If you’re a parent or carer considering a career in teaching, you might be wondering how you can balance family responsibilities with the commitment of teacher training.
If you’re a parent or carer considering a career in teaching, you might be wondering how you can balance family responsibilities with the commitment of teacher training.
A great teacher can change the future for children, and we believe people with caring responsibilities should have every opportunity to join the profession. That’s why we’ve designed our in-school teacher training programme with flexibility, support and inclusion at its heart.
I’ve laid out five ways our Teacher Training programme supports parents and carers to thrive.
1. You can choose to train part-time
If full-time study isn’t possible for you, you could train on our part-time route. This will involve you working in your placement school and engaging with training modules three days a week instead of five. This allows you to train over two years. In year one you’ll complete your training modules and have opportunities to put what you learn into practice in the classroom.
In year two you’ll focus on practising your teaching in a classroom, building your confidence and honing your abilities. You can also revisit training from year one to refresh your knowledge and will continue to receive dedicated mentoring.
On the part-time route, you’ll decide with your school which three days you work, making it easier to fit training around childcare or other caring duties.
2. You’ll have flexibility and a manageable workload
We’ve designed our programme to be supportive and considerate of your competing priorities.
The programme curriculum breaks the complexities of teaching into smaller, more manageable chunks, with the opportunity to practise, revisit and apply what you learn over time
Curriculum weeks for Postgraduate Certificate in Education modules are clearly timetabled in advance, helping you plan ahead. Our content is released in stages, so you can focus on one thing at a time. Assignments are spaced out, and you’ll get clear structure and support to complete them.
3. Wellbeing and workload support
We build support for wellbeing and workload into our programme, not just as a one-off but regularly throughout your training. Weekly check-ins with your mentor help you monitor your progress, workload and wellbeing.
There’s a dedicated module on managing workload effectively, and we share practical strategies for things like feedback and lesson planning. This allows you to focus on what matters most for your pupils and yourself.
We also encourage schools to protect time in your timetable for study, sometimes as a regular slot at the start of the week, which you can often complete from home. This helps you manage your training alongside your home responsibilities.
4. You have access to virtual training
We actively challenge the idea that you need to be physically present for every session. Many of our training sessions can be joined from home, and most schools offer a blend of in-person and virtual sessions.
This flexibility means you can save time on travel and fit learning around family life, while still building relationships with your peers and mentors.
5. Your mentor will provide personalised support
Your mentor – an experienced teacher who offers invaluable support and guidance to trainees – is a key part of your training experience. You’ll be matched with a mentor who can support you best. The school you train in will consider not just subject expertise but also how your experiences match up to make sure you get the right support.
For parents and carers, this means you’ll have someone who understands the pressures you face. Mentors can support you in balancing your commitments both at home and in school.
Mentors get training on how to use their time effectively, including coaching approaches that support your development without overwhelming you.
Training to teach as a parent or carer is possible – and can be life-changing for you and your family, as well as for the pupils you’ll teach. We’re here to support you every step of the way. Apply for our Teacher Training programme now to start this September.
This article is based on a presentation Harriet delivered at The MaternityTeacher PaternityTeacher Project's Missing Mothers conference 2026. We were proud sponsors of this event.
