PGCE without QTS - worth it?

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Phaethon
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Aug 20, 2022 5:58 pm

PGCE without QTS - worth it?

Post by Phaethon »

Hello,

I have been teaching in a UK independent secondary school for a year, following a PhD. I'm looking at various teacher training options, and notice that some universities offer a 'PGCE without QTS'. It seems significantly less onerous than the government-funded teaching apprenticeship, which comes with both QTS and PGCE but at the cost of pretty hefty training day schedule (+ a temporary placement in another school), which would require missing quite a few lessons, which I don't like.

Since I am thinking of going international at some point, how important is QTS to international schools? (particularly interested in Asia, for family reasons) Do they generally expect QTS, or is a PGCE qualification enough?

Thanks in advance!
PsyGuy
Posts: 10789
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

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Post by PsyGuy »

A little background on terms. In IE the types of documents include: certificates, qualifications, credentials, and licenses. Certificate are pieces of paper that document some claim or statement of the provider. A qualification is a certificate that at a certain time and place the bearer completed a set of requirements against a standard successfully. Degrees are qualifications as are various certificate programs offered by Unis that are less than a degree such as a PGCE. Credentials are recognition by an organizational body that admit and acknowledge and individual as a member of the (edu) profession. QTS is a credential, registration in various countries such as AUS (and S.Africa) are credentials as are state DOE documents in the US and Provincial documents in CAN. Licenses are authorization by a regulating authority for the individual to provide instructional services in regulated (public/maintained) K12/KS institutions.
A PGCE is a (academic) qualification. Its equivalent to a year of graduate study at the Masters level with an emphasis on the practitioner dimension in the scholar/practitioner model. To obtain a credential such as QTS you need to complete an EPP/ITT (Educator Preparation Program/Initial Teacher Training) program. In times long past the EPP/ITT program was a very internal and entwined part of PGCE program, so much so that the two became synonymous with one another. Presently thats not the case. Various Unis have created academic PGCE programs such as PGCEi that do not incorporate an EPP/ITT program and do not result in the eligibility for QTS. Recently, Unis have dropped the "i" part of PGCEi to escape the stigma that comes with PGCEi programs. That doesnt mean they are bad, many ITs are using PGCE qualifications without a credential to work in IE. What this means is that while many ISs (especially third tier ISs) are perfectly happy with a PGCE or its equivalent many of them equate a PGCE with QTS and assume if you have one you have the other (even though both can exist independently of the other). Make no mistake though a PGCE or a M.Ed or anything else is not a substitute for a credential. This is what ISs really mean when they state possession of a teaching license. Its more difficult to envision a scenario in the US system where a credential doesnt equal a license (PA is an example, some Charter DS credentials are another), but England provides a readily demonstrable comparison. You enroll in a Uni PGCE program complete the program which includes as part an ITT program with QTS as an ECT and after 2 years are unfortunately unsuccessful at Induction. The PGCE is a qualification, QTS is the credential and despite being unsuccessful you still keep your QTS but you are subject to a barring order that prohibits you from providing instructional services in a regulated institution, making you unlicensed.

The best option is the one that includes a credential. A credential will provide the most options especially when looking at options in higher tiers and even mid tier ISs. Even lower tiers. There are simply ISs that wont hire an IT even with a doctorate if they dont have a credential either for regulatory or accreditation reasons.

However, I would suggest you look at QTS options more deeply. I find it exceptionally unlikely that there isnt an ITT QTS program that wouldnt let you use your current DS to complete your field experience, assuming your DS is agreeable. Failing that, QTS isnt the only option for a credential. You could do the online Sunderland academic PGCE and be eligible for the HK RT credential which is a standard grade credential of the same grade QTS is. There are options outside the UK available as well.
Phaethon
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Aug 20, 2022 5:58 pm

Re: PGCE without QTS - worth it?

Post by Phaethon »

Thank you for your detailed reply. I guess the bottom line is that QTS is always the best option. Might just bite the bullet then.
PsyGuy
Posts: 10789
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

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Post by PsyGuy »

@Phaethon

QTS or a credential isnt always the best option. The third tier is really big, and many ITs are content traveling and moving through various lower tier ISs. Many of them especially third tier floaters can be very nice places to work. A not insignificant number of ISs do not require a credential.
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