Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of having a teaching qualification from an English university on the ability of a British National (Overseas) visa holder to gain Qualified Teacher Status in the UK.

Since February 2023, eligible teachers who trained in an increased number of overseas countries, including Hong Kong, have been able to apply for qualified teacher status (QTS) through our new digital service if they meet the robust criteria.

This recognition process is designed to assess the qualifications, professional standing and experience of teachers who trained overseas, rather than those who have qualifications from institutions in England.

English teacher training courses that meet our quality requirements and are offered by an accredited provider lead to QTS. As the qualification your constituent presented did not lead to QTS and has not been gained overseas, it cannot be considered for recognition.

There are several other routes available for experienced teachers to gain QTS, including the assessment only route. This allows teachers to demonstrate that they already meet all the teachers‘ standards, without the need for any further training. Teachers need to present detailed evidence and their teaching is assessed in a school by an accredited and approved provider.

If my hon. Friend, the Member for Rushcliffe has further questions about the eligibility criteria, he may find it helpful to contact the Teaching Regulation Agency directly via QTS.enquiries@education.gov.uk.