Provisional registration now required for all overseas trained teachers

published:01 Sep 2009

Overseas trained teachers (OTTs) make a valuable contribution to the teaching profession in England. A change to the GTC’s regulations means that from 1 September 2009 OTTs teaching in a maintained school or a non-maintained special school must be provisionally registered with the GTC.

There is currently no charge for provisional registration.

What is the definition of an OTT?
Any teacher who has successfully completed a professional teacher training course overseas but does not have qualified teacher status (QTS) in England  is an OTT. The OTT’s professional qualifications must be recognised by the relevant teaching authority in the country in which they trained.

What does this provisional registration change mean?
It means that OTTs can work as an unqualified teacher in England, providing they are provisionally registered with the GTC, for up to four years. By the end of that period they will be expected to have gained QTS.

The GTC will monitor this four-year period and contact the OTTs to remind them of the deadline and encourage them to obtain QTS. Provisionally-registered teachers can be subject to both competence and conduct hearings.

How can an OTT obtain QTS?
OTTs who trained within the European Economic Area (EEA) can apply to the GTC to be recognized as a qualified teacher in England. See the EA1 application form for more details.

Teachers who trained outside of Europe should complete the Overseas Trained Teacher programme run by the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA).).

How does the new rule benefit the general public?
Not only does provisional registration with the GTC give the teacher access to career-enhancing opportunities such as continuing professional development through the Teacher Learning Academy (TLA) and access to the GTC’s professional networks , it also offers many benefits for general public:

• the assurance that provisionally-registered teachers meet the standards of the GTC, their professional body
• the knowledge that the teachers can be subject to fair competence and conduct hearings, in the case of any professional misconduct
• the security that provisionally-registered teachers are supported and monitored in their journey towards obtaining QTS.

Other changes
From 1 September instructors who teach in a maintained school, non-maintained special school or pupil referral unit will also need to be provisionally registered. Provisional registration is already required for trainee teachers.