QTS Tests : Knock on effect for Students/Parents

regarding the maths tests , are the online test harder or easier ? as comfortably getting 21/22 ??

I'm 44 and at the end of my degree BA (Hons) Primary Education with QTS (ha)! I have been a part time student for 4 years and successfully completed my degree and had a grade of outstanding in all my teaching practices. I have been working as an unqualified teacher during my degree which I have been observed many times by SLT as well as ofsted who have all given good and outstanding lessons. I have been working in a primary school for 16 years with plenty of teaching experience! When I started my degree (2010) I was under the impression that the skills tests we're take as many goes as possible until you pass. Half way through I learn that the government have decided to change this being 3 strikes and you're out for 2 years (don't get me started on that one)! So this my final year after essay after essay then final teaching practice, dissertation shall I go on.... Oh as well as manage a class and two children of my own as a single mother, I have taken the tests passing the literacy 2nd time round. I also hear that since I took the literacy test the punctuation section has been removed from the test since! I left the numeracy til last because I know I struggle with. I admit I found the 18 seconds ridiculously stressful and after a couple of more seconds I may have got more answers down! I failed the first 2 then set another date for my final test knowing that this was my last and final chance! I have never worked so hard towards this as well as handing in my final year essay, finishing off my practice and completing my QTS file. I went into the test centre like a bag of nerves. I went to pieces and couldn't think straight trying to mentally work out quite difficult questions in the time limit. I also ran out of time for the data section so yes I failed my final attempt. I am due to graduate with my cohort in July and have now given up on my dream. I cannot believe that the government have this strike ban on and I would like to see someone like that cope with doing a degree and family life and having to do these silly tests! Do GCSE's and A levels and an NNEB not count as being UCAS points upon entering the Uni and deeming someone capable to complete a degree. So now I have to wait until 2016 until I can resist my maths again that's if I bother! I really don't understand this ban when people can resist GCSEs A Levels and defer practices until the next academics year. 2 years is complete and utter nonsense Mr Gove and all your pen pushers!! Give me the test in written form to do in an hour instead of listening to a woman talking down my ear with the pressure of 18 seconds to get answer typed in to a backdated computer for 48 mins!! Isn't what the government are ranting on about how learning styles affect the way children learn. Well what about adults? We have different learning styles too! I am devastated that this has happened and I feel like a failure and have let everyone down!
I can't help but feel that the government do not want as many teachers qualifying now as well as many other professions due to the fees that have been thrown out there too! Anyway 4 years down the line, falling at the last hurdle has disheartened me I have never felt so low especially after completing my degree. I should be celebrating with my family but I can't! I have read that some people think you should pass these tests no problems! Yes we should, but everyone isn't blessed with working out mental maths questions or other questions within a constrained time limit. I wish I was but I'm not! Doesn't make anyone a better teacher, just some people need more time to process answers. My friend who is now a fantastic Deputy Head took the test 7 times but now it's all changed!
Sorry about the rant but if anyone is out there in my position then you will understand how frustrating this is!!
Vicki.

I would advise you to contact your MP. Also, contact the DFE/STA. However, don't expect clear answers!!

Goodness - this is beyond deluded. Why on Earth would you believe Ofsted judgements have any value?! Here's a snippet from Watching the Watchmen.

"In fact, overall the results are worse than flipping a coin – there is a 49% chance that the quality of the lesson will be empirically the same as judged, and a 51% chance that it will not be the same as that assessed by an observation. For lessons on either extreme (either Outstanding or Inadequate), the accuracy falls away even faster – with at best a 71% chance and an 83% chance that an observed judgement of a lesson into one of these two categories is wrong."

What a load of statistical hogwash.....

