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Qualified teacher status (QTS) or Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills status (QTLS) is required in England and Wales to work as a teacher of children in state schools under local authority control, and in special education schools. QTS is not required at academies, free schools or independent schools. A similar status exists under a different name in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
An undergraduate degree and successful completion of a teacher training programme is compulsory for QTS recommendation.[ citation needed ] One of the main routes to achieving QTS, for those already in possession of a degree, involves undertaking a postgraduate teacher training course, such as the Postgraduate Certificate in Education or a School Direct programme. The Diploma in Education and Training leads to QTLS. There are also some undergraduate degree qualifications leading to QTS, such as the Bachelor of Education. In England only, candidates must also pass professional skills tests. [1] All candidates must have GCSEs at grade C or above in English and mathematics, and prospective primary teachers must also be in possession of (usually) a grade C in a science subject before embarking on teacher training.
All training which leads to qualified teacher status requires trainees to train across at least two key consecutive pupil age ranges, as defined in the Secretary of State's Requirements for Initial Teacher Training. [2] The age ranges are:
The Teaching Regulation Agency in England [3] and Education Workforce Council in Wales, maintain all registrations, as well as issuing QTS certificates.
QTS is technically recognised only in the country it was awarded (England or Wales), but teachers can normally apply for QTS in other home countries relatively easily.[ citation needed ] QTS gained in England is automatically recognized in Wales and vice versa. [4] [5] QTS is also recognised by many other countries once the relevant paperwork has been completed, though many countries place a lot of importance on the route to QTS (such as requiring a PGCE, whilst not accepting the GTP). Teachers trained outside England and Wales must also apply to be awarded QTS if they wish to teach in these countries.
After having been awarded QTS teachers must normally still pass an induction period (previously called 'probation') – normally their first year of teaching. Teachers who have gained QTS but have not yet completed the Induction period are known as NQTs. NQTs who fail the induction still retain their QTS, but cannot teach in state-run schools. The induction period normally lasts a year (three school terms).
Not all European Union qualifications have been officially recognised yet,[ when? ] so one should confirm with one's education establishment as to whether one's qualifications are acceptable, or whether one needs to go through the recognition process.
Numerous qualifications and courses can lead to QTS or QTLS:
The PGCE is a one-year course designed for individuals holding existing degrees, serving as the most common postgraduate pathway into teaching. It is hosted and overseen by a university or other higher education institution, with students dedicating a significant portion of the program to practical experience in placement schools. Additionally, completing the PGCE earns credits towards a master's degree.
The DET is a Level 5 Diploma in Education and Training, comprising a one-year, 120-credit initial teacher training programme granted by a university or an accrediting body like the Learning Resource Network (LRN). Graduates of the DET can seek QTLS accreditation from the Society for Education and Training. [6]
A SCITT programme allows graduates to undergo their training within a school setting, resulting in QTS. Some SCITT programmes also confer a PGCE qualification. This option is exclusively available in England. [7] [ unreliable source? ]
The GTP enables candidates to gain QTS while they are employed as an unqualified teacher in a school.
Both the graduate and registered teacher programmes (GTP and RTP) have been closed in England. The GTP has been replaced by the School Direct Training Programme (salaried).
Students can enrol in a three or four-year undergraduate degree course that includes QTS. This allows candidates to obtain their QTS while studying for their degree, with teaching practice conducted throughout the entire programme. These programmes typically award Bachelor of Education (BEd) degrees, although some may offer Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BSc) degrees.
QTS as such does not exist in Scotland or Northern Ireland. [8] However, as is the case in England and Wales, all teachers in Scotland and Northern Ireland are required to register with either the General Teaching Council for Scotland or the General Teaching Council for Northern Ireland; the General Teaching Councils will consider only graduates with teaching qualifications (such as a BEd, PGCE or PGDE) for registration.
In Northern Ireland, a one-year Induction programme (equivalent to the NQT programme in England and Wales) must be completed.
Individuals in Scotland must complete a one-year probation period, which is equivalent to induction in England and Wales.
Those holding English or Welsh QTS (or an equivalent from another country) must apply for registration with the relevant General Teaching Council. The relevant General Teaching Council considers each case individually; even those with English or Welsh QTS are not guaranteed permission to teach in Scotland or Northern Ireland.
There is no formal requirement for teachers at independent schools or free schools to have QTS.
As of 27 July 2012, there is no longer any requirement for teaching staff in academies to have QTS. [9]
A Bachelor of Education is an undergraduate academic degree which prepares students for work as a teacher in schools. A Bachelor of Education program typically lasts three to four years and combines both coursework and practical experience in educational settings. The curriculum is designed to provide foundational knowledge in pedagogy, educational psychology, teaching methodologies, and subject-specific training. Graduates of this program are equipped with the skills necessary to foster a supportive and effective learning environment for their students.
The Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency (QCDA), previously known as the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA), was a charity, and an executive non-departmental public body (NDPB) of the Department for Education. In England and Northern Ireland, the QCDA maintained and developed the National Curriculum and associated assessments, tests and examinations, advising the minister formerly known as the Secretary of State for Education on these matters.
The Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE/PGCertEd) is a one- or two-year higher education course in England, Wales and Northern Ireland which provides training in order to allow graduates to become teachers within maintained schools. In England, there are two routes available to gaining a PGCE – either on a traditional university-led teacher training course or school-led teacher training.
The Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE), also known as a Graduate Diploma of Education (GradDipEd), is a one-year postgraduate course in several countries including Tanzania, Australia, Ghana, New Zealand, Republic of Ireland, Scotland, Hong Kong, Singapore and Zimbabwe for existing bachelor's degree holders leading to become a qualified teacher.
A teaching assistant, educational assistant or learning support assistant in schools in England and Wales is a person who supports pupils in the classroom. Duties can differ dramatically from school to school, though the underlying tasks often remain the same.
Teach First is a social enterprise registered as a charity which aims to address educational disadvantage in England and Wales. Teach First coordinates an employment-based teaching training programme whereby participants achieve Qualified Teacher Status through the participation in a two-year training programme that involves the completion of a PGDE along with wider leadership skills training and an optional master's degree.
The Graduate Teacher Programme (GTP) was a programme in England and Wales for graduates who want to gain Qualified Teacher Status while working. A person must work in a school as an unqualified teacher in order to participate in the programme, which can last from three months to a year. The Department for Education announced in mid-2012 that The Graduate Teacher Programme will no longer exist, and has now been replaced with a new scheme called School Direct. The last academic year the programme ran was 2012/2013.
The Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998 was enacted by the United Kingdom Parliament under the first Tony Blair government on 16 July 1998. It enabled universities to charge tuition fees, and established statutory General Teaching Councils (GTC's) for England, Wales and Northern Ireland and the modification the remit of the General Teaching Council for Scotland. The act also made provision for the new system of student loans that were introduced, and introduces paid leave from work for training towards a qualification. The passing of this act repealed the Education Act 1998, and the sections relating to student finance in the Education Act 1996. The student loans system was later updated in the Higher Education Act 2004.
Newly qualified teacher (NQT) is a category of teacher in the United Kingdom. Newly qualified teachers are those who have gained Qualified Teacher Status but have not yet completed the statutory twelve-month programme known as the "induction for newly qualified teachers".
Induction is the support and guidance provided to novice teachers and school administrators in the early stages of their careers. Induction encompasses orientation to the workplace, socialization, mentoring, and guidance through beginning teacher practice.
The Professional Graduate Certificate in Education (ProfGCE) is an award in England and Wales for undergraduate degree holders that attended the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) and trained to be a teacher. It is very similar and enables candidates to gain their Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), but does not carry credits towards a master's degree of which the PGCE provides 60. It sits on the Honours Level of the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ), a level lower than the Postgraduate Certificate in Education. The Professional Graduate Certificate in Education level 6 is also a stand-alone qualification for those wishing to become a teacher in the post-compulsory sector or an advanced pathway for those completing a Diploma in Education and Training level 5. Completion of the Diploma / Professional Graduate Certificate allows you to apply for Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) status.
A certified teacher is an educator who has earned credentials from an authoritative source, such as a government's regulatory authority, an education department/ministry, a higher education institution, or a private body. This teacher qualification gives a teacher authorization to teach and grade in pre-schools, primary or secondary education in countries, schools, content areas or curricula where authorization is required. While many authorizing entities require student teaching experience before earning teacher certification, routes vary from country to country.
Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) status is a designation awarded to teachers in the Further Education and Post-Compulsory Education & Training sectors by the Education & Training Foundation (ETF) in the United Kingdom.
The professional skills tests, also known as the QTS Skills Tests, were computer-based tests in literacy and numeracy which were required to be passed by anyone attempting to gain qualified teacher status (QTS) in England until March 2020. The tests must be passed before enrolling onto an initial teacher training course, such as the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE), or the Bachelor of Education (BEd).
Challney High School for Boys is a secondary school located in Luton, Bedfordshire, England. The school educates boys between the ages of 11 and 16.
The School-Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) programme is a teacher-training course in England.
The Diploma in Education and Training is an initial teacher training qualification, studied at RQF Level 5, for teaching in Further Education (FE) and the lifelong learning sector of education in the United Kingdom. Study for the Diploma in Education and Training typically follows the completion of the Certificate in Education and Training at RQF Level 4 and the Award in Education and Training at RQF Level 3. The Diploma in Education and Training qualifies a teacher for Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) status from the Society for Education and Training. The Diploma in Education and Training replaces the Diploma in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector. The Diploma in Education and Training is an industry standard qualification for those teaching in the post-16 sector.
The Certificate in Education and Training is an initial teacher training qualification, studied at Regulated Qualifications Framework Level 4, for teaching in Further Education and the lifelong learning sector of education in the United Kingdom. Study for the Certificate in Education and Training typically follows the completion of the Award in Education and Training at Regulated Qualifications Framework Level 3, and precedes the start of the Diploma in Education and Training at Level 5. The Certificate in Education and Training qualifies an education practitioner for associate membership of the Society for Education and Training. The Certificate in Education and Training replaces the Certificate in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector. The Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training was developed as a qualification for Associate Teachers. The qualification does not itself entitle the holder to apply for Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills.
Associate Teacher Learning and Skills (ATLS) status is a designation awarded to teachers in the Further Education and Post-Compulsory Education & Training sectors by the Education & Training Foundation (ETF) in the United Kingdom. ATLS may be earned en route to Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) status, which is seen as on an equal level to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
Mathematics education in the United Kingdom is largely carried out at ages 5–16 at primary school and secondary school. However voluntary Mathematics education in the UK takes place from 16 to 18, in sixth forms and other forms of further education. Whilst adults can study the subject at universities and higher education more widely. Mathematics education is not taught uniformly as exams and the syllabus vary across the countries of the United Kingdom, notably Scotland.
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