Getting back into teaching after 7 years

[rosie2345]

Hi all,

Hope everyone is keeping safe and well. I was wondering if any of you with experience in teaching will be able to help me with this....

I qualified as a teacher (PGCE) back in 2013. For various personal reasons, I never completed my NQT year and went straight into other work.

I'm now thinking that I would like to go back into teaching, specifically, special needs teaching. I completed one of my two PGCE placements at a special school and it was the most fulfilled I have ever felt at work - this is the kind of teaching I would like to get back into.

My question is, how possible will it be for me to do this considering all I have is a PGCE with no completed NQT year to my name? My PGCE is in secondary modern languages but I chose to spend one of my two placements at a special school, so I have experience but no specific qualification in special educational needs teaching.

Would I be able to apply for NQT roles straight off the bat? Or would it be better/only possible for me to find a post as a teaching assistant in a special school and take it from there. I'm more than happy to do that. How would I then go about finding these roles?

That's about it really! Just wondering how to go about it all and feeling a bit silly that I didn't just do my NQT straight away.

Thanks so much for all your help.

You can apply for NQT roles, but you will need to show you are up to date with current things like curriculum (there have been massive gcse / a level changes in the last 7 years) and current pedagogy.

Also (and I don’t know the answer to this) is your PGCE still valid? There used to be a time limit for you to complete your NQT year and, if you didn’t, you had to redo the PGCE. Is that still the case? It will be worth some research.

I’d also have an answer for why now if you decided not to teach after your pgce. What’s changed?

Also, it’s worth knowing that the NQT year is being extended into 2 years.

I’ve just checked - the 5 year time limit no longer exists, so you’re ok on that front

Thanks so much Pottering!

Just checked out the PGCE expiring thing and according to the below, I should be ok. Apparently QTS once awarded lasts a lifetime, but you just have to be willing to find a headteacher to take you on for NQT.

www.tes.com/jobs/careers-advice/pay-and-conditions/i-got-qts-ages-ago-have-never-done-my-induction-year-can-i

Just googled the NQT 2 year extension too - that looks OK, seems to suggest that you just have two years of protected timetable and oversight, no bad thing?

What do you think about my chances get a job in a special school? Do you think anywhere would take me with my secondary MFL PGCE? Like I say, I did complete one of my two placement periods in a special school but that's it.

Thank you so much for your advice!