Overseas teachers information

Teaching in the UK is limited to those with appropriate qualifications and visas. Teachers in Britain and the European Union are granted Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) automatically if they have completed one of the following:

• Bachelor of Education degree
• Certificate of education
• Post Graduate Certificate of Education
• Graduate Teacher Programme

A completed induction year is also a requirement. If you are from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa or Canada you will not have QTS. However in general British Schools do appreciate that the qualifications you have achieved equip you to teach effectively in our schools.

Teachers who trained outside of the EEA and who are not nationals of an EEA member state can work for up to four years in England as a temporary teacher without the need for Qualified Teacher Status.

If you would like more information contact the General Teaching Council for England: http://www.gtce.org.uk/

Adapting to English Schools
It is important to understand that for a long-term position you will usually need to be interviewed by a Head Teacher so it is difficult to be placed in longer term work while still overseas.

It is vital for an overseas teacher to be able to demonstrate the ability to adapt to the cultural differences in the classroom, have appropriate skills in classroom management and knowledge of national curriculum standards. Regardless of where you come from it is essential that your communication skills in English are good so that you can communicate clearly with the children.

Permission to Work

• European Economic Area
  A teacher who is a national within the European Economic Area and has qualified as a state school teacher in an EEA Country does not need permission to work and can be employed on the same basis as a U.K. national.
   
• Commonwealth
  Some Commonwealth nationals may work full-time without a work permit, if a parent or grand parent was born in the U.K.
  
  Commonwealth nationals who have been admitted to the U.K. as working holidaymakers, may take casual work without the need for a work permit (they will be granted a working holiday visa). This means that they can work as a supply (temporary) teacher on a part-time basis for most of one year. On expiry of their working holiday visa they will not be permitted to continue working in the U.K. without a full work permit.