Current trainees who fail one or more of the skills tests have not met the qualified teacher status (QTS) standards and cannot be recommended for the award of QTS. You cannot take qualified teacher employment but can be employed as an instructor or in a support staff capacity. This includes work as a teaching assistant or higher level teaching assistant. If you are not a current trainee and haven't passed the skills tests, the changes have slightly different implications depending on when you were due to be awarded QTS.
If you were due to be awarded QTS between 1 May 2000 and 30 April 2008
You should have passed the numeracy test to complete your induction by 27 April 2007. If you have not passed the test, you cannot teach in maintained schools or non-maintained special schools. You can be employed as an instructor or in a support staff capacity. This includes work as a teaching assistant or a higher level teaching assistant.
Before you can teach, you must pass the test to complete your induction.
If you were due to be awarded QTS between 1 May 2001 and 30 April 2002
You should have passed the numeracy and literacy tests. If you were originally only required to pass the numeracy and literacy tests but failed to do so by 30 April 2002, you must also pass the information and communications technology test (ICT). To continue teaching, you must pass the tests and be recommended for QTS by 31 August 2008.
If you don’t pass the tests by the deadline, you cannot teach in maintained schools or non-maintained special schools. You can be employed as an instructor or work in a support staff capacity. This includes work as a teaching assistant or higher level teaching assistant. You can continue to take the tests and if you pass you will be eligible to teach again and begin induction.
If you were due to be awarded QTS from 1 May 2002 onwards
To continue teaching, you must pass the tests and be recommended for QTS by 31 August 2008.
If you don’t pass all the tests by the deadline, you cannot teach in maintained schools or non-maintained special schools. You can be employed as an instructor or work in a support staff capacity. This includes work as a teaching assistant or higher level teaching assistant. You can continue to take the tests and if you pass you will be eligible to teach again and begin induction.
See also
