Teaching Qualification (Independent Sector)

Entry requirements

• Applicants must hold an undergraduate degree and be currently employed as a teacher in an independent school in Scotland.
• Prior to applying for the programme, participants should have the support of their head teacher/principal.
• Participants will be required to hold Provisional (Conditional) Registration with the GTCS before they begin the final module of the programme.

Months of entry

September

Course content

The PGDE Teaching Qualification (Independent Sector)* is specifically for teachers working in Independent Schools in Scotland, who currently do not possess a formal teaching qualification and are therefore not eligible for Full Registration with the General Teaching Council of Scotland (GTCS). The programme has been co-designed with the Scottish Council for Independent Schools (SCIS) to offer a contextualised route for teaching staff in Independent Schools in Scotland, to enable them to achieve a GTCS-accredited Initial Teacher Education award, which meets the conditions outlined by GTCS in response to their application for Full Registration.

This new programme is contemporary in structure and aims to develop and enhance classroom practice while equipping participants with an enquiring stance in education. It promotes collaborative engagement and enables participants to engage in relevant, professional learning over 2 years on a part-time, on-line basis which takes cognisance of the current and future demands on those in the teaching profession.

*subject to re-accreditation

Special features

• The programme leads to full GTCS registration, for those participants who hold the required GTCS academic qualifications, allowing teachers the option to progress their career in the independent or maintained sector.
• Participants who complete the programme will have achieved 120 masters credits with the option to undertake further study (60 credits) to achieve a full Masters degree in Education.
• The programme is generic and offers flexibility thus ensuring it is equally relevant to the primary and secondary contexts.
• The programme acknowledges the teaching experience and prior professional learning of participants.