Assessment Only

Exchange Teacher Training will be open for applications for the Assessment Only Route to QTS from June 2024, with assessment periods beginning as early as October 2024.

The Assessment Only route is for unqualified teachers who have a minimum of two years recent 'teaching'* experience, in at least two different educational settings**, across at least two consecutive age ranges***.  The assessment period takes up to 12 weeks (not including school holidays).  Candidates must be able to demonstrate that they are already meeting the Teachers' Standards without the need for any further training, which will be corroborated by leaders in their settings and our Assessment Only Route assessors. 

To be eligible for the Assessment Only Route to QTS, candidates must hold:

• GCSEs in Maths and English Language (and science for Primary) at Grade 4/C or equivalent.
• A first degree*. This does not have to be in their subject specialism.  However, candidates must be able to demonstrate that they are meeting Teacher Standard 3 and can teach their subject's curriculum across two or three age ranges to a range of abilities.

Further general information about the Assessment Only Route can be found on the Get into Teaching website here.

*Please note, a first degree does not indicate the classification of 'first-class'. A first degree comprises 300 Higher Education credit points of which 60 must be at level 6 of the QCF.

Applications

Applications must be made directly to Exchange Teacher Training and potential candidates will be invited to demonstrate their experience through a pre-assessment process.   Further details of the application, interview and assessment processes and our fee for this route will be released in Summer 2024.  

Please note that there are no financial incentives or student loans available for the Assessment Only Route.

Evidence

In the meantime, if you are thinking of applying, it is important that you have a range of evidence available for the assessment process from both settings. 'Traditional' folders with evidence against each of the Teachers' Standards will not be required and no annotation will be necessary unless you wish to do so for your own prompts.  You will need to show a 'journey' demonstrating progression of your students and yourself.  You will be expected to talk to the assessor about what you have done, what you have learnt, how you have developed and your next steps during the assessment process.   As such, it will be helpful for you to retain the following evidence to show our assessor:

• Written lesson visits/observations from a range of experienced staff such as department and school leaders, including from subject specialists.  
• Lesson planning including adaptive planning.
• Children/students' work from a range of ages and abilities demonstrating progress.
• Safeguarding and pastoral role.
• Wider role in the school such as enrichment clubs.
• Subject knowledge development.

It might also be helpful for you to work with a 'mentor' in your setting to examine your strengths and areas for development so that you can access any further support and training, to confidently ensure you are meeting all the Teachers' Standards prior to your application.

^{* For clarification, 'teaching' means taking responsibility and being accountable for your own groups of students over a period of time, planning and delivering lessons, and assessing progress.  It is not enough to have just been delivering cover lessons.}  

^{** Educational settings include any following the British National Curriculum.  Candidates must have taught in their second setting for at least 30 days.}

^{*** Age ranges include:  3-5, 5-7, 7-11, 11-14, 14-16, 16-18.}