Programme Overview

Researchers in Schools Programme

Researchers in Schools offers a bespoke route into teaching exclusively for PhD graduates, and is specifically designed to utilise their academic expertise to the benefit of pupils, schools and universities.

The RIS programme runs over an initial two years, with participants achieving Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) in their first year and completing their Newly Qualified Teacher (NQT) year by the end of year two. Participants are supported to do this through a structured programme of training, classroom teaching and mentoring. As well as achieving QTS and completing their NQT year, participants also receive ongoing CPD training and deliver research-driven activities to support target pupils.

Participants who remain in the classroom in the third year will continue to develop their teaching skills and also be eligible to join our Research Leader in Education Award, an innovative professional qualification that equips participants to develop their educational research skills and deploy them within schools. As well as being a unique professional development opportunity, the RLE Award also offers participants an excellent route for career progression.

Because RIS is a salaried teacher training programme, all trainees will be employed by their host school in their training years. This means that trainees are paid a salary throughout their training year, which includes some independent classroom teaching, but will not deliver a full-time teaching timetable until their second year.

As with many teacher training routes, the salary package will vary by subject and location of your placement school, but whatever your circumstances RIS is amongst the most generous, which includes salary, pension and a RIS budget. All training fees leading to QTS are also covered for you, so there is no additional cost. This compares favourably with many other training routes, especially those for which trainees have to pay a fee or teach a full allocation in their first year.

In their second year of the programme, the newly qualified teachers will move onto their school’s main pay scale. This salary will be supplemented by a £1,000 bursary over both years of the programme to put towards carrying out their own academic research project or studying for masters credits. Full details of the pay can be found in our Researchers Brochure.