Qualify to teach community languages
Teaching in mainstream schools in England is a graduate profession, with teachers expected to hold Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). QTS is awarded at the end of an initial teacher training (ITT) programme or course to candidates meeting all 33 of the professional standards set by the Training and Development Agency (TDA); an increasing range of routes to QTS are available. The QTS award must then be ratified following an induction period, in most cases, of one year as a Newly Qualified Teacher (NQT) working in a school.

For more information visit the Our Languages website.

Routes to QTS in community languages
The Qualify to teach community languages leaflet (pdf, 260kb) is a good starting point for any teacher of a community language considering teacher training in England.

You will find inside information and guidance on:

• Recognition of existing qualifications
• Enhancing your suitability for training
• Background to teaching community languages in England
• Undergraduate routes
• Bachelor degree with QTS / Bachelor of Education
• Registered Teacher Programme (RTP)
• Postgraduate routes
• Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE)
• School-centred initial teacher training (SCITT)
• Postgraduate routes (employment-based):
• Graduate Teacher Programme (GTP)
• Overseas Trained Teacher Programme (OTTP)
• QTS-only (Assessment-based Training)
• Student finance
• Useful contact details
  

Download the leaflet above or request a hard copy from the CILT enquiry service. Please note that information is liable to change, and individual applications may be considered on a case-by-case basis, so do check directly with the TDA, course providers and/or Directgov once you have identified a route appropriate to you.

Finance
Current finance information for each type of teacher training course can be accessed by clicking the relevant link on the left.

Useful web links
You may find these shortcuts to web links in the Qualify to teach community languages leaflet useful.

• CILT Cymru (Wales)
• CILT – Enquiry service (email)
• CILT – primary pages
• Every Language Matters (pdf, 151kb) 
• Graduate Teacher Training Registry (GTTR)
• General Teaching Council for England (GTCE)
• Institute for Learning (FE and AE)
• Modern Language Extension/Subject Knowledge Enhancement courses
• NARIC
• Northern Ireland CILT
• Our Languages
• Our Languages: Teachers in Supplementary Schools and their Aspirations to Teach Community Languages
• Pre-QTS Teacher Training for community languages leaflet (pdf, 370kb)
• Primary Languages Training Zone
• Refugees into Teaching
• Scottish CILT
• Subject Knowledge Enhancement (SKE)
• Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA)
• TDA – EBITT providers
• TDA – GTP route
• TDA – OTTP route
• TDA – PGCE route
• TDA – QTS-only route
• TDA – RTP route
• TDA – SCITT route
• TDA Teaching Information Line
• TDA – Undergraduate routes
• Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS)
• University of Gloucestershire (QTS-only route)

PGCE courses with community languages options (data as per 2008-09)
CILT Information Sheet 9 on training to teach languages in secondary education lists ITT courses in languages across the UK. The grid below supplements the Qualify to teach community languages guidance leaflet by detailing PGCE courses available in England in 2008-09 which focus on, or can include, one or more community language(s).

Please note that some courses only provide for community languages in a subsidiary capacity; i.e. a commonly taught language such as French may be required as the main teaching language. Contact individual institutions for more details.

Research into ITT provision
Two recent research reports highlight some of the barriers to teachers of community languages accessing ITT, as well as the opportunities:

• Every Language Matters  - Ofsted, Feb 2008 (pdf, 151kb)
• Our Languages: Teachers in Supplementary Schools and their Aspirations to Teach Community Languages - IPSE, March 2008 (pdf, 364kb)

The World Languages strategy from the TDA, announced in January 2009 and currently under development, is likely to change this landscape dramatically over the next few years. Its impact should be felt across the children’s workforce, including both HLTA qualifications and CPD opportunities as well as initial teacher training.