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Relocation could be daunting if you are not prepared.
- Education system is different
- If it is possible to get into a London school before you start, it might help. Get a better idea of the exam system, the pastoral system and your subject content in the curriculum. Ask St Mary’s to help with this.
- Start networking. This will come easy when the course starts but it might be nice to have ‘others’.
- Initially, you may only be looking at this as a three-year project. Be prepared you might want to stay a little longer
- Start organising early
- Think about shared accommodation, rather than living on your own
- Contact the university accommodation team: accommodation@stmarys.ac.uk
- We host an online accommodation platform called StudentPad
- Liaise with the St Mary’s Admissions team early
- Have you lived out of the UK for any period of six months (or longer) within the last five years?
- Start collecting Garda Vetting from various countries they have resided in as soon as possible!
- Think how you can set up a UK bank account. St Mary’s might be able to help
- For the DBS clearance, you will need to provide proof of your UK address as early as possible.
- This takes planning an organisation, the process can take a while
- Register with Teaching Council (RoI)
- See document: PPQA-01 from the Teaching Council of Ireland
- Complete your Master's and any other requirements
- As an example you may be required to complete a History of Irish Education module and/or subject-based modules for teaching.
The Early Career Framework (ECF) in England will be introduced by the Department for Education to all English schools in readiness for September 2021.
New teachers in their first position will be called an Early Career Teacher (ECT). This will replace the present 'Newly Qualified Teacher' terminology. The ECF is a two-year induction programme with a release from timetable of 10% in year one and 5% in year two.
You will have a mentor appointed for each year. It is expected that there will be significant benefits to a two-year structured programme of continuing professional development (CPD). We also hope that by your second year as an ECT you will give consideration to Master's modules run by St Mary's to support the return to your home country.
Trainees from the Republic of Ireland should be aware of the ruling below from the Irish General Teaching Council. This was received by St Mary's University in March 2021 through our Careers office.
Fully qualified teachers who have qualified outside of the Republic of Ireland are eligible to apply for registration with the Teaching Council. All applications from teachers who qualified abroad are processed in line with the EU Directive 2005/36/EC and are assessed in the same manner, regardless of whether they qualified within or outside the EU.
A person deemed to be a fully qualified teacher has completed a recognised teacher education qualification and programme of induction in the country in which they qualified and can provide an official letter from the relevant teacher registration body/ Competent Authority or Ministry of Education confirming recognition as a fully qualified teacher in the State/ country. In order to evidence full qualification as a teacher in England, applicants must submit evidence of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and successful completion of Induction from the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) in England.
The TRA have made us aware that, from September 2021, early career teachers undergoing statutory induction in England will have an entitlement to a two-year training and support programme underpinned by the Early Career Framework (ECF). They have confirmed that from September 2021, induction will formally conclude at the end of this two-year period, when NQTs will be assessed against the Teachers’ Standards.
From a St Mary's University perspective, nothing has changed for our RoI PGCE trainees as we have always advocated that applicants should view their commitment as a minimum of three years. That said, please contact us if you would like to know more about the ECT and the possible implications on your commitment to train to teach in England.
- Knew of close Irish connection through those who previously completed their PGCE here
- Very community base which was clear from the interview process
- Opportunity to teach in an exciting multicultural city with a range of schools
- Good Irish community in this area
- My father and aunt were Principals in Ireland and they recommended St Mary's to me.
- The course itself was rated ‘outstanding’ by OFSTED
- I loved the campus and the idea of being a student on campus again.
- The location was very convenient with the train line (Strawberry Hill & Twickenham).
- Money - To become a maths teacher in Ireland it would have taken me 3 years and cost me approximately €6000. By studying in St Mary’s it took me 9 months and I received a bursary for studying to become a maths teacher.
- Excellent reputation that St Marys holds - teachers that study at St Mary’s are recognised as having trained at an exceptionally high level.
- I had no issues in participating in the course.
- I made great friends, and everyone was incredibly nice I remember
- I can’t impress enough how supportive and helpful my subject tutors were throughout the course.