In reply to a recent post on the PGCE Jobs LinkedIn page, we received the question “What is the criteria to get in there [as a teacher in England]?”
There is really more than one answer to this question, although it is best to know the standard route for entering the education workforce in England. With the standard route, your main goal should be to get Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
Why Get QTS
QTS is the standard professional qualification for teachers in the UK. When you have QTS, you are fully qualified to teach in maintained schools in England. English schools will focus on whether you have QTS during their recruitment process. Those who have QTS are eligible to get the benefits of earning a regular school salary, a teacher’s pension, and the legal protections of working in England.
Given England’s excellent reputation for its schools around the world, attaining QTS is generally appreciated as a professional qualification by other governments. Therefore, even if you struggle to find immediate work after gaining your qualification in the UK, you will have the option of seeking employment in other countries, such as Australia or the United Arab Emirates, with the help of your professional status.
How to Get QTS
To earn QTS, you usually need the following:
1. To have a Bachelor’s (BA) degree in any subject;
2. To have a PGCE in your specialist subject (a Secondary school subject or Primary Education);
3. To have completed a QTS course or a tenure as a Newly Qualified Teacher (NQT).
Sometimes completing your PGCE course in England will automatically qualify you for QTS. This will depend on your course provider, and you should check with your institution before agreeing to a course if this is something you want.
If you have already earned a teaching certificate overseas and have worked for at least 2 years, you may be able to take an Assessment Only route to QTS. With this route, you do not need to repeat your teaching studies, but you will need to complete a short 12-week course that proves you are able to meet the professional teaching standards of England.
If you have studied Education as your BA subject, you may also be able to fast-track your route to QTS without studying the PGCE. You will likely be limited to teaching in Primary schools with a BA in Education however.
QTLS – An Alternative to QTS
An increasingly popular route to becoming a qualified teacher is to earn Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) status.
QTLS is a professional qualification for further education lecturers, corporate educators, and other educators in non-traditional professional teaching roles.
QTLS holders are eligible to work in maintained schools in England and are legally entitled to the same benefits and payment incentives as QTS holders in government schools.
You can earn QTLS through the Society for Education and Training (SET). It can be a more affordable and quick route into teaching in English schools, although it is not as widely appreciated as QTS by employers, especially if you are thinking of working internationally.
We will have more information on earning QTS and QTLS in future articles. Keep reading pgcejobs.com for more insights into the education job market around the world. We hope this article can help you focus on what you need to teach in England. Good luck on your professional journey!
