Course Info
Qualified Teacher Status is the United Kingdom' s professional accreditation for teaching. It is often required by schools in the UK. The University of Buckingham is one of the leading providers of programmes leading to recommendation for QTS.
The Assessment Only Route is a fast-track route (with a 12-week assessment period) to gain Qualified Teacher Status. It is aimed at teachers with two or more years’ teaching experience or those who have completed the International or Independent PGCE with The University of Buckingham, and who require no further training in order to demonstrate that they are meeting all Teachers' Standards.
Applications are welcome from teachers who do not hold Qualified Teacher Status, currently teaching in a school in the UK or abroad, providing they meet the necessary criteria. Schools may be state-maintained or independent. International schools abroad must be following the English national curriculum or the International Baccalaureate.
Course content
The AO Route consists of three assessment processes:
- Initial assessment of candidate' s eligibility for the route using CV, timetable and an audit of teaching experience.
- Completion and return of documentation required to evidence meeting of teaching standards. The candidate will also be required to produce a Teaching and Learning File (TLF.) The file is used by the candidate to showcase evidence over time in meeting the Teachers’ standards and serves as a portfolio of evidence in support of them passing these.
- Two assessment visits to the candidate' s school.
In order to assess many of the criteria for the award of QTS, during the initial assessment day the Tutor will interview the candidate, hold meetings with the candidate's line manager, mentor and the school's professional tutor, conduct at least 3 lesson observations and will scrutinize the candidate's planning, marking, report writing and professional development. The candidate will also be required to produce a Teaching & Learning File (TLF). This serves as a portfolio of evidence in support of the candidate’s application for passing the Teachers' Standards. The file is used by the candidate to showcase evidence over time in meeting the Teachers' Standards.
There is no deadline for Assessment Only applications, as the AO programme will commence at any time, once a candidate has provided all the entry paperwork, and it has been approved by the Programme Lead. The 12 week assessment period can start any time in the academic year from the start of September up to the end of March. The assessment period itself must be no more than 12 weeks from the date of the initial visit, and cannot run into, or over, the summer holiday period.