Graduate Teacher Training Programme issue

[Guest robharding]

Hi,

 

I have been a PE teacher for 7 years and trained via the GTP (Not University) after my degree here in London. My wife and I are migrating in December. I have been told that my qualification is not accepted and I will have to re-train via The University of South Australia and enrol on a short version of a Diploma in Education?

 

Has anyone experience such a problem before or have any advice with regards to University of SA?

 

Much appreciated,

 

Rob

[Guest Libby1971]

The GTP is NOT accepted here as a method of qualifying for teacher training. You will not be passed by the Teacher Registration Board and therefore will not be able to teach.

 

I think, and I am not sure on this, that some people have done a MA for a year and been able to get round it that way.

 

Libby

[Boxertony]

The GTP is NOT accepted here as a method of qualifying for teacher training. You will not be passed by the Teacher Registration Board and therefore will not be able to teach.

 

I think, and I am not sure on this, that some people have done a MA for a year and been able to get round it that way.

 

Libby

Regarding teaching I have the City & Guilds 7307: Further and Adult Teaching Certificate, which is a qualification to teach further education (16+) here in the UK. For several years I have been teaching Health and Social Care in Colleges. What is the chance of being able to Teach Health and Social Care in Adelaide, not sure if my qualification is accepted and is their much difference in Social Care than here in the UK. Will I be more suited to teach within the TAFE category. In addition Teaching Agencies accept my teaching qualification and therefore I often work as a Supply Secondary Education School Teacher, teaching various Key Stage 3 & 4 Subjects. Will I be able to do that in Adelaide, or will I have to have gained the recognised PGCE teaching qualification, which is the correct teaching qualification for under 16 years old. Finally I have taught special needs both in Young Offenders Institutes/Prisons and also special needs secondary education settings (Private Schools). Because there are shortages in Teaching here in the UK my further education teaching qualification lets me teach under 16's in certain sectors, will I be able to do this in Adelaide, I have also been a Trainer in Health and Social Care but without the qualified Training certificates. I eagerly await everyones replies and is every much appreciated. Tony

[Guest cazzie]

Hello Libby,

I just want to let off a little steam about the GTP qualification! I am a GTP trained English Teacher and I feel that the Australian Teaching Board have got it wrong in not recognising that the GTP certificate is every bit as valid as the PGCE certificate. In fact, the certificates are identical! I have worked so hard to gain this qualification and feel that I am a good teacher(outstanding observations) but it all means nothing. As I am emigrating (hopefully in September when spouse visa is granted) to Oz, the thought of starting all over again feels so insulting. Sorry for the rant as it is nothing to do with you, but it does frustrate me. Thanks for listening anyway.

Cheers,

Cazzie

[Rachiegarlo]

I sympathise withall of you. Here as a graduate I could go do a graduate teaching qualification for 18 months and register as a teacher. You should all put your complaints in writing as I'm sure your course is equivilent, it's just plain bureaucracy again.

[Guest Nick11]

Hello Libby,

I just want to let off a little steam about the GTP qualification! I am a GTP trained English Teacher and I feel that the Australian Teaching Board have got it wrong in not recognising that the GTP certificate is every bit as valid as the PGCE certificate. In fact, the certificates are identical! I have worked so hard to gain this qualification and feel that I am a good teacher(outstanding observations) but it all means nothing. As I am emigrating (hopefully in September when spouse visa is granted) to Oz, the thought of starting all over again feels so insulting. Sorry for the rant as it is nothing to do with you, but it does frustrate me. Thanks for listening anyway.

Cheers,

Cazzie

 

Rant away - the rules are ridiculos

Welcome to oz!!!

If its any consolation jobs are thin on the ground unless you teach high school in certain specialist areas.

