach — that is, checking what qualifications you already hold — rather than any central test. However, the specific grade thresholds and accepted qualifications for each nation are unconfirmed at the time of writing. If you are applying through a Scottish, Welsh, or Northern Irish provider, please check directly with the relevant body or your provider for the authoritative requirements.
What does this mean for you practically?
- You do not need to book a national skills test. There is no central exam to register for, no test-centre appointment to make.
- You do need to meet the GCSE grade-4 standard in English and maths — and demonstrate that you’ve met it to your provider’s satisfaction.
- Your provider sets the process. Ask them early what evidence they accept and whether they run their own equivalence assessment.
- If you’re not at grade-4 level yet, preparation matters. Providers can and do turn away applicants who cannot demonstrate the standard — so building your skills before you apply (or before your provider’s assessment) is a sensible move.
Ready to get your English and maths to the grade-4 standard?
SN Academy offers focused English and maths preparation designed specifically for ITT applicants in the UK. Start with the free diagnostic test at /uk/ — it takes around 20 minutes, gives you an instant result, and shows you exactly where to focus your preparation. No guesswork, no wasted time.
— The people of SN Academy
