Important changes to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) requirements introduced through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act (2026)
From 1 September 2027, teachers working in primary and secondary academies will be required to hold QTS, bringing academies in line with maintained schools. This means that unqualified teachers are no longer permitted to teach in schools. In addition, teachers who gain QTS on or after this date and work in specified academies will be required to immediately complete Early Career Teacher (ECT) induction. These changes do not apply retrospectively to teachers who achieved QTS before 1 September 2027.
The Department for Education has confirmed that a number of exemptions will remain, including for:
● instructors with specialist skills or vocational expertise;
● overseas-trained teachers (subject to existing rules);
● teachers undertaking employment-based routes to QTS;
● individuals working under the supervision of a qualified teacher; and
● unqualified teachers already employed by an academy before 1 September 2027, who will be protected under transitional arrangements.
Academies should begin considering how these changes may affect future recruitment and workforce planning. Full statutory guidance and updated regulations are expected to be published by the DfE in autumn 2026.
