Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, schools and Higher Education Institutions have been closed since 12 March. In recognition that some final year students engaged in programmes of initial teacher education may not have fully completed their school placement by the time these closures were enforced, the Teaching Council released the following statement:
Final year students who qualify in 2020 and have yet to fully complete their final school placement will not be adversely affected when it comes to applying for registration as a result of the closure of schools. This means that teachers who have been awarded their qualification will not be disadvantaged due their inability to complete school placement as a result of closure of schools.
Therefore, applications for registration by final year student teachers graduating in 2020 will still be processed and no additional conditions will be applied.
It is important to note that the statement specifically references that it is applicable to teachers who have been awarded their qualification. It is the Higher Education Institutions that award academic qualifications, which undoubtedly gives assurance to the public in relation to the full competence of the 2020 graduating classes from programmes of initial teacher education.
The full school placement requirement remains in place for all student teachers who are not in the final year of their initial teacher education programme.
