Has anyone done an online PGCE (without QTS)? What did you learn and how was the workload?

[MakeMineALargeOneThanks]

Background:
I am not in the UK and I'm not a qualified teacher, but started doing a "for fun" English class in a small, local, private primary school 2 years ago. Really enjoyed it, did the online TEFL, and have been teaching the EFL curriculum since. The school is keen to employ me as an actual teacher. They have contacted the education dept. who have said that my qualifications (BA Hons and TEFL) are enough, and if I pass the lesson observation then the school can indeed officially employ me to teach English as a foreign language. The teaching licence would only apply to that school though.

I am now considering doing the PGCE online, as it would
a) give me more opportunities to apply to other private schools (including international schools)
and
b) make me a better teacher (hopefully!)

There is also a chance that the education dept. would accept it as an academic teaching qualification and I would be able to complete the practical part here, which would allow me to teach my subjects (English and Art) in both state and private schools.

TL:DR: how much work is the online PGCE, what do you actually learn, and is it very specific to UK schools or more about teaching in general?

There’s no point doing a PGCE without QTS. It would massively restrict you in the future. Have a look at the assessment only route to QTS. The TES Institute used to support that route in British schools overseas. Not sure if they still do, but if someone does that would almost certainly be more useful to you than adding a postgrad qualification without QTS.

Our in-person QTS pgce is really heavily loaded for before placements start learning-wise with assignments due both in this period and throughout the year (when teaching practice is underway). I suspect an online course over a year would be much less intense but with the caveat that you are learning at level 7 so in greater depth.

You can 'teach' in the UK without QTS but will be paid accordingly, also many countries require QTS to teach in English -speaking schools so I'm not sure if this is going to give you the qualifications you need for the role (and salary) you want?

I did a distance pgce through the open university.

the vast, vast majority of the course was the placements and learning to teach. If you are actually already teaching I would see very little benefit in doing it.

i have friends who have done the assessment only route for pgce where somebody comes out and assesses your teaching and then you are given it.

I live in the uk and the assessment only route is the route foreign qualified teachers totally take.

I really would not bother with it.

Interesting points, thank you!

@Octavia64 This is a similar situation really - I am the "foreign teacher" who needs the assessment here in order to get the teaching licence - except that I'm not actually a teacher at all.

I feel like I'm missing the academic bit, the theory - it's all been learning-by-doing as I go along.

My PGCE was virtually all placements. There was a bit of in classroom lectures about planning and the curriculum but being in school was the bulk of it and the most useful bit. I don’t think I’d bother as I can’t imagine what an online only course would offer that’s comparable.

@Shinyandnew1 I assume that would be the PGCE with QTS, as that's the bit that requires the placements?
There is an option from some universities to do the PGCE online purely as an academic postgrad qualification - I understand that this doesn't give QTS, but that wouldn't be relevant to me atm anyway.

I have a similar background to you, have lived all my adult life outside the UK working in TEFL and then slid into a position at an international school as a learning support assistant. After several years of small group intervention teaching I was deployed as a class cover teacher and took on more planning and assessment responsibilities. At that stage I felt I needed the theory and academic background to feel 100% prepared and not an imposter. My school sponsored me to do an online IPGCE from Nottingham university. It was intense, studying, working full-time and raising a family. There were 3 modules, led by tutors and with online discussion forums. Each module took 3 months and had a written assignment (maybe 10,000 words IIRC?).

With this IPGCE I can work in other international schools around the world. I know it's not the same as an in person qualification with QTS but I very much doubt I will ever want to work in a UK school so it wasn't a big concern for me.

Happy to answer any questions you might have.

The academic bit does not really help you teach to be honest.

a lot of it is either history of education, theories of how people learn (most of which have subsequently been shown to be not accurate in some way or other), or what education is for.

it’s mildly interesting if you like that kind of thing but it’s more a mix of history, sociology and a bit of basic psychology than anything else.

there are better things to do if you want to either be a better teacher or gain a qualification

Thank you @Cies , that's a similar sort of situation like mine, except that I'm working in local (not international) schools. I also doubt that I will ever work in the UK again, although with the PGCE I could come back and do the assessment-only QTS if I ever needed to.

