Becoming a primary teacher in Scotland: comparing one-year and four-year courses

This study compared Scottish primary teachers trained by the one-year Bachelor of Education (BEd) and the four-year Post Graduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) routes. It was found that BEd graduates were younger, while the PGCEs were more diverse, containing a number embarking on teaching as a second career. It was also found that BEds complete probation slightly faster though this may be due to more favourable opportunities to complete the probationary requirements. The implications are discussed in relation to the changing nature of the teacher employment market and the policy implications for the balance of numbers of teachers trained through the two routes.