Trying for QTS but have only worked in one school, is there a route I haven’t thought of?

[bellylaughs]

I’m hoping for some advice please! I’m working as an unqualified teacher. I have a degree and and have also got level 7 access arrangements assessor (not sure this is relevant).

My Head recently asked me if I was interested in going for QTS, I said I’d love to but both she and I keep coming up against the issue that I have only worked in this one school (I career changed 5 years ago and started here as a TA).

All the courses I’ve found seem to demand experience in two schools.

I’m flexible as to whether it’s primary, secondary special needs etc. As where I work it’s an alternative provision for KS3, 4 and 5 so plenty of scope for experience of all sorts.

Any ideas? Thank you!

Have you contacted any providers to see if they can arrange a swap with someone else in the same position?

Hadn’t thought of that, thanks.

There's no work around. I've got a colleague now doing a day a week elsewhere in order to get the experience to apply for the AO route.
You need to be careful though. If you're secondary, it's got to be in secondary.

@MrsHamlet do you mind me asking, is your colleague working one day a week in a different school for one year? Or longer/shorter than that?

I have no idea how it would work. It’s Interesting to hear how people manage it....

She needs 20 days in total. She's employed full time by us but we release her one day a week... or that was the plan until covid!!!

I am currently doing School Direct (salaried) and the rules have been relaxed this year so I don't have to work in another school. Ideally I should work in another Key Stage but this hasn't been possible so far. I've only worked in this one school in one year group, first as a TA and then as an unqualified teacher.

I'm not sure if the rule relaxation applies to assessment only route but may be worth investigating.

I did the old GTP and school arranged my timetable so I could do two days a fortnight in another local school. It was Friday one week and Monday the next, which worked well.

@MsJuniper thats interesting, thanks.

@Phineyj worth looking at thanks!

@bellylaughs I have a colleague who did AO route. She was redeployed to another school within the trust for a few weeks - this gave her the experience elsewhere that was a requirement for the course.

Don’t know how that would work in Covid times, but I’d make this proposal to the head. They were the one to suggest it so I’d expect they’ll want to do whatever it takes to help facilitate your progress.

@2ndMrsdeWinter thanks it’s definitely worth a try. I’ve had some good ideas on here, at least there’s hope!