[Guest Deb17]

Hello Libby,

I just want to let off a little steam about the GTP qualification! I am a GTP trained English Teacher and I feel that the Australian Teaching Board have got it wrong in not recognising that the GTP certificate is every bit as valid as the PGCE certificate. In fact, the certificates are identical! I have worked so hard to gain this qualification and feel that I am a good teacher(outstanding observations) but it all means nothing. As I am emigrating (hopefully in September when spouse visa is granted) to Oz, the thought of starting all over again feels so insulting. Sorry for the rant as it is nothing to do with you, but it does frustrate me. Thanks for listening anyway.

Cheers,

Cazzie

 

Cazzie, all us teachers on here feel for you and understand your pain!

Apart from the few of us who seem to have managed to secure jobs through contacts, special needs experience or sheer good luck (of which I have none!) we are all in the same boat, whether qualified by GTP, BEd, or PGCE. I've got a B.A. and a PGCE and can't get work because in the UK I was just your run-of-the-mill class teacher. If I'd worked in a smaller school I'd have had more scope for responsibility and management points, but was in a primary school with 800 kids and 28 full time teachers! Out here I was looking to further my career and get more in the way of responsibility, only to realize there are no jobs, let alone chances for career advancement and leadership! We all know it's an unfair system, but the Aussies like to look after their own I'm afraid.

I warn you now that if you come out here and retrain at uni to do the same kind of stuff all over again just to satisfy the TRB it's going to cost you thousands of dollars in course fees!

[Guest cazzie]

Thank you so much all of you. It's great to be able to share my frustrations! I am really unsure as to what to do now as teaching has been my lifelong dream. I am a very young 51 and have just completed 3 years of teaching. So after leaving it so late to achieve my dream, it seems such a waste. Prior to teaching I was a youth worker and mentor - maybe Adelaide will have something in that line of work. Anyway, I won't be o

put off. I have my beautiful husband - one day I will upload a photo! - and we will be happy anyway, regardless of my job. Thanks again for your time, you are a lovely, warm hearted bunch of people and I'm so glad that I joined this site.

Cazzie x

[Beanbear]

As you are coming on your husband's quals it won't matter immediately. Perhaps you should acquire all the relevant docs (as if you were going to be able to register) then contact your local MP and the TRB (a guy called Andrew Dowling is the one to speak to at the TRB) to see whether they will agree to review this and look again at the components of the qualification.

As you say, it is as thorough as any other course and there is no reason in principle as to why they should dismiss it so readily.

 

However it is not easy to get permanent contracts to teach unless you are prepared to serve out your country time to get the required amount of points. But you may find youth work, I see it advertised quite a lot - you may need Certificate IV in something before they'll employ you for that though.

[Guest Nick11]

Thank you so much all of you. It's great to be able to share my frustrations! I am really unsure as to what to do now as teaching has been my lifelong dream. I am a very young 51 and have just completed 3 years of teaching. So after leaving it so late to achieve my dream, it seems such a waste. Prior to teaching I was a youth worker and mentor - maybe Adelaide will have something in that line of work. Anyway, I won't be o

put off. I have my beautiful husband - one day I will upload a photo! - and we will be happy anyway, regardless of my job. Thanks again for your time, you are a lovely, warm hearted bunch of people and I'm so glad that I joined this site.

Cazzie x

 

I've seen loads of youth worker jobs in the paper.

Check out wwwcareerone.com.au

[Guest cazzie]

Thanks for your advice Beanbear. I have already emailed Andrew Dowling but was not met with any hint of flexibility. He referred me to someone else - a minister(can't remember her name now) but again no flexibility was forthcoming. Aussie rules are Aussie rules. However, I do seem to recall that the General Teaching Coucil of England are supposed to be approaching the Australian Teaching Board regarding the GTP qualification as so many people are outraged by the injustice. I guess I will have to live in hope and try the private sector or try to teach English to foreign language students. Failing that, I will enjoy the beaches and write a book!

Cazzie

[Guest cazzie]

I've seen loads of youth worker jobs in the paper.

