UK schools to employ Kiwi teachers more easily

UK – Schools in the UK will find it easier to employ overseas teachers from New Zealand, Australia, USA, and Canada under plans set out last month, the UK Department for Education reports.

Despite having undertaken training to achieve equivalent teacher training qualifications, qualified teachers from the four countries still have to undertake further training and assessment before they are deemed ready to teach in schools in this country.

Education Secretary Michael Gove has now announced that the Government intends to change this, so teachers trained in these countries will be able to teach in U.K. schools automatically.

Gove said, “One of the aims … is to make sure that the most talented people possible are teaching our children.

“I want to extend … freedom to teachers from the Commonwealth countries and I hope that other Commonwealth countries like South Africa, Jamaica and Singapore can join in due course.”

Research looking at international teaching qualifications shows America, Australia, Canada and New Zealand have teacher training systems that are equivalent to those in the UK.

Ministers will be amending the relevant regulations to recognise the qualifications held in these countries. This will allow well-trained Kiwi teachers to work in schools as if they held Qualified Teacher Status.

The school or local authority sponsoring the teacher will have to continue to check the suitability of the teacher including their qualifications and any necessary background checks.

In addition they will still have to meet existing immigration criteria set out by the UK Border Agency (UKBA).

The proposed changes are subject to a statutory consultation and could come into effect from early 2012.