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0-c-1-INTRO

Formalise your professional skills with Warwick

Are you an experienced teacher looking to gain accreditation? If you have at least two years teaching experience in the public or private sector, you may be eligible for our assessment-only course.

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You'll gain Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) without additional training.

You'll be supervised by highly qualified and experienced teachers.

  • Gain QTS from The DfE in 12 weeks
  • Qualify to take up a teaching post in England in a state-maintained school
  • Once you are employed to teach in a maintained school in England or Wales, you will be paid under the school teachers’ pay scales
  • You will be able to join in the Early Career Teacher (ECT) provision at your school and at the University of Warwick upon completion of the programme

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The cost of this course is £2,500. You may be able to get sponsorship from your school to take this course.

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After you have applied for the course, we'll complete an initial early assessment and interview. This is to make sure that you're ready to take the full assessment with Warwick. Following your approval, you'll start the 12-week assessment programme.

Initial assessment

1. Lesson Observation: The University Assessor (Teaching Fellow) will observe one of your lessons. There will be a review and discussion afterwards.

2. Document Checking: Before your interview can proceed, you'll need to provide evidence that you meet the academic entry criteria.

3. Formal Interview: You'll provide an Initial Portfolio of Evidence demonstrating that you have achieved the Teachers’ Standards set by the Department for Education. We'll make a recommendation on whether you are ready to start the QTS Assessment or what is the best route for you to become a qualified teacher.

12-week assessment

1. Mentor Observations: A mentor from your school will provide feedback on weekly lesson observations, via the Assessment Point Forms returned to the University prior to each assessment visit.

2. Observation Visits: There will be three lesson observation visits from the University Tutor.

3. Evidence: You will submit a final Portfolio of Evidence which is a record of your development as a teacher.

You'll gather evidence against each of the eight national Teacher's Standards. This will be assessed at the final assessment visit to your school in an informal interview, where you'll demonstrate:

  • Effective classroom management, showing sensitivity and responsiveness to the needs of pupils and an ability to promote learning
  • An effective and confident approach to curriculum planning
  • Knowledge, particularly in relation to the breadth of the National Curriculum and your subject area
  • Able to use ICT effectively in your teaching and to promote student learning
  • An accurate approach to assessment
  • A professional commitment to setting high standards for yourself and your pupils
  • Commitment to your own continued professional development (CPD)

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1. Degree*

Primary and Early Years- An Honours Degree with a 2:2 (UK) or above. Other first degrees may be considered if you have additional qualifications and/ or relevant experience. If you have an international qualification, it would need to be verified as equivalent to the UK standard.

Secondary - An Honours Degree with a 2:2 (UK) or above. Other first degrees may be considered if you have additional qualifications and/ or relevant experience. You will be expected to have degree level knowledge of the subject you teach. If you have an international qualification, it would need to be verified as equivalent to the UK standard.

2. GCSEs/O Levels/CSEs*

Primary and Early Years - GCSE (or an equivalent qualification) Grade C or above in Mathematics, English Language and Science.

Secondary - GCSE (or an equivalent qualification) Grade C or above in Mathematics and English Language.

3. Your current role

You must be working as an unqualified teacher (paid or unpaid) in the UK in one of the following settings:

  • Mainstream school or academy
  • Free School
  • Independent School
  • Pupil Referral Unit
  • Special School (Candidates who are working in a Pupil Referral Unit or Special School will need to provide evidence of significant mainstream school experience).
4. Your teaching grade

You will have been observed by your school and your teaching graded as "Outstanding" or "Good".

5. Your experience

You will be able to demonstrate that you have experience teaching across consecutive age ranges in two or more schools/settings, including the school/setting you are currently working in within the last 2 years.

Begin to put together an Initial Portfolio of Evidence against the national Teachers’ Standards

6. Your school's support and/or sponsorship

You will need to provide two references. One from your current employer and one from a second school that you have completed a minimum 6 weeks teaching experience in. You must have the full support of (or be sponsored by) your employing school, as detailed below:

A) School letter of recommendation

An essential and significant part of the application form is a formal statement from your school or setting which provides details not only of your experience to date but also details of your potential to become an outstanding teacher.

Please see the following template that should be used by your current employer

Please see the following template that should be used by your second school setting.

Your school’s letter should make reference to the following:

  • Your teaching experience to date
  • Your current teaching commitment at the school
  • Details of extra-curricular activities, other school responsibilities
  • The school’s experience of working in Initial Teacher Education
  • The experience of the mentor who will be working with you during your course
  • Your relationships with pupils and colleagues, including support staff
  • A recent lesson observation undertaken by a senior member of staff
  • Your subject knowledge and pedagogy
  • Your health and physical capacity to teach
  • Your resilience and ability to cope with the demands of teaching, and ability to adapt to the changing educational landscape.

B) Partnership Agreement

Prior to a candidate starting the course, it is a requirement that your school completes a formal Declaration of Interest with the University.

C) Assessment Support

Supporting/ sponsoring schools need to provide candidates with sufficient opportunity to meet the Teachers’ Standards during the 12 weeks of assessment. Schools are required to:

  • Establish a timetable that will enable you to demonstrate competence against the Teachers’ Standards. For secondary routes, the teaching timetable must provide the opportunity to work across two consecutive age ranges.
  • Provide an experienced mentor to support you. The role of the mentor is to provide feedback on lesson observations, planning and assessment, plus professional support. It is a requirement that the supporting mentor is given time by the school to complete observations and conduct meetings.
  • Regularly assess your teaching against the Teachers’ Standards and provide the University with Assessment Point (AP) data by deadlines set.
7. Your location

You will be working within a 50-mile radius of The University of Warwick, CV4 7AL.

8. Vetting Check Form

You will need an up-to-date Vetting Check Form, confirming you hold a valid DBS check.

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When can I apply?
  • Places on each cohort are limited and are considered in the order in which they are received. If the cohort is full at the point of your application, we will add you to a waiting list if your application is successful.
  • For Secondary courses, you need to apply by mid-June to start in Autumn; and by the end of October to start in Spring.
  • For Primary and Early Years courses, you need to apply by February half-term to start in Summer.
Stage 1

Make sure that you have the following documents ready:

Apply now using our Application GuideLink opens in a new window

Stage 2

If you pass the initial assessment, we'll then ask for the following evidence:

1) Initial Portfolio of Evidence against the national Teachers’ Standards, including evidence of:

  • Lesson Observations
  • Pupils' work
  • Planning evidence
  • Assessment Feedback

2) Verified evidence of the following:

  • Vetting Check Form, confirming you hold a valid DBS check

  • Declaration statement from school

  • Phase Three - Assessment

  • Portfolio of Evidence - demonstrating your capability against the national Teachers’ Standards/Teaching standards (Early Years)

We'll here to provide help, advice and guidance along the way. If you have any questions at all, just get in touch.

Fees

Assessment Only tuition fees are set at £2500 and are payable for prior to enrolment of the course.