QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) checks is a check that ensures the applicant have achieved the required teaching standards in England and Wales to work as a teacher of children in state schools under local authority control, and in special education schools.
OnlineSCR provide a certificate to indicate the check has been completed and you can then enter the dates of the check on your single central record (SCR).
OnlineSCR will then carry out the checks on your behalf. QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) requests received before 2.30pm will normally be processed within the same working day. Any orders received after this time will be processed the next working day. As soon as the checks have been completed, you will receive your results certificate via email. Alternatively, we offer the Fast Track scheme which will guarantee the result is provided within 2 hours of receipt of the order if made between 9am-3pm weekdays (excludes Bank Holidays).
OnlineSCR customers that register with us will receive discounted rates and our on-going expert advice.
Do I need to record the QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) check on my single central record?
Yes. The QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) check should have been completed and recorded on the Single Central Record for all staff who have Qualified Teacher Status.
What happens if a QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) check has a sanction on it?
There are four sanctions which are shown as below, each sanction advising what has been imposed on the individual, you will see that not all sanctions restrict a person taking up a role as a teacher, each list is self-explanatory.
- Teachers who have failed induction or probation: Entry on this list contains the details of all teachers who have failed their statutory induction or probation periods. Entry on this list does not mean that a teacher has had a prohibition order applied to them. As a result of failing an induction or probation period any person on this list is ineligible to teach in all maintained schools, pupil referral units and non-maintained special schools in England. However, they are free to work as a teacher in any other school, establishment or capacity where successful completion of an induction period is not an entry requirement.
- A sanctions check (General teaching Council for England GTCE sanctions) Entry this list contains the details of teachers who are still subject to disciplinary sanctions from the GTCE. Any person on this list can only teach in maintained schools, pupil referral units and non-maintained special schools subject to the conditions of the sanction. If you are considering employing a teacher subject to a conditional registration order or suspension order, please contact the Teacher Services Division of the National College for Teaching and Leadership on 0207 593 5393 to confirm the current status of the order.
- Teachers and others prohibited from the profession:Entry on this list contains all People who have a disciplinary sanction prohibiting them from working in the teaching profession. Any person included on this list with a prohibition order that starts prior to 1st April 2012 is ineligible to teach in any maintained school, pupil referral unit or non-maintained special school. Any person included on this list with a prohibition order that starts on or after 1st April 2012 is ineligible to teach in any school, including independent schools (including academies, 16-19 academies and free schools), local authority maintained schools and non-maintained special schools as well as sixth form colleges, relevant youth accommodation and children’s homes in England.
- Teachers sanctions in other EEA member states:From 18 January 2016 where any European Economic Area (EEA) authority that is responsible for regulating the teaching profession imposes a restriction on a person’s ability to work as a teacher, this information must be shared with all other EEA teacher regulators. This list contains those people who have been identified to the National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) as having a current EEA member state restriction/sanction imposed on them. Whilst such a restriction/sanction does not currently prevent the person from taking up teaching positions in England, as part of your safer recruitment pre-appointment checks and to determine their suitability for the position in your school, you should obtain further information about the circumstances leading to this decision. Employers should contact the EEA regulator responsible for the decision to obtain more information about the reasons for imposing the sanction/restriction. IMPORTANT – where you decide to employ the individual please inform NCTL immediately, including the date they will begin work, by emailing Misconduct.Teacher@education.gov.uk or calling 0207 593 5393, however, from 1 January 2021, the TRA will no longer maintain a list of those teachers who have been sanctioned in EEA member states. This report therefore no longer collates the list of persons who have been identified to the TRA as having a EEA member state restriction/sanction imposed on them prior to 1 January 2021. Schools must continue to carry out the same safer recruitment checks on all applicants, including those who have lived or worked outside of the UK, in accordance with statutory guidance: Keeping children safe in education. This includes obtaining an enhanced DBS certificate with barred list information even if the teacher has never been to the UK. For applicants that have lived or worked outside of the UK, schools must also make any further checks they think appropriate so they can consider any relevant events that occurred outside the UK. The Home Office guidance on criminal records checks for overseas applicants can be found on GOV.UK. For applicants to teaching positions, additional checks may include information about their past conduct, for example, documents issued by the relevant teaching regulator abroad. Such evidence can be considered alongside other information obtained through other pre-appointment checks to help assess their suitability. Further advice can be found at Changes to checks for EU sanctions on EEA teachers from 1 January 2021 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) and www.gov.uk/guidance/recruit-teachers-from-overseas.
- Section 128 barring directions: Entry on this list means individuals are barred from taking part in the management of any independent school (including academies and free schools), under the terms of a direction made by the Secretary of State for Education.
Who is responsible for QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) checks?
The Education Act 2011 gives responsibility to the Secretary of State to regulate teachers’ conduct and to hold a list of teachers who have been prohibited from teaching.
Is a QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) check the same as an Enhanced DBS or Children’s barred list check (list 99)?
No, a QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) check is not the same as an Enhanced DBS check, nor a Children’s Barred List check. A QTS (Qualified teacher status) check is completely separate check.
The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) is responsible for deciding whether an individual should be barred from working with children and vulnerable adults and for maintaining a list of those individuals who are determined to be unsuitable (the barred list). The DBS is also responsible for processing requests for Criminal Records Checks, including those made as part of the checks carried out by schools prior to appointing staff. The DBS will consider cases that concern safeguarding matters (i.e. harm or the risk of harm to a child), barring individuals from working with children where appropriate. When considering whether to bar a teacher, the criteria used by the DBS differ from those used by the National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL). Where the DBS has decided a case does not meet its criteria for barring, the NCTL can still decide to refer the case to a professional conduct panel for its consideration.
What does the QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) check contain?
The names on the list is those who have not completed the required induction it will also confirm if there any sanctions on the member of staff.
Can a QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) check be carried out on other staff?
If a member staff as a TRN (Teacher Reference Number), then they should be checked, even if they do not intend to take up a Teaching position.
Which staff need to have the QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) check carried out?
All members of staff with who have qualified as a teacher and therefore have a Teacher Reference Number (TRN) – even if they have not applied for or do not intend to take up a Teaching position.
Which organisations need to carry out QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) check?
The following organisations must carry out QTS (Qualified teacher status) checks:
- Academies
- Alternative provision Academies
- Independent Schools
- Free Schools
- Maintained Schools
- Pupil referral units
- Colleges
- Non-maintained special schools
- Education Recruitment/Agency companies
What is a QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) Check?
In order to work as a teacher in a school (or special school) under control of the Local Authority in England & Wales, you must have completed appropriate Teacher Training and therefore achieve Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). A QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) check is a check that ensures the applicant has achieved the required teaching standards in England and Wales to work as a teacher of children in state schools under local authority control, and in special education schools.
How much does a QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) check cost?
The cost of a QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) check is £10.00 plus VAT. We provide a certificate with the results as proof that you have carried out the Section check.
How long does a QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) check take to complete?
QTS requests received before 2.30pm will normally be processed within the same working day. Any orders received after this time will be processed the next working day. As soon as the checks have been completed, you will receive your results certificate via email. Alternatively, we offer the Fast Track scheme which will guarantee the result is provided within 2 hours of receipt of the order if made between 9am-3pm weekdays (excludes Bank Holidays).
How do I order QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) checks?
- Create/Log in to your account here.
- Order and pay for check online.
- Receive your certificate with the results.
