Does Classroom Arithmetic Add Up For You?
The UK government quietly introduced a scheme last September that would pay off the student loans of recently qualified teachers specialising in “priority” subjects. This news may sound too good to be true, but teachers are required to stay in the profession until their debt is discharged, meaning it is, in fact, a realistic proposition for those attracted to teaching as a career path. The programme is one of several measures introduced in reaction to the significant shortfall of teachers in the UK, particularly in key subjects.
The initiative is open to anyone who attains Qualified Teacher Status and meets certain eligibility criteria. Specifically, the loan repayment offer applies to qualified teachers of maths, science, modern foreign languages, English, Welsh, design and technology, and information and communications technology, employed by state schools or city academies in England and Wales by June 2005. It should benefit up to 12,000 teachers, according to the Teacher Training Agency. Primary teachers only qualify if they teach priority subjects in groups or classes other than their own.
To qualify as a teacher in these subjects, the most common route is by completing a Postgraduate Certificate in Education. Trainee teachers undertaking this programme are eligible for a tax-free bursary of £6,000, paid in nine instalments (two payments of £3,000 to students on flexible PGCEs), while those training in priority subjects may qualify for a £4,000 ‘golden hello’ payment. One teacher from Frimley in Surrey has applauded the loan repayment initiative, stating that he couldn’t have afforded to embark on postgraduate training without government support.
PGCE courses vary between providers, but prospective teachers should expect to spend up to 24 weeks on placement in schools to gain experience and knowledge. Teachers with some previous experience may need to do a shorter placement, and may also be required to work in a non-teaching post. Trainees may opt to do a two-year PGCE course to deepen their knowledge. Alternatively, graduates might like to consider School Centred Initial Teacher Training, which is often run by schools in conjunction with higher education institutions and local education authorities. There are nearly 50 SCITTS throughout England and Wales, and applications for both PGCEs and SCITTs are managed by the Graduate Teacher Training Registry (GTTR).
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