TEACHERS from overseas and other parts of the UK will be required to take tough new aptitude tests before working in Scotland under plans being drawn up by the profession's regulatory body.

 

The proposals would see candidates having to prove their subject knowledge, teaching techniques and English language proficiency before being allowed to work here.

The move is being considered by the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) after a landmark legal ruling last year which threw the accreditation of overseas teachers into turmoil.

The case, which means teachers from other countries no longer have to have a traditional degree to work here as long as they have appropriate professional qualifications, sparked concern that standards would fall.

As a result, the GTCS has put forward a proposal for the new aptitude assessments, alongside English language proficiency testing, and the body's education committee is considering a pilot scheme as a first step towards eventually implementation.

More than 500 teachers from overseas have applied to work in Scottish schools over the past five years.

A GTCS report on the issue states: "It is clear that there are both legal and reputational risks associated with GTCS's registration framework.

"Aptitude testing would potentially address two areas of shortfall: a lack of coverage in knowledge of relevant pedagogy within a teaching qualification and/or a lack of coverage of relevant subject knowledge in an academic qualification.

"As and when necessary and working in partnership with universities, GTCS would commission bespoke aptitude tests to address the needs of particular applicants for registration."

The report suggests a small pilot process is established to see whether the scheme is workable and whether an appeals process would need to be introduced. Applicants would be charged a fee to cover the costs.

The report adds: "Where an applicant cannot provide evidence of English language proficiency GTCS may require the taking of an appropriate test."

A GTCS spokesman added: "We are experiencing requests for registration from individuals with an increasingly wide range of experience, qualifications and backgrounds and feel these tests will give pupils, parents and the wider public confidence that our professional standards are being adhered to.

"We want to ensure that the quality of teaching children and young people receive is as high as possible whether a teacher registers with us from Stockholm or Seattle and we are regularly reviewing our registration requirements with this in mind.

"No final decision has been taken as to whether or not we will proceed with this in the longer term."

The move was welcomed by the Educational Institute of Scotland, the country's largest teaching union.

Larry Flanagan, the union's general secretary, said: "While we should be cautious about the prospect of putting up any unnecessary barriers to teachers from other countries potentially working in Scotland, it is also essential that appropriate checks are in place to ensure consistent high standards.

"It is important that an appropriate balance is struck to ensure than only appropriately qualified teachers can work in our schools."

The new aptitude tests are being considered after the case of Derek Sturridge, a science teacher from England who was prevented from working in Scotland because he lacked a degree.

Having a degree-level qualification is a requirement to teach north of the Border, but the Court of Session ruled that Mr Sturridge's postgraduate certificate in education from Birmingham University and his graduation from the Royal Society of Chemistry were suitable equivalents.

The ruling was considered a step away from the concept of teaching as a graduate profession and union leaders warned they would have serious concerns about the possibility of lower standards.

GTCS head of fitness to teach Lindsay Thomson said at the time: "There is a potential for a volume of new applicants for registration, particularly from English qualified teachers without degrees, to emerge. It could also be considered to be a further step away from the concept of teaching as a graduate profession."

Meanwhile, the GTCS has also confirmed it has shelved controversial plans to scrap the current requirement for teachers from overseas to provide a criminal records check.

Last year, The Herald revealed plans from the regulatory body to scrap the requirement because of the difficulties in securing checks from some countries.

The GTCS argued that securing such checks was particularly unreasonable in cases where teachers were seeking asylum from countries where their lives were at risk.

However, the proposal sparked a backlash from parents and teaching unions, who argued the GTCS should be performing as many checks as possible.