Exam certificates

A dbs check is to make sure that you do not have any criminal convictions.

It doesn't check whether you have the qualifications to actually teach. The school need to check that you are qualifed as a teacher (if they are going to actually pay you as one).

I have never been asked in 40 years. I have had to show evidence of postgraduate qualifications though.

No, I have never had to show them in the 30+ years since I got them. At this point I couldn’t even tell you what subjects I did! TBH now I think about it, I’ve never even need asked for proof of my degrees.

Yes, my employer asked for mine twice for some reason.

Once when I started, and another time 4 years after I'd been in another role, but I think that was incompetence on HR's part!

I also had to teach some of our staff, including those in managerial roles, level 2 Functional Skills maths as they had to have a grade C or equivalent in GCSE maths, because they either didn't get it the first time or had lost their certificate.

YANBU - I recently changed careers to teaching and having not needed certificates for the past 25 years now needed to produce them for teaching course. i had managed to get a degree and post grad qualifications plus working in a job requiring both skills plus more but still needed to show I had Maths and English GCSE from 30 years ago(!) Pretty pointless as when I did my GCSE I didn't need to know all about phonics and grammar like they do now so completely meaningless.

Couldn't find the certificates and my parents couldn't find them either and old school don't keep records back that far, so I had to order from exam board. Of course all the exam boards who did my GCSEs have been amalgamated into the new exam boards, so I just had to go from memory about which board mine might have been with and fortunately guessed right. Cost about £50 - you just get a proof of GCSEs rather than a fancy certificate for the wall but job done!

Gcse, a level, degree and teaching quals every interview.

Teachers have to have gcse English and maths

I kept mine safe until I was in my late 40s, at which point they got put into a supposedly secure storage unit (for just 3 months when we did an extension) - and the whole storage unit burnt to the ground (thanks, Shurguard Croydon).

Thought I was being OTT buying DD1 a fireproof storage box for certificates and any important papers.

I might have to take some photos as wouldn't remember the boards I sat with - kids have that easier it's all WJEC. It is daft though as DH and I both have degrees and post graduate qualifications and still have had to show GCSE certificates especially for English and maths.

I've got all mine from 1979 onwards to be honest.

I'd be shocked - as DH and I know where all ours in special folders -are and I can't think of one job that didn't want to see them - However recently did a course - cheapest way was with council scheme -one of the other women decided to take up some of the other courses maths and English GCSE because apparently last 20+ years she'd just been lying about having them - she skipped out of doing any GCSE - none of the jobs she has in last 20+ years had asked for proof.

I’ve been a Civil Servant since 1986 and haven’t needed certicates for employment purposes since then (dating back as far as 1984)
But I have undertaken further training etc and have needed certificates as eligibility to get into some of this training. Without them due to the number of years since receiving them

I’ve on occasion completed basic English/Maths tests as an alternative route to show my standard for the course or I’ve used the old dot matrix printed exams summary that was issued before the certificates were produced, and has been sat in a drawer opened once a decade etc.

Last year I needed proof of qualifications again and went into the attic, finding my old personal folder of basic work course certificates (health and safety etc) and inside that I discovered my college certificate folder as I had continued some college courses on part time day release from work (as a good little young civil servant using my further education time entitlement) and among this college folder was my previous full time college certificates and also my original school certificates.

I now have them all photographed or scanned, filed away in a folder and also as email attachments sent to myself

Mine are somewhere in the loft - maybe...?!

Have never been asked for proof of qualifications for any job in the past 35 years - but I guess if they need it you need to provide it

High time they were all available electronically online - would prevent lying too

Yes I've got mine and have had to show them for jobs a few times usually just to prove Maths and English GCSE. My company asks for them as part of the recruitment process. I have my children's safely stored as well until they move out permanently and I will hand them over!

Did you say you were involved in recruitment and didn't verify your clients qualifications? That's the very least I expect f om a recruiter.

OP, you can go through an online service to get your qualifications verified. There's a site called qualificationcheck that checks your details with the original school or exam board. I think they do the service for UK ENIC for the govt. It would be cheaper than £50 an exam but check first, that the employer will accept them

I’ve got mine (from 1992 and 1994), in a folder along with my diploma and degree. They’re in the cupboard with my son’s GCSE certificates, my daughter’s just finished uni so I had to post hers to her for job interviews. I think they’re quite important to keep safe.

Think I only ever had to show O/A levels for a role in banking - c. 40 years ago.
Generally asked for my professional qualification - I don't have it, I just provide the annual receipt for professional membership, and a link to the register of members.

I don't have mine from mid 80's either. I've read about it from mn many times. But I have my BA, and no one's ever asked for it.

Believe it it not OP some people lie about their qualifications. It’s definitely a safeguarding issue if they are teaching people things they are not qualified for.

I’m team HR.

you seem to be implying that only an idiot would not have kept their exam certificates safe.

I kept mine safe until I was in my late 40s, at which point they got put into a supposedly secure storage unit (for just 3 months when we did an extension) - and the whole storage unit burnt to the ground (thanks, Shurguard Croydon).

I'm sure there are many other valid reasons why people may not be able to find their certificates. Especially if they haven't needed them.

I haven't bothered to replace mine, but then again I haven't been asked for them since my first job post-uni. Many private sector jobs do not require to see them as evidence.

OP, I hope you either find them or manage to obtain replacements without too much trouble (and expense).

Same. Granted I don't work in a professional industry that requires them as standard but I think at this stage if someone asked me for my GCSE certificates my first instinct would be to laugh.

many thousand of people do not have their certificates and places orders for lost certificates at the cost of £50 a certificate

Havnt a clue where mine are….nor do I care!

In searching my emails to see how much I paid but not having much luck!