Provisional (Conditional) Registration (teacher)

Where an applicant does not fully meet one or more of the criteria for registration for teachers qualified outside Scotland or for Professional Registration (as set out in GTC Scotland’s Registration and Standards Rules) GTC Scotland may grant Provisional (Conditional) Registration.

What is Provisional (Conditional) Registration?

This type of registration means that the applicant’s registration is subject to specified conditions which must be met within the stated period of time.

Should the conditions not be met within the period of time specified their registration will be removed and they will not be permitted to re-register until the conditions have been met.

This type of registration may also include a period of probationary service, depending on the applicant’s previous teaching service.

Who is eligible for this type of registration?

Applicants for initial registration who qualified outside Scotland

The baseline for consideration for Provisional (Conditional) Registration is:

  • the applicant has a UK degree or a qualification equivalent to a UK degree (for Secondary teachers this should include study of the applicant’s teaching subject area up to at least 40 SCQF credit points);
  • the applicant is deemed by GTC Scotland to have met the Standard for Provisional Registration (SPR) following completion of an academic, credit bearing, initial teacher education programme; and
  • the shortfall is not so large that it would be unrealistic for the applicant to meet the required condition(s) within a period of 3 years.

Applicants for Professional Registration who are already fully registered with GTC Scotland

The baseline for consideration for Provisional (Conditional) Registration is:

  • the applicant has completed study of the additional subject in which registration is sought up to at least 40 Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) credit points.

What condition(s) will apply?

The condition(s) that will apply will depend on the particular shortfalls that are identified in the applicant’s own case.

Great care will be taken in setting conditions. They will be specific, achievable, measurable and will require to be satisfied within a specified time period.

Some possible examples would be:

  • an applicant who meets the Teacher Education criteria for registration in (Secondary Education) Mathematics but has study of Mathematics in their degree up to only 40 SCQF credit points at SCQF level 7, would be required to meet the condition of completing study of Mathematics up to 40 SCQF credit points at SCQF level 8 within 3 years of registration;
  • an applicant who meets the Academic Study and Teacher Education criteria for registration in (Secondary Education) Modern Foreign Languages (French), but has not met the foreign residence requirement for teachers of that language, would be required to meet the residence requirement within 3 years of registration.

Please note that we do not accept employment based routes to QTS for Provisional (Conditional) Registration.

How does Provisional (Conditional) Registration work in practice?

Once your application has been assessed, your Case Assessor will issue you with a decision letter. This letter will include:

  • the shortfalls which have been identified in your qualifications;
  • what conditions you will need to meet in order to bring your qualifications into line with GTC Scotland’s registration requirements;
  • what the time limit will be for meeting these conditions (this will be no more than 3 years).

In the case of applicants for initial registration (qualified outside Scotland), you will be contacted regarding payment of the initial registration fee and, once this has been paid, you will become registered with GTC Scotland.

Your GTC Scotland record will show that you hold Provisional (Conditional) Registration and what the conditions on your registration are. Although employing authorities will have access to this information via the Search the Register facility, you will also be expected to make any prospective employers aware of your registration status.        

Once you have met the conditions on your registration, and provided GTC Scotland with evidence of this, either your registration will be updated to Provisional Registration and you will be advised of any probationary teaching service that you may still require to complete, or to Full Registration.