UWE Bristol receives highest possible grade after inspection of international teaching qualification

Teacher training delivered by UWE Bristol for trainee teachers working at schools overseas has been given top marks following a government inspection.

The University received a Grade 1 outcome – the highest possible grade – for its International Qualified Teacher Status (iQTS) qualification after an inspection commissioned by the Department for Education.

At the time of the inspection, in February, a total of 102 iQTS trainees were undertaking the primary and secondary iQTS courses online while working in schools abroad.

The IQTS qualification – introduced at UWE Bristol in the 2023-24 academic year and now in its third year – offers students an opportunity to gain Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and enhance their teaching and learning. Once awarded QTS status, trainees are then qualified to teach in schools internationally as well as in England.

Julie Buckland, Associate Director in Education at UWE Bristol’s School of Education and Childhood, said: “We’re thrilled to have achieved this grade – it reflects the dedication, expertise and relentless hard work that goes into our Initial Teacher Education programmes, from curriculum design to our partnerships with international schools.

“A huge thank you goes to every UWE iQTS student past and present, to their schools and mentors, and to our incredible UWE iQTS team. We couldn’t be prouder of this achievement or of the impact our community continues to make on teaching and learning across the world.”

According to the inspection report, assessors from the Independent Schools Inspectorate found that UWE Bristol’s provision was compliant with the iQTS criteria, and the quality of leadership and management and the quality of programme design and delivery met all requirements and exceeded requirements in most areas.

Inspectors judged that UWE Bristol’s provision had the following areas of strength:

• Close co-ordination between trainee, mentor and tutor allows for well-informed challenge and effective support and the accurate identification of trainees’ next steps in learning
• The provider uses triangulated processes to track trainees’ progress and intervene where necessary to provide support
• The highly effective quality assurance ensures impactful training that helps trainees to make good progress
• Trainees have access to high-quality resources to support them in their learning
• High-quality training for mentors and robust oversight of their work ensures they carry out their role effectively
• The provider monitors the quality of provision carefully, is responsive to feedback and adapts activities as required, including to help manage students’ workload.

As part of the four-day inspection, assessors carried out a visit to a partner school in Sweden for a joint lesson observation, observed mentor feedback and meetings with an iQTS trainee, iQTS mentor and other school staff. Inspectors also conducted remote inspection activities, meeting with iQTS trainees in ten placement schools, six iQTS mentors and five other school staff.

UWE Bristol, which currently runs the iQTS qualification jointly with Sheffield Hallam University but plans to offer it as a sole provider from September, made its iQTS courses available in 39 countries across the world in the 2025-26 academic year. When UWE Bristol first began offering the qualification in September 2023, it was one of only 14 accredited providers.