Important Policies for Teachers Qualified Outside of Scotland

Details of specific policies affecting applications for registration from teachers qualified outside of Scotland can be found below. Please be aware that this is not an exhaustive list and policies affecting registration are subject to continual review by the Council.

Routes to teaching not accepted in Scotland:

This is not an exhaustive list and you should read carefully the qualification information on the Eligibility page.

• Teach First (without PGCE)
• QTS assessment only routes
• The Overseas Trained Teacher Programme (OTTP)
• The Graduate Teacher Programme (GTP)

GTP holders may obtain registration with us by completing the Bespoke PGDE programme at Aberdeen University. You must meet Aberdeen University's entrance requirements and complete a professional interview to obtain a place on the course. Upon completion of this course you will be eligible for provisional registration with GTC Scotland and required to complete the full probationary period via the Flexible Route.

This option is currently only available to Primary Education GTP holders. However, Aberdeen University are also developing a Bespoke PGDE programme for Secondary GTP holders in all subjects except Physical Education, Technological Education and Art & Design.

Full details can be obtained by emailing Leigh Bjorkvoll at Aberdeen University on l.bjorkvoll@abdn.ac.uk.

Narrow Age Range Teaching Qualifications

If your teaching qualification did not cover the full primary (3-12 years) or secondary (12-18 years) age range you may still be eligible for registration with GTC Scotland.

GTC Scotland policy relating to narrow age range teaching qualifications has recently been reviewed in light of research carried out on aspects of these teaching qualifications. The Professional Learning and Development Department considered these teaching qualifications in terms of our Standard for Full Registration (SFR) and were satisfied that holders of middle years and other partial age range teaching qualifications will have shown adequate commitment to the following two key elements of the SFR:

• Professional skills and ability
• Professional values and personal commitment

Taking this into account, the Council decided that, provided that all other criteria had been met, holders of such qualifications could be considered for provisional registration with a period of probationary service within the part of the age range not covered by the original teaching qualification.

60 Day Probation Period

Teachers who do not have Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) or equivalent in England, Wales or Northern Ireland and who have not successfully completed an induction year in the UK will always be required to complete a period of 60 days probationary service in a Scottish school.

Additional Support Needs (ASN)

The Scottish initial teaching qualification is a mainstream qualification and therefore a specialist teaching qualifications in ASN does not lead to initial registration with GTC Scotland unless you hold recognition as a fully qualified ASN teacher in another EU/EEA member state (i.e. outside of the UK) and are entitled to registration under European law.

Teachers must first obtain full registration in a mainstream category (either primary education or a secondary subject) and then work towards professional registration/recognition in ASN via the Framework for Professional Recognition/Registration.

Languages Teachers Qualified Outside of the UK

In order to register in one of the Modern Foreign Languages categories e.g. French, German, Spanish, your initial teaching qualification must relate to teaching Modern Foreign Languages. A teaching qualification teaching a language to native speakers of that language will not be acceptable. Similarly, teachers with an initial teaching qualification teaching English to non-native speakers will not obtain registration in English but Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL).

Please note that TESOL is not a standard registration category in Scotland and that English is normally taught as a native language in Scottish schools.