Teachers- can you answer this please?

[Tagcurious]

Ok. This is all very speculative but when it comes the Teacher Assessed Grades, are unqualified teachers allowed to make an assessment? I am thinking about teachers who work in the private sector, who don’t have teaching qualifications.
What are the provisions for who is allowed to submit grades?

It is now very rare for teachers to be employed without a PGCE by independent schools. Having said that years of teaching experience would enable you to mark effectively so an experienced teacher without a PGCE may well be in reality in a better position to do this than an NQT.

All CAG/TAGs should have gone through department and faculty moderation before submission.

Schools submitted grades. TAGs were signed off by Headteachers, confirming that they had followed the process set out in their policy.

PGCEs don't cover how to grade GCSEs, you learn that on the job. In my experience there are plenty of teachers in independent schools without a PGCE but that won't have made them less accurate and grades were moderated anyway

@Musmerian

It is now very rare for teachers to be employed without a PGCE by independent schools. Having said that years of teaching experience would enable you to mark effectively so an experienced teacher without a PGCE may well be in reality in a better position to do this than an NQT.

I beg to differ. I did a very brief stint in an independent (they tried to rip me off by appointing me on M6 but it turned out to be M6 on their own scale). I was the only qualified teacher in the core subject department.

Since then they have made at least three qualified teachers that I know of redundant.

Thanks. Interesting responses.

My unqualified colleague was "allowed" to grade. Of course she was, since she was allowed to teach the class in the first place.
In fact, she was no less accurate than some qualified and experienced colleagues.

I only use the word ‘allowed’ in the sense that I am wondering if there is some sort of statutory requirement as what defines a qualified person in this respect.

The phrase ‘teacher assessed grade’ is a total misnomer. I don’t know any teachers who gave grades independently of others. All schools had to have a robust policy for the awarding grades (sent to DfE for checking) and evidence about where the grades came from. My school refused to even call them ‘TAGs’. They were CAGs - centre assessed grades.

So yes, unqualified teachers could contribute to the process, but no teacher, qualified or otherwise, would award grades alone.

TAGS were signed off by head teachers and processes checked by exam boards, so no individual teacher, qualified or not, had responsibility for awarding grades. My school had rigorous internal moderation in place; I expect most schools did.

Very helpful. Thank you.

This is a random thing to ask?

Maybe.

My DD was assessed by teach first (have I got that right?) teacher for one subject. The teacher was overseen by a senior teacher I trust to grade DD correctly. The grade given was disappointing, but most probably fair. I base my opinion on the crap teaching DD received, as well as DDs lack of interest in the subject.

I am thinking about teachers who work in the private sector, who don’t have teaching qualifications.

State schools can also employ unqualified teachers - in academy and free schools, which make up the majority of state schools in England.

My DD was assessed by teach first (have I got that right?) teacher for one subject
Teach first is a training provider. They could be a trainee, or a qualified teacher. In any case, all grades were based on a range of evidence. And all grades were awarded by the school, not one individual.