Emma Shakespeare
Moderator
Please post any comments that you have about gaining QTS/QTLS/PGCE's/GTP below.
We have found it very difficult to give advice on this topic since there are so many problems and the process differs between regions.
What we do know is that you must have QTS (not QTLS) to teach in a secondary school and be paid as a qualified teacher.
suzmckeown
Member
Hi This is extremely difficult to do but after many hours of searching on the internet I managed to find Edge Hill University. I have been enrolled at Edge Hill university as they now offer have a PGCE psychology via distance and flexible learning. It gets you your QTS status at the end of it and with having a young child and working full time it has been the easiest option for me!!
Samreen Riaz
Member
The information above is only partly correct.
PAID EMPLOYMENT DURING TRAINING:
This is only true for part-time trainees. After graduating, If you wish to complete a two-year diploma in teaching, it is a part-time course with the majority of your time on a paid placement with a subject mentor. Only then it is essential for you to be paid whilst you are assessed on the job by classroom observers, in order to gain your teaching qualification.
QTS Versus QTLS:
To teach Psychology in colleges at A' Level, you must hold a QTLS. To teach it at GCSE (fairly new to the UK compared to the US), your QTLS will not suffice. You need a QTS instead to work with any student younger than 16.
CONFUSION OF QTS & QTLS:
QTS holders have the added advantage of teaching Psychology at both secondary AND FE level. Unfortunately, QTLS holders are not equipped to jump between the age groups in this manner.
PGCE:
This is a generic course for anyone wishing to practice as a teacher. It fails to offer you QTLS or QTS unless the university (e.g. Edge Hill) specify it. Instead, prestigious Universities such as The Institute of Education (IOE) simply offer their PGCE as a stepping stone before the trainee uploads their own lesson plans on the IFL website for NQTs, in order to gain the QTLS or QTS qualification in their own time, after gaining employment.
Deb Gajic
Chair of ATP
Information regarding QTS status is notoriously unreliable as it varies between different institutions. The most reliable route remains PGCE at a prestigious institution (e.g. Manc Met, Edgehill, Leicester, Keele, IOE, Wolverhampton, Canterbury etc. to name a few), this will give you QTS. Many people are looking for a GTP route for perfectly understandable financial reasons, however this may not lead to the best training. My advice would be to bite the bullet and get another year of student loan.
See the GTTR website for details. However, it is vitally important that you ensure the course you are applying for does give you QTS. Apply early and get some work experience before you start.
You must log in to post.