You should have at least two years' experience of teaching a whole class and have responsibility for planning, teaching, and assessment within your chosen phase and subject.
You'll need recent experience of teaching in at least two separate school settings. This means a sustained period of teaching responsibility in a different school. As a guide, we'd expect a minimum of 30 teaching days (around 10 weeks at approximately 60% of a full teaching timetable), or an equivalent period. We'll consider the amount of second-school experience alongside your overall teaching experience.
You must remain in an appropriate teaching post throughout the assessment period and have sufficient teaching responsibility to demonstrate the Teachers' Standards.
You must also:
- Hold a bachelor's degree, or equivalent.
- Hold GCSE grade C/4, or equivalent, in maths and English language.
- Meet safeguarding and fitness-to-teach requirements, which includes a current Enhanced Disclosure and Barring (DBS) check, or Overseas Police check. The Police check must come from the country you are currently teaching in. In addition, a medical clearance will be required.
- Provide appropriate professional references.
- Complete Fundamental Skills tests in Literacy and Numeracy. Further details of these will be provided after you have submitted an application.
Your application will be assessed based on your current teaching experience and responsibilities. We can't make eligibility decisions based on future teaching plans, proposed timetable changes, or roles that have not yet started. However, you can apply if you're changing schools.
Primary applicants
If you teach at primary level, you'll also need:
- At least a grade C/4, or equivalent, in GCSE science
- Experience across at least two primary key phases. This would be either Early Years and Key Stage 1 (ages 3-7) or Key Stage 2 and 3 (ages 5-11).
Middle and secondary applicants
If you teach at middle or secondary level, you must be able to demonstrate teaching experience across at least two relevant key stages for your chosen phase and subject, including during the assessment period.
You'll also need to provide as much detail as possible about the single subject in which you wish to be assessed for QTS. Please note there's no need to include detailed information about other subjects unless they are directly relevant to your application.
If you meet the criteria after submitting your application, and all required documents have been provided, you'll be invited for an interview with the course staff.
Other teaching role applicants
Teaching placements
We can't consider teaching placements undertaken as part of a PGCE, School Direct course, university course, or another initial teacher training route as part of your eligibility for the course. However, if you completed a PGCE while employed as a teacher with responsibility for planning, teaching and assessing in your own school, this experience may be considered.
Teaching assistant or support roles
Teaching assistants, learning support assistants, and similar support roles generally don't count towards the teaching experience required for the Assessment Only Route. You must have responsibility for planning, teaching and assessing pupils.
Supply teaching
We may consider supply teaching experience where it provides sustained responsibility for planning, teaching, and assessment. Short-term or day-to-day supply teaching often doesn't provide enough evidence.
Special school teaching
We welcome applications from teachers working in specialist settings. However, you must still demonstrate that you meet all the Assessment Only Route requirements.
If you've taught exclusively in a special school, you'll need to gain some teaching experience in a mainstream school. As the amount and nature of this experience depends on individual circumstances, we recommend contacting the Assessment Only team for advice before applying.
English as an Additional/Second Language
Teaching English as an Additional Language (EAL) or English as a Second Language (ESL) often doesn't provide enough evidence for a Secondary English application. If you're a Secondary English applicant, you should be able to demonstrate experience across the wider English curriculum. This includes English Language and English Literature, and across the relevant secondary age ranges.
International teaching
We consider applications from teachers working across a range of international schools, following their own curriculum. Your school doesn't need to follow the English National Curriculum for entry onto this course. If you teach a different curriculum, you may need to provide additional information to demonstrate appropriate subject and age-range experience and knowledge of the relevant English National curriculum.
However, you must be able to demonstrate teaching experience that is comparable to the Teachers' Standards and the expectations of your chosen phase and subject.
