QTS Skills Tests

The QTS Skills Tests are three computer-based tests in literacy, numeracy, and ICT, which must be passed by anyone attempting to gain Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) in England in addition to successfully completing a teacher training course, such as a PGCE, a BEd, a BA or the GTP.

Booking and administration

The tests are administered by a commercial organisation on behalf of the TDA. In order to sit the tests, candidates must register with a special number allocated to them by the TDA which is supplied to the candidate by their training provider, e.g. teacher-training college or university. These numbers are not supplied until the final year of the course, meaning that no-one can take these tests in advance. Once registered with the TDA, booking is made on-line through the TDA website at any one of about 50 centres (usually in teacher training colleges, universities or schools) around the country, but spaces are limited and can become difficult to book as the training year progresses. Many centres are only open for a few halfdays during the week. Booking may be made up to three months in advance.

All three tests are conducted on computers in special rooms under the watchful eye of supervising staff. Casual working can be done on scrap paper supplied by the staff but this must be left in the test room for destruction by staff.

The three tests can be taken individually on separate days or on the same occasion (depending on time availability).

Identification

Every candidate must present two pieces of identification on each attendance. One must have a photograph, name and signature (e.g. passport), the other must have a name and signature. If you present these on one day but turn up the next day to take another test without them, you will be denied the chance to take the second test and will have to rebook.

Practise materials and taking the tests

Practise materials are available on the TDA website (below). These are downloadable files which can be installed on a home computer. The literacy test is based on spelling, punctuation, and comprehension and lasts for no longer than 48 minutes. The numeracy test starts off with a series of mental arithmetic questions, each with a strict time limit, though paper working is allowed. That is followed by a series of more complex questions involving interpretation of statistical data and graphs, computing costs of school trips and so on. For this section of the test an on-screen calculator is supplied. Candidates have up to 45 minutes for the whole test.

The most idiosyncratic of the three is the ICT test. This consists of a series of exercises in word-processing, e-mail, web-sites, using attachments, printing, presentations, databases and so on. The TDA has avoided the use of Microsoft Windows and instead utilised its own series of programmes. These resemble Windows applications but are crude in appearance and differ in significant detail. This makes prior practise essential. Candidates have 35 minutes to complete the test.

Passing and failing

The pass mark is 60% in each test. Failure in any one means the candidate cannot attain QTS. However, the tests can be retaken throughout their training year until a pass is achieved. Nevertheless, for some candidates this can prove problematic, with numeracy being anecdotally the hardest. On the other hand, many candidates find the tests straightforward and pass all of them first time. Staff at centres suggest that younger candidates have more trouble with literacy whereas older candidates can find numeracy more challenging.

Trainees who have failed to pass the tests were formerly allowed a five-year grace period to pass. This concession has been removed from 31 August 2008. Trainees who have not passed these tests during their training and who are employed by schools must expect to have their contracts terminated.

Rest of the United Kingdom

The QTS Skills Tests are only compulsory in England. Teachers training in Wales do not have to pass the tests, even though the rest of the requirements for Qualified Teacher Status are identical. Teachers in Scotland and Northern Ireland also do not have to pass the tests, though the requirements to become a qualified teacher are different to England and Wales.

Teachers wishing to teach in a different Home Nation to the one they trained in must apply to the relevant General Teaching Council to be allowed to teach there. With the exception of teachers trained on the GTP, this is normally a formality for teachers who have successfully completed their training. This has led to inconsistencies with regards to the QTS Skills Tests across the UK: as passing the QTS Skills Tests is a requirement of QTS in England, teachers who train in England who then go on to teach elsewhere in the UK must still pass the tests despite them not being a requirement in their destination nation; however, as England normally automatically recognises the equivalent of QTS from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, teachers who train in these nations do not have to pass the QTS Skills Tests to teach in England, even though English-trained teachers must pass them.

External links

* [http://www.tda.gov.uk/skillstests.aspx/ the TDA website for the tests complete with practice materials, booking information and FAQ page]
* [http://www.tes.co.uk/2384800/ Times Educational Supplement article on the tests]