Assessment Only

We provide Assessment Only (AO) routes for both Primary Education and Secondary Education candidates leading to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). The route is aimed at experienced practitioners who cover teaching or hold any other unqualified teaching roles in schools. The assessment period is typically no longer than 12 weeks. We support schools in our region of Yorkshire and the Humber to help individuals achieve qualified teacher status (QTS).

Course dates

Intake dates for this course are generally in January, April and September.  Applications for September 2024 intake are now closed.  Details of the application deadlines for the 2025 intakes will be added here when confirmed.

Assessment framework

Leeds Trinity University uses an assessment framework that ensures participants, mentors and schools are confident in the QTS award. An assessment report is written at the end of the Assessment Period and this report can also inform an Induction Profile for those going on to an Early Career Teacher (ECT) year.

Before you start

Following the submission of an application form, candidates who appear to meet the entry criteria will be invited to a Suitability to Teach Interview to provide documentary evidence of meeting the Teachers' Standards from a range of settings.

Suitability to Teach Interview

The interviewer will go through the expectations and requirements. You'll be interviewed, to ensure you are suitable to teach, the expectation being that you are already confidently operating within the Teachers' Standards. You are then formally registered with the DfE for the Assessment Period.

Assessment Period

Verifiers will visit you twice during the Assessment Period:

• Early in the Assessment Period - A verifier will conduct a joint observation with your mentor for QA purposes and will also check your further progress towards evidencing the Teachers' Standards in the production of a progress portfolio.
• When you've finished - The verifier will evaluate the final assessment, compiled by your mentor, at the end of the Assessment Period and successful candidates will be recommended for QTS.

Expectations for your employer

It's expected that during the Assessment Period your employer will give you sufficient opportunity to meet the Teachers' Standards. It is expected that your employer will provide you with:

• a teaching timetable that will give you the opportunity to demonstrate competence against the Teachers' Standards. This includes the opportunity to work across the age ranges within the Primary phase (3 to 11) or Secondary phase (11 to 16 or 14 to 19)
• the opportunity to work with other colleagues and in a pastoral role
• a mentor to provide support
• adequate feedback on lesson observations, lesson planning and assessment
• the opportunity to meet the Leeds Trinity verifier on every visit

Entry requirements

To apply you'll need:

• a reference from your current school indicating that they believe you are already meeting the Teachers' Standards
• For Primary QTS: an honours degree and GCSE grade 4 in English, Mathematics and Science (or equivalent - please contact Admissions for details)
• For Secondary QTS: an honours degree with a significant proportion of the subject you intend to teach and GCSE grade 4 in English and Mathematics (or equivalent - please contact Admissions for details)
• Experience teaching in two schools. This includes your current place of employment. As a guideline, we would typically expect that you have been working for a minimum of two years in schools. Typically the second school experience would not be shorter than 6 weeks and would include around 6-8 hours of teaching per week as a minimum
• Substantive experience planning for, teaching and assessing whole groups of pupils in both schools
• Primary QTS: within your two school experiences you must:
• have taught the age range and abilities in which you intend to undertake your assessment (3-7,5-11 or 7-11)
• evidence that you can demonstrate your abilities across the range of Primary Subjects
• Secondary QTS: within your two school experiences you must:
• have taught the subject to the age ranges and abilities across two Key Stages for which you intend to gain QTS (11-16 or 14-19)
• evidence that you can demonstrate your abilities across the subject you wish to be assessed in
• a successful DBS check and other background checks
• suitable intellectual and academic qualities required for facilitating learning and teaching
• to communicate effectively
• to have the health and physical capacity to teach

Note: Should your school have an Inadequate Ofsted grade, further Quality Assurance will be required.

This course is not available to Student Route (formerly Tier 4) visa students.

Fees and finance

The Assessment Only fees are £2,500. This total is made up of the:

• application fee: non-refundable £300
• £2,200 balance is due after successful Suitability to Teach Interview

Visit our online store to make your payment.

How to apply

Applications are now closed for the September intake, and we hope to open the January intake soon.

Please prioritise obtaining references from the schools in which you have taught by the deadline, without the references the university is unable to proceed with your application.

Before applying, you must also download this additional information sheet and upload it as part of completing and submitting the application.

Contact Us

Whether you have a question or need more information, you can contact our Admissions Office on +44(0) 113 283 7123 or email us at admissions@leedstrinity.ac.uk.