Check out wwwcareerone.com.au

 

Thanks Nick. I am registered with careerone and yes some youth work jobs are available. However, I am going to really start looking once we arrive. Still waiting for that visa! Cazzie

[Guest hrubieszowianka]

As you are coming on your husband's quals it won't matter immediately. Perhaps you should acquire all the relevant docs (as if you were going to be able to register) then contact your local MP and the TRB (a guy called Andrew Dowling is the one to speak to at the TRB) to see whether they will agree to review this and look again at the components of the qualification.

As you say, it is as thorough as any other course and there is no reason in principle as to why they should dismiss it so readily.

 

However it is not easy to get permanent contracts to teach unless you are prepared to serve out your country time to get the required amount of points. But you may find youth work, I see it advertised quite a lot - you may need Certificate IV in something before they'll employ you for that though.

Hi!

Just to pick up on the point you made about "country time" - how does that work? Where does "coutry" start, how far from Adelaide? And how much time do you have to do? I think we'd consider a bit of wilderness, as long as there was some promise at the end of it.

[Beanbear]

Thanks for your advice Beanbear. I have already emailed Andrew Dowling but was not met with any hint of flexibility. He referred me to someone else - a minister(can't remember her name now) but again no flexibility was forthcoming. Aussie rules are Aussie rules. However, I do seem to recall that the General Teaching Coucil of England are supposed to be approaching the Australian Teaching Board regarding the GTP qualification as so many people are outraged by the injustice. I guess I will have to live in hope and try the private sector or try to teach English to foreign language students. Failing that, I will enjoy the beaches and write a book!

Cazzie

 

Hi!

Just to pick up on the point you made about "country time" - how does that work? Where does "coutry" start, how far from Adelaide? And how much time do you have to do? I think we'd consider a bit of wilderness, as long as there was some promise at the end of it.

 

Firstly, I would see if you can find out what the GTP are planning to do to get the Aussies to look at the situation. What exactly is the stance for Aussies working in the UK for example? Is their qualification similar to GTP? You said about working in the private sector, not sure what you meant but if you meant working in private schools as a teacher, then I'm afraid you'd still need to be registered with the TRB. I di think about doing a TESOL (they seem to much prefer that one to TEFL out here) and it may be worth doing that in the UK before coming as I think it would be cheaper. You can use that qualification to teach adults and in TAFE so that could be worthwhile.

 

As far as country time goes I know that in order to become a priority placement i n the city or metro areas you would need to have worked in a hard to staff area (I believe that in SA that would include Northern and Eastern areas.) The things that would out me off this route are a) the fact that my kids would be forced to go to the school and it would probably have quite a high indigenous population, therefore more problems and disruptive influences, b) my husband would not get a job, and c) it really is remote and I am struggling a bit with Adelaide being small town! I know in Queensland they expect that you will work in the bush for at least two to three years before being considered for a transfer.

 

As other people have said there is work if you are secondary maths or science, or you are prepared to do relief teaching and contract work, possibly far from where you are living. This is also not the best option for me personally as I have two kids at school and need to know where I am going further in advance.

[Guest Deb17]

PRECISELY same boat as you're in Beanbear. I bemoan the lack of relief teaching agencies in Adelaide who understand that we have kids and can't just go swanning off in the mornings at a moment's notice! I stopped answering the phone after just a week with the Noarlunga cluster. I TOLD them I had to be notified of work the day before but they didn't listen very well!

[Guest Nick11]

PRECISELY same boat as you're in Beanbear. I bemoan the lack of relief teaching agencies in Adelaide who understand that we have kids and can't just go swanning off in the mornings at a moment's notice! I stopped answering the phone after just a week with the Noarlunga cluster. I TOLD them I had to be notified of work the day before but they didn't listen very well!

 

Deb - have you got in touch yet with my boss - she's interviewing and setting on new staff at the mo - as the numbers on roll are increasing.

PM me

Nick

[Guest Nick11]

Hi!

Just to pick up on the point you made about "country time" - how does that work? Where does "coutry" start, how far from Adelaide? And how much time do you have to do? I think we'd consider a bit of wilderness, as long as there was some promise at the end of it.

