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Assessment Based Option to QTS

The Assessment Based Option to QTS is intended for experienced teachers who have been teaching for some time but do not have Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).  Candidates are required to have the full support of the Headteacher of the school in which they are employed.  It is not possible to consider your application if you are employed in a PRU.

All candidates wishing to be considered for this option must fulfill the following criteria as a minimum:

1. Hold a degree
2. GCSE English and Maths (+ science for Primary) grade C or above, or equivalent qualification.  Please not Adult Numeracy and Literacy level two qualifications are not accepted as containing the breadth of knowledge as a GCSE

There is an expectation that in order to qualify, teachers shall also have experience of teaching:

1. across two consecutive key stages (for secondary Candidates)
2. across two consecutive age ranges (for primary Candidates)
3. classes which are not customarily fewer than twenty learners
4. learners from diverse backgrounds
5. learners across the whole ability range

If you have experience of teaching Key Stage 5 at FE we will take this into account but you must be employed in a secondary school with the ability to teach a substantial amount of Key stage 4 in order for your application to be considered.

OVERSEAS TRAINED TEACHERS

Overseas Trained Teachers are eligible for the assessment based option, as long as they meet the above criteria and have already had your qualifications checked by UK NARIC (www.naric.org.uk).  Applications will not be considered without NARIC certificates verifying your degree and GCSE equivalents.

The four-year rule for overseas trained teachers (OTTs) states that you can teach for up to four years before you have to be awarded QTS. The four years starts from the first day that you teach in a mainstream school in England, and includes any time out of service.  If you are approaching the end of your 4 years please be advised we have limited number of places and we may be full by the time your application is seen.  Please indicate clearly on your application the first date of teaching in England.  If you are past your 4 years you will only be able to work in the Independent Sector.

Further Information

The Assessment Based Option route is distinctive from other routes: it is not initial teacher training, nor is it a graduate training programme.  At the same time, candidates following this route have some training needs and these must be met within the schools that employ them.  There is a legal requirement that candidates must be provided with training opportunities regardless of which QTS route they follow.

Candidates are recommended for QTS on the basis of a portfolio of evidence which should demonstrate that they have met the professional standards for QTS (TDA 2007), published by the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA - www.tda.gov.uk).  All candidates are required to provide documentary evidence of their competence in teaching across two age phases at primary or two consecutive key stages at secondary.   For further details please visit the TDA link below. http://www.tda.gov.uk/Recruit/thetrainingprocess/typesofcourse/qts.aspx?keywords=Assessment+Only

Following the submission of the portfolio there is an assessment visit to the candidate at his/her school to verify the information contained in the portfolio of evidence and to observe the candidate teach.  The assessment visit normally lasts for the whole of one school day.  In primary schools, the lessons are likely to be with the same class but for candidates teaching in secondary schools, there should be the opportunity for the assessor to observe lessons from two key stages.

Although applicants must be educated to degree level, the award of QTS following assessment does not carry the award of PGCE.  Assessment Based Option candidates are not eligible for the "golden handshakes".

Fees are normally covered by the TDA.

For further information or an application pack please contact:

Email: qtsassessmentonly@glos.ac.uk

Please note we are currently dealing with a high volume of enquiries and applications.  We will endevour to respond to your enquiry as soon as possible.