I've been looking at both the IPGCE and the PGCE and cannot really decide which would be better. I would be paying for this myself, as the local schools of course wouldn't sponsor someone to get a foreign qualification, so cost is a factor.

Did you feel like what you learnt was useful? Realistically how many hours a week would you say you needed for the course? Have you considered going to to do more study eg an MA?

@Octavia64 Yes, those are exactly the things that I am missing and would be interested in learning. I am also in a country that values qualifications very highly, so a postgrad certificate would carry a certain amount of weight.

there are better things to do if you want to either be a better teacher or gain a qualification - what would you suggest?

Well that was my point-the placements were the only useful bit! I can’t see that doing a course without those would have any benefits!

I did about 1-2 hours a day during the week doing reading and contributing to fora. Then probably 4-5hours each on Saturday and Sunday.
I felt it was useful for me, and I now have half the credits needed for an MA but I don't personally want to do more studying.
However, I wasn't paying for it myself!!!

I did a full on masters in education later on in my career. Really enjoyed that.

i don’t have experience of online pg Ed though.

I didn’t do it online, but I have a level 7 PGCE without QTS (I actually got an extra letter on the end because I didn’t get QTS, so it’s a PgCES… S for studies).

It is completely useless.

How much would this non-QTS course cost you?!

You can do the new PGCE iQTS distance learning.

@LunchtimeIllusion Can I ask did you do it online and what were you hoping to do with it? Are you teaching abroad?

@TennisLady Yes I've seen that, but I would have to be employed by an international school in order to do it - I'm not, I work in a local primary school - and the QTS isn't recognised here anyway, so it doesn't really give me any advantages. It is more work and costs more. It would only be useful if I ever wanted to return and teach in the UK (v. unlikely, I am old and settled!).

@Octavia64 The Master in Education appeals to me too, so this could be step one towards that.

@Shinyandnew1 It would have the benefit of giving me a PG qualification that I do not have, plus as it is a purely academic course, it would (hopefully!) give me theory and background that I don't have (and am interested in).

This is all very useful stuff to think about, though, thank you!

@Cies That sounds very doable. I wonder how different the international PGCE is to the regular one - was there a lot on global education and things like that?

No, I didn’t do it online. I intended to get QTS but my last placement broke down. I’d already completed all of the academic work so was left with a PGCE and no QTS. I tutored for a long time afterwards, which I was already doing before, so didn’t need the PGCE. I’ve never come across an advert for a teaching post that doesn’t require QTS, whether that be public, private or international schools… although I never looked particularly hard!

For Tier 1/2 international schools (ie the reputable schools, well paid jobs) you would definitely need QTS. As far as I know the Middle East do not accept any qualification obtained via distance learning. This may have changed though, I'm out of the loop several years now. If you aren't that interested in the money/school status and are interested in the theory side, the iPGCE would suit you.

I probably shouldn't have mentioned international schools in my OP, as they are few and far between here and it's not really what I'm aiming at (although it would be nice to have the option!). Sorry!
QTS doesn't count for here local schools, I have to have an assessment by the local education dept. I currently have no official teaching qualification at all but apparently my BA and the assessment will be enough to allow me to teach in this school. I am considering the online PGCE without QTS as it would give me, personally, the theoretical and academic background that I am lacking. Or at least that's what I hope, hence wanting info or experience of anyone who has done it.

In that case if you are doing it for personal development and can afford it, then why not. The theory is interesting, although alternatively you could just buy the reading material and work through it on your own. I proofread essays a few students did and it is post-grad level, the ones I read were pedagogy based.

So, on the back of this thread I've been looking at what other qualifications that might give me some theoretical/academic background etc. I should probably start a new thread, but has anyone got any experience of the OTHM Level 6 Diploma in Teaching and Learning (RQF) ?