Sheffield, UK; 14th July 2026: ����Vlog Institute has won the Outstanding Training and Career Development category at the , with judges recognising the impact of its Straight to Teaching programme in helping experienced school staff become qualified teachers through a flexible route to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).

The BESA Awards celebrate the organisations making a meaningful contribution to education across the UK. The judging panel praised Straight to Teaching for addressing teacher recruitment and retention at a time when education needs more people entering the profession.

Straight to Teaching is ����Vlog Institute's flexible, school-based route that supports experienced in-role staff to achieve Qualified Teacher Status through the Assessment Only pathway.  Learners remain in their current school while following a personalised development plan that includes an initial diagnostic audit, a fortnightly cycle of online learning, mentor observations and expert colleague observations, all guided by an experienced Pathway Tutor.

Designed to fit around the realities of working in schools, the programme is particularly effective in specialist settings. More than half of participating schools are SEND or Alternative Provision settings, where the structure accommodates highly personalised curricula and atypical class arrangements. Learners develop their practice within their own context, while pupils benefit from continuity, stability and consistency.

The programme continues to deliver exceptional outcomes, with more than 95% of Straight to Teaching participants successfully achieving QTS through the Assessment Only route. It also provides a cost-effective way for schools to develop and retain talented staff.

Hannah Senel-Walp, Director at ����Vlog Institute, said: “Securing recognition from BESA showcases the  commitment of the schools, mentors and learners who make the programme such a success. By providing a flexible route to QTS that fits around school life, we're helping schools retain talented colleagues while giving experienced educators the opportunity to take the next step in their careers. Seeing more than 95% of participants successfully achieve QTS is something everyone involved should be proud of.”

Available nationally and to British, Cambridge, or IB International Schools, Straight to Teaching supports the development and recognition of high-quality, evidence-informed teaching practice, helping schools build and retain the workforce they need while creating new pathways into the teaching profession.