Job Discussion Forums

Dunk · Joined: 05 Apr 2005 Posts: 16 Location: Bangkok

Hi,

Does anyone know how much weight is carried by having Qualified Teacher Status from the UK as regards getting a job in an International school ? Put another way - would they demand a PGCE qualification too ?

It is possible to get paid, train in a school, and attain QTS only on the GTP course in UK so I am considering it. However, I'd like to know if only having QTS with 4 years EFL experience ( 2 in Thailand ) will be enough to return to Thailand and get a decent position.

If the PGCE is essential, I'll have to do that, but the GTP course is better for me.

Any advice much appreciated !

D.

massivegeoff · Joined: 16 Dec 2004 Posts: 43 Location: thailand

i'm in a similar situation dunk...i'm afraid that as far as i'm aware the PGCE matters more than QTS for the thai government. you know how they are about pieces of paper. what the school thinks is another matter. i can tell you that at my school we require either a pgce OR three years efl at a school (as opposed to a cnetre). apparently someone with only QTS and not enough experience applied a while ago and was rebuffed by the ministry! Sad

personally i applied for a primary pgce and seem to be failing to get on because i have no uk experience (the last five years in thailand TEACHING apparently don't count, as opposed to 10 days OBSERVING in a uk school which does! Evil or Very Mad

how did you go about applying for a GTP? are you finding it tough? reading all these guys on tes complaining about how hard things are, i don't know whether they are the perpetual whingers or whether it really is that stressfull. (can it be more stressful than working at a thai school?)

Dunk · Joined: 05 Apr 2005 Posts: 16 Location: Bangkok

Hi geoff,

Sorry for late reply - been busy looking up PGCE courses !

Anyway, the GTP is one where you have to approach schools yourself and see if they have any budget or vacancies for a trainee teacher. This will give you QTS after the first year, upon completion and passing of a national profiency test to make sure new teachers are well rounded in all subjects. I guess a good covering letter and CV to the schools would be the first step.

I'm swaying towards the full-on PGCE though to cover all bases.

I can believe working in a UK school would be stressful to be honest but you've got to give it a go eh ?!

Cheers, Dunk.