Job Discussion Forums

[simon44]

After 14 years of living and teaching (off and on) Primary Homeroom in south-east Asia, I have the opportunity to return to the UK to study full-time for a PGCE in Primary with Maths, to obtain my QTS, and then to return overseas again to hopefully find a more secure teaching role, (important since I'm already an older teacher).

There seem to be plenty of relevant, on-campus PGCE courses available in the UK. But from reading the course details, it seems that many of the colleges will interview (and offer places to) applicants on the assumption that after graduating, they will be teaching in the UK.

A range of fee grants are also available, but I don't think that the grant body will entertain an applicant who intends to teach overseas.

I don't want to study the PGCEi - I really want to obtain QTS and study on-campus for a PGCE qualification that is relevant to my chosen area of teaching.

Have any other forum members taught overseas, then returned to the UK to study an on-campus PGCE, obtained QTS and then gone overseas again to teach? What were your experiences when applying and attending interview at the colleges?

[kpjf]

[scot47]

Who is paying the fees for the course ? Be prepared for some indifference or outright hostility about your overseas experience.

[simon44]

Thanks for your comments. I certainly think it would be best to convince everyone at my interviews that I had returned to study and then teach in the UK.

However, as MJ said (I think), 'its all about the children'. So I wouldn't feel bad about myself if I studied/passed the PGCE, got QTS and then went back overseas to teach in south-east Asia again.

[kpjf]

[currentaffairs]

One year for the PGCE and one year for QTS.. After two years you can do what you like. However, it might be a bit difficult leaving a school because the organisation would have given you support during your QTS year (tutoring, easier class load and mentoring).

Good references are also needed for the better jobs so I would be more inclined to stay for a couple of years in most circumstances.

[kpjf]

[currentaffairs]

I agree that it is something of a grey area and not well explained. A PGCE alone doesn't automatically confer QTS. For example, a PGCE studied through distance learning doesn't provide for QTS. The NQT teacher program has to be passed for teacher status to be granted, and there is a time limit for becoming 'qualified' after finishing your PGCE.

As someone on TES said, you could have a PGCE with QTS and not be qualified to teach in the UK if you fail the induction period!

[SpaceTone]

Hi, I went back to the UK for the PGCE and NQT year after a few years TEFLing abroad and now teach in an international school.

When you're accepted and apply for funding you have to sign something stating that you will be looking to teach in the UK after the PGCE. I assume this wasn't legally binding as circumstances change, people decide its not for them etc, but the expectation is there that the funding is in exchange for working in the UK.
Also, to receive any funding you have to prove ordinary residency in the UK. I was eventually able to do this but it wasn't straightforward and I've heard of others being refused funding for having lived abroad.

To confirm the above posts, you do get QTS after successfully completing the PGCE, however to get full QTS you have to complete the NQT induction year. And any decent international school will require the NQT year as a minimum, and often more years.

I disagree with the post about being difficult to leave a school or getting a bad reference. I was upfront when I took my NQT job that I couldn't commit to more than a year and I got a glowing reference from there.

Keep in mind that you will need to return to the UK for a face-to-face interview and gain 5-10 days experience in a UK state school before being accepted, a condition of all PGCEs.

Happy to answer any questions, good luck!

[kpjf]

[currentaffairs]

kpjf: I think you are making some rather broad statements without proper consideration of all the contingencies and contributing factors.

1. I mentioned that a PGCE gained through distance learning would not confer QTS. This is the specific example that I gave. Sunderland has a PGCE distance learning program and it doesn't confer QTS automatically:

[SpaceTone]

I'm being pedantic, but completion of a PGCE in itself doesn't confer QTS. The university will apply to the DfE/NCTL on your behalf, and if they determine you've met all the standards they give you QTS. It's pretty much a given that if the uni passes you then you've done enough to get QTS but I think there have been rare cases where it didnt happen.

Yep, the interviews are tough, the PGCE is tough and the NQT is brutal!

[currentaffairs]

Also, the statutory induction rules were changed in Sept, 2012. Previously, you only had 16 months to work as a supply teacher, and that was extended to 5 years. After that you need to go through the induction period:

[simon44]

[kpjf]

Currentaffairs, it appears we are talking about 2 different types of PGCEs. I'm talking about the regular ones in the UK, which covers the majority of them, not distance ones.