Overseas trained teachers
Overseas trained teachers
How to gain UK qualified teacher status
You must have qualified teacher status (QTS) to take up a teaching post in England in a:
- maintained primary school
- maintained secondary school
- maintained special school
- non-maintained special school
The National College for Teaching and Leadership is the competent authority in England for the teaching profession. They are responsible for recognising teachers’ professional ability for the award of QTS. They also do this for the European Economic Area (EEA).
Once you have QTS, and 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 subject to the performance management arrangements in schools in the same way as any other qualified teacher. To find out more information please use the https://www.gov.uk/guidance/qualified-teacher-status-qts website.
If you qualified to teach inside the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland
European Economic Area (EEA) nationals who are recognised as qualified school teachers in another EEA member state may apply for qualified teacher status in England without the need to do further teacher training in England. You need to make an application for qualified teacher status to the National College for Training and Leadership.
If you qualified as a teacher outside the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland
If you gained your teaching qualification in a country outside the European Economic Area (EEA), you must have your qualification assessed before seeking to obtain a teaching post.
You will need to contact the National Academic Recognition Information Centre (NARIC), which can provide comparability information for your qualifications.
You may be eligible to work in England as an unqualified teacher for up to four years, during which time you will need to achieve qualified teacher status (QTS).
Information on work permits
You can get more information on the National College for Teaching and Leadership website. This includes advice on eligibility to teach in the UK, important changes to work permits and visas, the Refugees into Teaching initiative and much more.
Republic of Ireland (RoI) trained teachers
Teachers from the RoI who have completed induction in Ireland are exempt from induction in England. In order to gain QTS via the reciprocal agreement they must complete an application form https://www.gov.uk/guidance/qualified-teacher-status-qts. This will allow them to be treated as a qualified teacher and paid accordingly.
NQTs who have not completed induction in RoI are not eligible to start induction in England as they are not deemed to have gained QTS. However, if an Irish trained teacher can secure a position in which to complete the Induction process in England this will be accepted in lieu of completing probation in Ireland providing that the teacher can provide a formal statement from the Principal/Board of the school and the Local Borough/Council. This probation process must meet the requirements of "The Education (Induction Arrangements for School Teachers) (Consolidation) (England) Regulations 2012".
In meeting these regulations the induction period must be:
- At least one year in duration
- Be carried out by an "appropriate body"
- Be served in a relevant school in England
- Be supervised by the head teacher of that school
- Be derived from a recommendation from the head teacher to the appropriate body that the professional standards have been met
- Conclude with certification from the appropriate body that the professional standards for teachers have been met.
The school is advised to confirm arrangements with the Teaching Council for Ireland:
Block A, Maynooth Business Campus, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland
Phone: +353 1 651 7900 LoCall: 1890 224 224
Fax: +353 1 651 7901
Email: info@teachingcouncil.ie