 

I think its 3 years in the wilderness!!!

I didn't think the north was classed as country. I certainly know that victor harbor is no longer classed as country in the south.

I think it would be the limestone coast, Whyella, Port Lincoln, Mount Gambier and the fleurieu pennisular and probably anything north of Gawler!

Someone correct me if I'm wrong

[Rachiegarlo]

and these areas can be great and country school community schools can be great too. Secondary schools are clustered in the bigger towns and the kids are bussed in.

[Guest Yapp]

Hi,

 

I have been a PE teacher for 7 years and trained via the GTP (Not University) after my degree here in London. My wife and I are migrating in December. I have been told that my qualification is not accepted and I will have to re-train via The University of South Australia and enrol on a short version of a Diploma in Education?

 

Has anyone experience such a problem before or have any advice with regards to University of SA?

 

Much appreciated,

 

Rob

 

Hi Rob,

 

I only joined PIA today and have just read your post. I am also a teacher but trained via SCITT program. Initially, there was an issue with my qualification as I didn't have a transcipt. However, I contacted Greenwich University who wrote a letter confirming I was qualified and the dates I had completed the course etc and this was excepted.

When I went to TRB I spoke with Andrew Dowling who is the qualifications assessment officer, he was very helpful.

 

Hope this is of help.

Carmen

[Guest cazzie]

Hi Rob,

 

I only joined PIA today and have just read your post. I am also a teacher but trained via SCITT program. Initially, there was an issue with my qualification as I didn't have a transcipt. However, I contacted Greenwich University who wrote a letter confirming I was qualified and the dates I had completed the course etc and this was excepted.

When I went to TRB I spoke with Andrew Dowling who is the qualifications assessment officer, he was very helpful.

 

Hope this is of help.

Carmen

Carmen, thanks for this information, I feel much more hopeful now of being able to teach in Australia. Maybe it is possible after all. I will try and get my training providers to write a letter too. Thanks, Cazzie (GTP trained English Teacher)

[Guest Yapp]

Now I'm starting to get worried, and there was me thinking it would be my husband struggling to get a job, not me. I'm a secondary teacher and when we came for a visit in April, I made a point of going to the Dept of Education, who told me I would easily get a job in a couple of weeks of arriving. Having read a lot of the posts, it seems this may not be the case. I really thought I was sorted and I just had to worry about finding my children a school and hoping my husband gets work.

 

Is it really that bad for teachers!?

[Guest Libby1971]

It may depend on your speciality as high school.

 

We registered as teachers with DECs in October last year.

 

Since then, neither of us have had any contact with DECS regarding a perm position. Once registered with DECS you can then approach schools for contract positions and OH got one last year lasting 5 weeks. Nothing since from DECS. He got a perm job for term1 which he resigned the second that I got mine (long story) and I got my perm job starting April (start of term 2). By the time I got this position I had been in Oz just over a year and had had one contract position in that time.

 

Libby

[Guest Yapp]

Libby I have to ask, I was going to say I'm not being nosy, but I guess in a way I am or maybe more curious. I see you have a family, so if work hasn't been consistent for the last year, how on earth have you managed financially?

There are so many teaching jobs advertised for Adelaide, I don't understand. Or are there that many teachers living in the area........

I take it you are both secondary teachers..do you mind if I ask what subjects.

 

Ok too many questions, I'm just trying to get my head around this.

[Guest Libby1971]

We came with what I feel was a good amount of money, basically.

 

OH is primary, I am secondary. Terms here run Jan-Apr, Apr-July, July-Sept, Oct-Dec.

 

We arrived during term 2 and were registered with TRB and an agency by half way through the term. I worked during term 3 - for contract you get paid 25% extra to offset the fact there is no sick pay, holiday pay etc. We had paid 4 months rent up front from our lump sum which we brought over which covered us until we bought this place last July, getting the keys in August.

