Qualified Teacher Status

 

Background

GTCW is responsible for the notification of award of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) in Wales, on behalf of the Welsh Assembly Government.

The main ways to gain QTS in Wales are as follows:

• completion of a course of teacher training at an accredited institution in Wales; (see www.teachertrainingwales.org for the list of training establishments);
  
• teachers who are recognised as qualified teachers in Scotland, Northern Ireland, or any other country within the European Economic Area (EEA) can apply for direct recognition of their status in Wales and the appropriate application forms are available to download from the links below;
  

  QTS recognition in Wales for teachers from Scotland (PDF 35k)

  QTS recognition in Wales for teachers from Northern Ireland (PDF 38k)

  QTS recognition in Wales for teachers from EEA countries (PDF 65k)
  
  Upon receipt of any of the above application forms, GTCW will assess the application against the Regulations governing the award of QTS and, if awarded, GTCW will issue the applicant with a teacher reference number and QTS certificate. If the application for QTS is declined the applicant will be notified in writing

• teachers who have been recommended for QTS by the States of Guernsey Education Council can also apply for direct recognition of their status in Wales;
  
• completion of employment based training under the Graduate Teacher Programme (GTP);
  
  Much of the administration for the GTP is undertaken by the Welsh Assembly Government; however, the award of QTS is confirmed by GTCW. At the end of the programme, if the candidate has met the QTS standards, the recommending body (usually the school) will complete a recommendation for QTS form and submit this to GTCW to enable us to issue the candidate with a teacher reference number and a certificate confirming the award of QTS. (information regarding the GTP is available at www.teachertrainingwales.org/alternative.htm )
  
• QTS can also be awarded for certain further education qualified teachers or certain teachers with independent school experience, however the regulations governing the award of QTS in these cases are very detailed and specific. Teachers interested in obtaining QTS in this way should contact the Council for further information.

Information for initial teacher education and training institutions and persons undertaking courses of initial teacher education and training in Wales

In order for the Council to issue QTS certificates to those students who successfully complete their course of teacher training at a Welsh establishment the process is as follows:

• each year the Council receives the details of all those students due to complete their teacher training course, in the current academic year, directly from the teacher training institutions;
  
• each student is then allocated a unique teacher reference number which is retained by them throughout their teaching career. They are officially notified of the number by GTCW via a letter which the course administrators distribute on the Council’s behalf.
  
• after all course results are verified by the relevant examination board, each teacher training institute in Wales submit the results to GTCW confirming that QTS should be awarded to successful students.
  
• GTCW will issue a certificate awarding QTS for each successful student and these are issued on 1st August.
  
• final year students and NQTs are also advised to read the details headed “Registration information for final year students and NQTs” under the Registration section of this website.

Contacts

For any matters concerning the award of QTS, please contact the Qualifications and Registration Team using any of the following media:

• Address - General Teaching Council for Wales, 4th Floor, Southgate House, Wood Street, Cardiff, CF10 1EW
• Telephone - 029 20550350
• Facsimile - 029 20550360
• E-mail - registration@gtcw.org.uk

For information regarding entry onto either a course of ITET or an employment based route which award QTS in Wales please visit www.teachertrainingwales.org.