Talking about a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) means the education sector, specifically schools or local college in Wales or England.
Schools in UK all have to complete due diligence and vetting on suitable applicants they employ or are allowed on the school grounds on a regular basis.
Becoming a qualified teacher in Manchester or Huddersfield England you require certain qualifications and training.
Can you teach in UK schools with PGCE & No QTS?
A temporary unqualified teacher can teach in England schools with just a PGCE, although require QTS as a qualified teacher. To teach secondary or primary as qualified you need an undergraduate degree or equivalent, QTS, GTC registration, PGCE is optional, but highly useful and desired by schools.
Employed as instructor at school
For some teacher trainees they successfully completed they’re PGCE training course, but did not obtain qualified teacher status (QTS). All is not lost, as you now have experience and teaching options, certainly at secondary age level.
Should you have a PGCE but not QTS status you can work temporary as unqualified teacher and conduct training & assessment towards QTS in an English school.
Temporary working as unqualified school teacher
I personally worked in English secondary schools many years ago before I was qualified to teach. Schools hired me as “Instructor” where I taught a subject using my specialist knowledge.
Indeed, today certain English school types including academies, free schools and independent sector schools can choose to appoint an appropriate skilled & knowledgeable person as “Unqualified Teacher”.
The Bath & Wells Multi Academy Trust (hereafter referred to as the MAT) recognises that there are some particular roles within schools that may require specific skills, qualifications and knowledge which may be suited to an alternative profession to a teacher. In these instances the school may consider the appointment of an unqualified teacher.
Bath & Wells Multi Academy Trust
There’s an actual unqualified teacher pay scale for England schools that hire instructors to teach at they’re school. You’ll be paid less than a qualified teacher, although expected to do the same job, and meet the required standards as teachers qualified at the school.
Here’s another bit of reality. A school in England will appoint an unqualified teacher only on a casual/temporary basis to fill a vacant teaching position, but when a qualified teacher is hired for the position you’re no longer required, unless conducting training.
Applying for QTS after a PGCE
Let’s say you completed PGCE teacher training that didn’t offer QTS as part of the overall course and would like the option of gaining QTS to become a qualified UK school teacher.
QTS only route
With a PGCE and no QTS you can achieve the status by the QTS only route that assesses you’re skills & knowledge as a school teacher without academic study.
According to UCAS course information for School Direct
If you’re a graduate currently working as an unqualified teacher in England, you could achieve Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) via the Assessment Only route.
PGCE holders at early year, primary and secondary age level can alternatively apply for unqualified teacher job roles either directly to a school job ad or working with an agency and use the role to be assessed for QTS only.
Government Get into Teaching education website lists additional providers offering 12 weeks qualifying time for QTS only route.
School work options with a PGCE
After completing you’re PGCE without QTS maybe you started working or contemplating work at a UK school in a support role.
School teaching assistant
As a primary school teaching assistant (TA) in England you work with and support the class teacher in lessons. Level 3 TA allows you to gain further school classroom experience & occasionally cover PPA when the teacher is planning & preparing lessons.
Higher level teaching assistant (HLTA) role can be found in both secondary and primary schools in England. The role involves taking small groups for booster/intervention lessons where you prepare & deliver lessons yourself under the guidance & direction of the class subject teacher.
HLTA’s, with the schools support can complete QTS assessment only route and qualify as a school teacher in England & Wales.
Cover supervisor at secondary school
A job role where you want to work in a school classroom using your PGCE qualification and experience without being a teacher can be as a cover supervisor at an English secondary school.
The role as a cover supervisor is to cover for an absent school teacher, either teaching the class or supervising class pupils while they complete set work.
You don’t, or shouldn’t have all the planning, preparation that teachers have, although it’s not highly paid.
Head of year school pastoral role
Taking a school role as a pastoral head of year is a non classroom position, although you’re work is dealing with pupil’s behaviour issues, praise, monitoring attendance and students academic progress.
Holders of a PGCE have successful experience working with pupils in school and you could combine you’re people & trouble shooting skills to work with pupils around the school instead of in a classroom.