So who is aiming to get the iQTS?

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Smokegreynblues
Posts: 29
Joined: Thu Oct 24, 2019 9:50 pm

So who is aiming to get the iQTS?

Post by Smokegreynblues »

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.u ... t_2021.pdf


That's the link to the iQTS, giving it parity with the regular QTS. What do other teachers feel about this?

I don't know about others, but for non-licensed teachers like me, it seems like a viable solution. If it's issued by the UK gov, then it will be notarized and such by the same, which in turn can be used to enter countries that were otherwise, out of bounds, for ex say Indonesia, Taiwan, etc, where they need a valid license (I am unsure about Indonesia requirements now though). It also can be used to enter British International schools, which is what the government is aiming at. I am sure COBIS would recognize the qualification, not recognizing would feel like undermining the government authority. Also since the education ITT providers will be the same ones who provide the brick and mortar QTS, it will be interesting to see, how they manage to provide this online or overseas. It might change the landscape of British IE in the future. However, it seems like it is only a pilot program for now starting 2022.
PsyGuy
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Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

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Post by PsyGuy »

First, that is not iQTS. That is the results of a survey regarding iQTS. All thats really happened is the formation of the working group and plans for a pilot program.

Second, its not on parity with QTS. Theres some language proposing that it could be on parity with iQTS but thats not going to happen as the Dfe is going to use parliament to kill it for them, they have to, unless Dfe wants to get out of the credentialing business.

Third, the only real issue is iQTS going to be separate from QTS as it is now. If it is going to be separate and distinct than all iQTS will do is allow BSOs to increase their portion of credentialed ITs they can report. Ofsted inspectorates will likely have to recognize iQTS, but thats about it. Otherwise its just going to create a three level organization (compared to the current two levels): (A) those who have full QTS (thus have completed induction), (B) those who are ECTs (have not completed induction but have QTS) (C) those that have iQTS, and those who have iQTS are likely going to be seen as having nothing, because iQTS wont meet the definition of allowing the IT to teach in maintained/public DSs.
If they are seperate and distinct than the main difference is going to be and the difference that matters is iQTS meeting the credentialing requirements for teaching in UK maintained/pubic DSs. If that happens, as suggested by the survey results and those receiving iQTS can apply to the TRA for QTS as it is now for OTTs than iQTS just becomes another route to QTS much like AO and SchDir. Under the described scheme it would likely become the dominate pathway to QTS because induction would go away, existing as an obscure part of ITT on the books but no longer used in practice, because the OTT route to QTS exempts the IT/DT from induction. Who would do the traditional path and contend with induction when they dont have to, and who would voluntarily except iQTS when they could complete a web form and simply exchange their iQTS for QTS and side stepping induction along with it. It would, as Ive written before, cut their own throats.

Fourth, it could be used to enter BSs, but it doesnt have to. BSs currently regularly reject candidates who have full or partial QTS as it is now because they used some other route that wasnt an academic Uni provided PGCE. They can do the same with iQTS.

Fifth, just because iQTS is notarized doesnt mean any regions immigration/labor/education ministry has to accept it. They can quite easily declare iQTS is not accepted for teaching in K12/KS. Thats likely what will happen if iQTS is kept separate and distinct from QTS which is the more likely outcome.

All iQTS is likely to do is provide those with a PGCEi (since thats likely how its going to be packaged) to provide another certificate (iQTS) thats going to amount to something less than a regular credential (QTS) and boost the credentialed stats for some BSs and BSOs.
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