About Teach First

History & mission

In the UK, parental wealth remains the predominant factor in determining a child’s academic achievement. However, research shows that high quality teaching has the power to undermine this correlation and provide children with the opportunity to fulfil their potential, regardless of their family’s wealth. In 2002, a McKinsey report into education in London underlined the impact of wealth on achievement and the vital role played by excellent teachers. But it also highlighted that many challenging schools – where excellent, inspirational teachers could make the most difference - struggle to recruit teachers. In response, it proposed an innovative new strategy for teacher recruitment and training that would seek to attract graduates who might not otherwise have considered teaching to teach in challenging schools.

Teach First is the realisation of that strategy, founded in 2002 as a charity with a mission to address educational disadvantage by transforming exceptional graduates into effective, inspirational teachers and leaders in all fields.

Teach First attracts high-calibre, highly motivated graduates into an initial two-year programme of teaching and leadership development focusing on the achievements and aspirations of pupils and their access to further opportunities both in education and beyond. Through our Leadership Development Programme, participants become inspiring teachers, leaders, role models and agents of change, and gain valuable leadership development to prepare them for influential careers, either in education or elsewhere. They are also supported and encouraged to engage with the mission in the long-term through the Teach First Ambassador movement, irrespective of whether they remain as teachers or take up other career options. 

By 2013, Teach First aims to be recruiting 850 graduates per year, and will be supporting an engaged Ambassador community numbering over 3,000. By 2018, we hope 100 of these Ambassadors will be leading challenging schools as head teachers.

Read more on the main Teach First website.