I am a PGCE student filled with doubt as to whether teaching is for me. I am not enjoying the daily struggle with the pupils who do not want to learn languages. Anyway, my immediate plan is to stop after June when I complete my PGCE, I doubt I will be looking for a teaching post for next year. If I happen to change my mind in the future and decide to get a job, is there a time limit to do my NQT year? Will my PGCE expire?
25/5/2010
Answers
There is no time limit on starting your induction year just a limit on day to day supply teaching of 16 months (but it is possible to get up to 12 months more on extension with an LA).
Neither your PGCE nor QTS expires they stay with you.
There is no time limit for completion - there is a statement which says that 'normally' the induction year is completed within 5 years but you do not lose QTS if you fail to complete within 5 years. As an example, if you had a job that was just 1 day a week it would take 5 years (if you did no other teaching) to complete induction on a part time basis. The more likely scenario is that you have posts that are for more than one day per week which last for at least a term and so you would complete in less than 5 years. BUT you could have a break between posts and that could take you over the 5 years. It would not invalidate your induction or QTS.
According to the government website there is no time limit to completing your NQT year:
http://www.education.gov.uk/get-into-teaching/faqs/becoming-a-teacher.aspx#a17