QTS standards
To teach in a state-maintained school you will need qualified teacher status (QTS), achieved through completing initial teacher training (ITT) and demonstrating that you have met the required standards.
The standards apply to all trainee teachers and allow ITT providers the autonomy to decide how they will organise their training and respond to individual trainees' needs. They do not represent a set programme for study.
What are the standards for QTS ?
The standards are a rigorous set of statements formally setting out what a trainee teacher is expected to know, understand and be able do in order to be awarded qualified teacher status and succeed as an effective teacher.
Standards are organised under three inter-related categories:
Professional attributes
These standards outline the attitudes and commitment to be expected of anyone qualifying to e a teacher. Expectations relate to the teacher’s ability to: develop professional relationships, communicate with others, understand relevant legal frameworks, and engage with professional development.
Professional knowledge and understanding
These standards require newly qualified teachers to be confident in the subjects they teach and to have a clear understanding of how all children and young people make progress. Additionally, they require an understanding of how teachers contribute to the well-being of children and young people and of the variety of influences affecting child development.
Professional skills
These standards relate to the skills of teaching, including planning, assessing, monitoring, giving feedback, team working and collaboration. They establish clear expectations relating to the promotion of positive attitudes to learning, discipline and safe learning environments. They are underpinned by the attributes and knowledge covered in the first two sections.
QTS standards in Wales
The Welsh Assembly Government has introduced QTS standards which are similar to the QTS standards in England where appropriate, but vary to cover issues specific to Wales. You can access the QTS standards for Wales on the Welsh Assembly Government website.
QTS skills tests
To achieve the QTS standards you will also need to pass skills tests in numeracy, literacy and information and communications technology (ICT). Learn more about QTS skills tests.
The skills tests are not a requirement for achieving QTS in Wales. Neither are you required to take the skills tests if you gain QTS in Wales and later wish to teach in England.
Registering with the General Teaching Council for England (GTCE)
The GTCE is the independent professional and regulatory body for teaching in England. Most qualified teachers working in the maintained or ‘state’ sector are required to be registered with the GTCE. There are currently over 500,000 teachers registered with the GTCE.
Proposed changes to regulations mean that from September 2008, anyone starting a course of initial teacher training (ITT) in England, leading to qualified teacher status will need to be provisionally registered with the GTCE.
If you are starting a course of ITT in Wales from September 2008, you will not be required to provisionally register with the General Teaching Council for Wales (GTCW).
You can find out more about provisional registration, including suitability requirements on the GTCE website.
You can also contact the GTCE directly.
The General Teaching Council for England
Teachers’ Qualifications Team
Victoria Square House
Victoria Square
Birmingham
B2 4AJ
Telephone: 0121 3450140
E-mail: provreg@gtce.org.uk
