When you’re new to teaching and start working as a supply teacher, or even before you made the jump into teaching; the different stages of the teaching career ladder can be somewhat confusing, especially the early stages. Orange Genie Education has broken down the definitions for PGCE, QTS and NQT for you below. Go ahead and have a read.

• PGCE (Post Graduate Certificate in Education) is the academic qualification that candidates receive upon completing their course. Bursaries and scholarships are available to trainees on a fee-based teacher training course in England that leads to the award of qualified teacher status. Availability is dependent on your highest relevant academic award and the subject in which you are training to teach. For more information on how much a PGCE course costs in the UK, visit here >> https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/funding-and-salary/overview
   
• QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) is what candidates must have in order to teach in schools. A candidate cannot teach in schools in the UK without QTS. The way in which a teacher achieves QTS is by meeting all 33 of the QTS standards, which they’ll need to build up evidence for throughout the PGCE year. QTS is the desired qualification or ‘status’ at the end of almost all routes into teaching.
   
• NQT (Newly Qualified Teacher) is what the candidate will be awarded once they take up their first teaching post - assuming, of course, that they pass the PGCE and are awarded QTS! Candidates also have to pass their NQT year in order to continue as a teacher - again, this involves building up evidence for another set of standards.

Starting your career as a supply teacher in the UK

There are many different routes into teaching, such as:

• ITET (Initial Teacher Education and Training) – Through a school  
   
• Direct school training programme (salaried) – Employed at a school
   
• Higher education Institution (PGCE)   

At the end of any route, assuming all the standards are met, candidates will be awarded Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and become a Newly Qualified Teacher (NQT).

Although the majority of candidates starting a career in teaching are new graduates, teaching is also an increasingly attractive choice for those wishing for a career change. Age is no barrier to training. 

If you'd like to learn more about how Orange Genie Education can help you with working as a supply teacher please call 01296 468 483 or email education@orangegenie.com.