 

We could have got a smaller mortgage and used all or almost all of our finances. Instead we chose to take out a larger mortgage and kept a larger sum back to pay taht from so we could still meet the mortgage payments.

 

Term 4, OH was working for just over half of it. I had a few days relief teaching at the start of that term - no more than 6 days - as did OH. So one or both of us was working from July.

 

We don't have an extravagant lifestyle - deluxe for me is probably having a naan bread AND a popadum with my curry.

 

We came prepared to lose steps on the payscale. There are jobs advertised, but believe me, for every job that you see, there are at least 15+ applicants. :shocked:There is no current shortage in metropolitan areas of teachers UNLESS YOU TEACH MATHS, SCIENCE OR PE. Some DT jobs are in short supply.

 

Teachers are seriously in demand for the country/ more rual areas. Some might be only an hour from the city but some can be much further. The Aussies won't go but 3 years there, at a higher rate of pay with benfits rearding housing as well also gives you automatic promotion to the top of the DECS list when you move back to the city.

 

Some DECS schools find out who the next person in line for a perm position is and if the reputation of that person is none too positive, then the school will not notify DECS of a perm vacancy instead choosing to pay higher rates for a contract member of staff who they find themselves using the bank of resumes they have.

 

OH is primary with exp as PE co-ordinator & ICT co-ordinator. I teach secondary RE/ Philo/ Soc/ SOSE/ Eng/ ICT/ Moral Issues (phew!!!).

 

Anymore questions, please let me know. Any help I can give is happily offered...

 

Libby

[Guest muppetbro]

arrived august 07 - departed april 08

 

within 3 weeks had authority to teach - we started from the uk the ball ache paperwork

 

made contacts thru doing the child protection / first aid - networking etc etc - who you k now is how it works in adelaide in many areas of work

 

sent via email to 10 schools cvs and took in person all paperwork

 

2 schools i was relief teaching most days in the final term - one school offered me contract i said the wrong things to headteacher as i didnt want to work in such a difficult area thinking id wait t o see what decs offered me for jan (ha)

 

2 days after t he start of t he new school year school rang me up asking if id reconsider - i had to pretend i was delighted so got what was a definate 2 term contract but i knew was likely a year long contract

 

unfortunately wife didnt settle in adelaide - she got a 10 week contract straightaway - but t he school could not bypass decs to give hera year long contract from january despite them wanting her......

 

i resigned my position - the school / dept were excellent with me - i have a job i can go back to in january as this school had the green light to start recruiting 2 teachers for its expanding specialism (physical education)

 

last week i got offered a job at brighton high school despite decs being told i was returning to the uk.....now that is one of the 3 good public schools in adelaide where students are civilised and a pleasure to work with....cant say the same for t he 4/5 schools i did relief teaching in which was a big shcok to me.....

 

so i was lucky - i targetted the worst schools in the toughest areas (southern suburbs) where they are desperate in some areas......

 

one word of warning - resiginging a post your on the blacklist for a year, declining a post a nd you go to the bottom of the list....

 

conclusion - farcical situation whereby headteachers have little or no influence who is appointed to them via decs and then many teachers are shunted around year after year........and when your in the system and you see the quality of teachers......scary but they have t heir decs system which rewards anyone irrespective of teaching ability who is prepared to go country (moonscape or if lucky downtown whyalla with free lodgings and meths to drown the sorrow!).....

 

my plan was 1-2 years then get into private system which offers job security and genuinely a standard of student i have taken for granted in my teaching career to date...

 

anyways im back in uk having had 2 days supply in 5 weeks with 3 job applics and 1 interview - im overqualified (meaning im twice as costly as nqts) for the temp 1 term jobs that have come up......

 

i might be back teaching at feral high school in january - get that backroom ready mooch to store my surf gear .....

 

i wud advise anyone / in any line of work to have their jobs on hold for 12 months before taking on the adventure of emigration - especially with the current economic situation here / there

my only regret is i gave up a great job at a great school in u k -

 

good luck - you need it with decs

 

mart