What is the Assessment Only Route?
The Assessment Only Route is a new approach to the awarding of Qualified Teacher Status. Applied over a six to 12 week period, applicants, with the support of their school, provide evidence of meeting the Teachers’ Standards (DFE, 2012) to the same robust and rigorous criteria applied to PGCE and School-led trainees of St Mary’s University.
The significant difference is that all applicants are currently employed as teachers (unqualified) in schools, with a minimum of two years’ teaching experience.
There are no taught academic requirements and there is no provision of training by St Mary’s in the Assessment Only Route. Applicants are assessed as meeting entry requirements (matched to PGCE and school-led provision) and are able to demonstrate that they are already meeting the Teachers’ Standards, or are not accepted on the Assessment Only Route.
How long should the Assessment Only Route take?
The Assessment Only Route must be completed within 12 weeks. Candidates and their supporting schools should note that the recommendation for the award of QTS is made shortly after the programme has been completed..
Who can apply?
Teachers who wish to gain the award of QTS through the Assessment Only Route might include experienced graduate teachers who have experience of teaching across two age phases and ability settings in at least two school contexts and who are:
- currently teaching in schools
- trained to teach overseas
- trained to teach in the further education sector
- teaching in the independent school sector
- teaching in international school sector (additional conditions may apply).
When to apply?
Applications are accepted throughout the year.
Is my teaching experience appropriate?
Teaching experience may include voluntary/unpaid work as well as employed teaching experience. Applicants must be able to demonstrate meeting all the Teachers’ Standards for the award of QTS.
Applicants must demonstrate that they have had the opportunity in both of their school settings to gain suitable and sustained experience in planning, teaching, and assessing in:
- a school that delivers the English national curriculum
- examination syllabi
- recording and reporting to parents
- teaching pupils of all abilities and from differing backgrounds across at least two age phases.
Documentary evidence must be available.
A significant proportion of this teaching experience should be recent (within the last 24 months). St Mary’s University will make a decision regarding the relevance of teaching experience based on individual circumstances.
My teaching experience is mostly in the further education sector. Can I apply for the Assessment Only Route?
Applicants must show they have appropriate experience of teaching across two age phases in at least two school/further education settings. Applicants predominantly based in further education settings must demonstrate sustained and substantial opportunities of teaching in Key Stage 4 age phase contexts.
My teaching experience is mostly in the special educational needs sector – can I apply for the Assessment Only Route?
Applicants must show they can meet the Teachers’ Standards across two age phases, encompassing a range of assessments and teaching and learning approaches. Applicants’ experience of assessment, teaching, and planning must take account of physical ages as well as developmental ages.
Applicants must demonstrate they have sufficient and appropriate experience in their chosen age phases. Applicants should undertake a second school experience in a mainstream setting to support their evidence for the Teachers’ Standards.
Why must I have taught in a second school setting?
The DFE requires all applicants to have worked in a minimum of two school settings before applying for the Assessment Only Route.
St Mary’s University requires applicants to have undertaken a minimum of six weeks’ teaching in their second setting prior to application. However, the applicant must also demonstrate that they have had enough experience to fully meet all the Teachers’ Standards in that second setting. This may include opportunities to teach pupils from diverse backgrounds as well as gaining experience of different teaching and learning pedagogies, varying school organisations and distinctive leadership and management approaches.
Teaching experience in this second setting may be less recent than within the last 12 months (see Is my teaching experience appropriate?).
What should my timetable look like?
Applicants must demonstrate that they have the opportunity to teach across the two age phases (consecutive) for which they are being assessed, and their timetable for the period of assessment must show this. Applicants should teach a minimum of 50% and a maximum of 80% of an experienced teacher’s timetable for the duration of the assessment period.
Applicants must have the opportunity to work with adults other than teachers, pupils across the ability range within the school, and in the pastoral setting of the school. Secondary applicants’ timetables are expected to provide 80% of their teaching commitment to be in their specialist subject.
Overseas Trained Teachers (OTTs) and international applicants
OTTs are people who have qualified as teachers in a country outside of the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland. The Education (Specified Work) (England) Regulations 2012 allow teachers qualified in a country outside of the UK to teach in state-maintained schools and nonmaintained special schools in England without qualified teacher status (QTS) for up to four years.
OTTs who have exceeded this four-year rule can still be employed in maintained schools and the non-maintained special schools as instructors. In this context they are eligible to apply for the Assessment Only Route. Prior teaching experience in an international setting is accepted provided the applicant has had the experience and opportunity to demonstrate meeting the Teachers’ Standards.
UK ENIC is the designated United Kingdom national agency for the recognition and comparison of international qualifications and skills. International applicants should request a statement of comparability through UK ENIC.
What support should my school be giving me?
The applicant must provide a letter from their headteacher confirming the school’s commitment to supporting the applicant. The headteacher is asked to provide the assessment of the applicant’s strengths and overall suitability for a career in teaching, in addition to indicating why the school is judging the applicant ready for their final assessment. This evaluation should be referenced to the Teachers’ Standards.
Headteachers must confirm that they have seen all original certificates pertaining to applicant’s qualifications.
All schools will be asked to sign the Assessment Only Route Partnership Agreement, which reflects the commitment of both St Mary’s University and the school. Schools must commit to providing a school-based mentor who has undergone ITT mentor training and who will hold weekly meetings with the applicant to support them in meeting and evidencing the Teachers’ Standards, as well as providing supporting evidence through lesson observations.
Continuing professional development and your ECT induction year
All applicants who are recommended for the award of QTS become Early Career Teachers (ECTs). This applies to those taking the Assessment Only Route. All schools should note the ECT requirements before agreeing to support candidates for the award of QTS.
Further information on the ECT induction year can be found on the DfE website.