Having just passed my maths and literacy test for QTS last week in amongst being diagnosed with breast cancer I should feel a real sense of achievement however I feel insulted that I have had to of been put through these nonsensical tests! I am a mature student currently studying for BA Hons , I work full time (as have done for the past 16 years) as a nursery nurse, and qualified as an Early Years Professional (EYP) last year. I am also a mum of two amazing teenage daughters. I have a wealth of experience of working in the early years and the academic credentials relevant to a highly qualified practitioner in this field. Hence I have been accepted on a PGCE starting in September. It is my aim to make the grade as an outstanding nursery/primary teacher in the future.
You may wonder why i am not delighted to have passed the QTS tests??? Well the reason is that it seems in order for the powers that be to 'decide' if you will make the grade to be a teacher simply depends on whether you pass the tests. Bottom line. Regardless of years of hands on experience, academic credentials and the required GCSE entry requirements needed (Maths and English) which all students need before they even DARE to apply for teacher training in the first place. SO basically the bottom line is a student could have no experience with young children whatsoever but if they pass the QTS tests wait for it ...... Ta Dah!!! Wow you are automatically considered (by the powers that be) a top teacher! WHAT UTTER NONSENSE! If Michael Gove retested all current teachers (not that I am suggesting he does) on the basis that they kept their jobs according to their results in the current QTS Tests there would be schools closing all over the country. The tests are not a test of sound knowledge of maths or literacy. They are a test of nerve and of sensory ability (to be able to listen to a question fired into your ears through a headset not a pleasant experience) and sheer speed (then answer it in 18 seconds whilst scribbling on a laminated sheet with a fineliner that keeps running out -I asked for 3 new pens during the test! As if it's not stressful enough?) Meanwhile you are thinking 'I have 3 attempts and then I'm locked out for 2 years. TWO YEARS?? So by this time you are sweating buckets, going into a panic and reconsidering what job you could do if the worse thing happens and you FAIL QTS TEST?????!!! Especially after spending the past four years being a dedicated student putting everything into becoming a teacher. I was lucky but I don't feel smug or happy. I passed.

I disagree with you. The tests only allow entry into a training course, they by no means guarantee that you'll pass the course.


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There needs to be some form of filtering process before you gain entry onto an ITT course but the current format of the tests have no bearing whatsoever on someones ability to be a great teacher. As long as you are an academic then you will pass them but if not then you will struggle and it will stress you out no end as the previous poster pointed out. You also need to bear in mind that by being an academic it does not automatically make someone an outstanding teacher, in fact far from it.

One thing I do agree on is that they have now been made pre-entry tests rather than exit tests. It is certainly far better to take them before you start a course than previously when you took them in the final year. If you fail them 3 times now then you can look at other options but imagine studying for 3 or 4 years as an undergraduate and then failing the tests 3 times in your final year and then being locked out for 2 years! That almost happened to my daughter this year but thankfully she passed her Literacy on her third and final attempt and so she now graduates next month with her full QTS and starts her Primary Teacher NQT year in September.

I know all of this. I don't understand what point you are trying to make.


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Apologies, I actually replied to the wrong post. It was really meant as a reply to Tillytoo's post that you replied to.

I find it disgusting that the government have implemented these new rules regarding the QTS exams. I have watched my girlfriend fail her 3rd attempt at her QTS skills test by one mark. She has worked extremely hard and dedicated numerous hours, days, months and years towards becoming a qualified teacher. I find it horrific and unjust how a 30 minute exam can define whether she will be a qualified teacher or not! She is an extremely intelligent person who has exceeded in all of her previous exams throughout education. She is caring, hard working and passionate about improving the abilities of her students - however because she failed her QTS exam none of these qualities matter?

One of the most beautiful skills any human can show is resilience. A never give up attitude! The Government has removed this from our future teachers.

Well thank you Mr Gove for taking away peoples hard work, if you think that the new 3 exam cap will filter out the poorer teachers then you obviously are deluded. An exam will not determine whether someone is a poor or great teacher.

I for one would like to see this ridiculous new set of rules abolished.

Just noticed on the DFE website that from 1st December, there will be a change in contractors responsible for delivering the skills tests. It will change from Pearsons to Learndirect.
wonder has this anything to do with the errors in the marking of the tests last year?

I think we can safely say that the government have not been getting great value for money from Pearsons and so the decision to move the contract to Learndirect will be more based on cost rather than any quality of service problems received from Pearsons.

As someone who has tendered for work against Pearson and lost out to them, I can confirm they usually offer an extremely competitive rate. If LearnDirect have managed to undercut them and reduce costs to candidates, it makes me question whether they will actually make any money from this contract at all!

One thing that we can safely say is that this is already a cockup as Pearsons challenged the decision to award the contract for the theory test to Learndirect and have been successful in this appeal and awarded a 2 year extension to Sept 2016. This is set to cost the taxpayer £20million as the lower prices still have to be implemented from Sept 2014.

One thing that we can safely say is that this is already a cockup as Pearsons challenged the decision to award the contract for the theory test to Learndirect and have been successful in this appeal and awarded a 2 year extension to Sept 2016. This is set to cost the taxpayer £20million as the lower prices still have to be implemented from Sept 2014.