What affects fitness to teach

I recently got accepted onto a PGCE course (secondary with Chemistry) and have received some paperwork to fill out. One of the documents is "fitness to teach" which needs my GP stamp and signature. I'm concerned as there are some questions that I have to answer yes for.

I'm not gonna sugar coat it. I have had to tick yes to mental health problems; I have anxiety and have over-dosed before in an attempt to try and kill myself before which my GP knows about. I had to tick yes to being treated/assessed by a psychiatrist etc and had to tick yes to currently taking medication (I'm on citalopram for anxiety).

I can't find information online about this and how it will affect my fitness to teach. If anyone can find something or knows how this will affect me starting my course then please let me know. It would be easier to know the full extent now so that I can contact people and deal with everything now. Also if anyone needs any more information on dates if that changes things then please let me know.

Reply 1

username1586817

14

Sorry this isn't helpful but following for updates.

I declared a history of depression on mine, haven't heard back yet but I'll let you know when I do.

Reply 2

KLouiseK

8

I have declared mental health on my form too. There will be many like us who have had to tick that box for all sorts of reasons and know that they can't discriminate based on that. They want to find the best way to support us on our PGCE and fully acknowledge that many people suffer from mental health. Having said that they will take into consideration how recent your suicide attempt was. Don't quote me on this but I would say if it has been in the last 6 months then this will raise concerns for any university. The main reason for this is the PGCE is very demanding and challenging. We will face knock backs and have days where we feel we want to quit and if someone is already going through a lot of suffering in their life this could easily take a toll on them.

Anyway being honest is the best way forward. I think they wouldn't reject it immediately they would likely ask to speak to you to clarify a few things perhaps. Again it all depends on how long ago this was for you. Suffering from mental health won't be the issue here it is whether you have made any attempts in recent months.

I know its easy to say but try not to worry about it for now

Reply 3

SarcAndSpark

20

Original post by Craftysloth

I recently got accepted onto a PGCE course (secondary with Chemistry) and have received some paperwork to fill out. One of the documents is "fitness to teach" which needs my GP stamp and signature. I'm concerned as there are some questions that I have to answer yes for.

I'm not gonna sugar coat it. I have had to tick yes to mental health problems; I have anxiety and have over-dosed before in an attempt to try and kill myself before which my GP knows about. I had to tick yes to being treated/assessed by a psychiatrist etc and had to tick yes to currently taking medication (I'm on citalopram for anxiety).

I can't find information online about this and how it will affect my fitness to teach. If anyone can find something or knows how this will affect me starting my course then please let me know. It would be easier to know the full extent now so that I can contact people and deal with everything now. Also if anyone needs any more information on dates if that changes things then please let me know.

As I understand it, if you're seeking help for a mental health condition and it's currently under control, it shouldn't be an issue. Part of the reason for declaring it is so that the uni can give you extra support and they're aware of your history. You may have to have a chat with someone from occupational health, or further assessments if they are really worried.

I know people on my PGCE currently with mental health issues- it's not a barrier to them being on the course or completing it, and their tutors know and are able to make allowances and give them the extra support that they need.

Reply 4

Bek93

5

Hi, i am in this exact situation and it is really stressing me out. I attempted to OD in April 2019 and i sought help and i have been absolutely fine since then. I am worried this is impact my application. Did you hear back from the UNI and if so what happened? Really stressing about this :frown:

X

Reply 5

OneDayIllFlyAway

3

Hi, I'm a late applicant in the middle of filling mine out and it terrifies me because I'm so close to my dream and it could all be snatched away. What happened with yours?

Reply 6

SarcAndSpark

20

Original post by OneDayIllFlyAway

Hi, I'm a late applicant in the middle of filling mine out and it terrifies me because I'm so close to my dream and it could all be snatched away. What happened with yours?

The vast majority of people get through the fitness to teach process and get offered support where necessary.

It's far more likely to be a barrier if you don't get it filled out in time- so get it done ASAP!

If you're willing to discuss your worries on here or via PM, we can probably give you a good idea of what the outcome will be.

Reply 7

OneDayIllFlyAway

3

Original post by SarcAndSpark

The vast majority of people get through the fitness to teach process and get offered support where necessary.

It's far more likely to be a barrier if you don't get it filled out in time- so get it done ASAP!

If you're willing to discuss your worries on here or via PM, we can probably give you a good idea of what the outcome will be.

Thank you so much for replying!
I sent it off the other day :smile:

So I declared BPD, PTSD, Anxiety, Depression, and an SpLD.
I said that I have good coping strategies and they shouldn't create any issues as I've been dealing with these since my early teens and know the warning signs and how to manage my conditions.
I'm expecting to do a phone assessment once they process it but I'm still worried I'll say the wrong thing and make them think I'm not capable.

I saw someone be rejected from Durham for asking for a little support with planning and organization, as their 'reasonable adjustments', so I'm too scared to even ask what they can do to support me in case my uni think I'm asking too much. I get that it's a case by case basis but it feels like I'm going to be penalized for asking for any help at all after seeing that. (I don't NEED it but I can't deny that support does make things easier).

Sorry it's long - Thoughts?

Reply 8

amberrose13

9

Original post by OneDayIllFlyAway

Thank you so much for replying!
I sent it off the other day :smile:

So I declared BPD, PTSD, Anxiety, Depression, and an SpLD.
I said that I have good coping strategies and they shouldn't create any issues as I've been dealing with these since my early teens and know the warning signs and how to manage my conditions.
I'm expecting to do a phone assessment once they process it but I'm still worried I'll say the wrong thing and make them think I'm not capable.

I saw someone be rejected from Durham for asking for a little support with planning and organization, as their 'reasonable adjustments', so I'm too scared to even ask what they can do to support me in case my uni think I'm asking too much. I get that it's a case by case basis but it feels like I'm going to be penalized for asking for any help at all after seeing that. (I don't NEED it but I can't deny that support does make things easier).

Sorry it's long - Thoughts?

From what I've heard about Durham's PGCE, that is... completely unsurprising (and the reason I never even looked in to applying!) Please don't expect your course to be like that, because I imagine most will be supportive! I can't guarantee it will be because some people suck no matter where you go, but odds are, you WILL be supported as long as you've been honest up front and ask for help when you need it, not if things get out of hand!

I've declared my disabilities to my uni and they have arranged a meeting with me to discuss how they can best support me- I'm guessing your uni will be much the same in terms of support, especially if you ask for it.

(edited 3 years ago)

Reply 9

SarcAndSpark

20

Original post by OneDayIllFlyAway

Thank you so much for replying!
I sent it off the other day :smile:

So I declared BPD, PTSD, Anxiety, Depression, and an SpLD.
I said that I have good coping strategies and they shouldn't create any issues as I've been dealing with these since my early teens and know the warning signs and how to manage my conditions.
I'm expecting to do a phone assessment once they process it but I'm still worried I'll say the wrong thing and make them think I'm not capable.

I saw someone be rejected from Durham for asking for a little support with planning and organization, as their 'reasonable adjustments', so I'm too scared to even ask what they can do to support me in case my uni think I'm asking too much. I get that it's a case by case basis but it feels like I'm going to be penalized for asking for any help at all after seeing that. (I don't NEED it but I can't deny that support does make things easier).

Sorry it's long - Thoughts?

I don't know much about Durham's PGCE, but from what I know about them as a uni, that doesn't surprise me.

A good, supportive PGCE course will arrange an OH assessment for someone with known mental health/SEN needs and help you work out the support you will need from there, so don't worry about needing to ask- they should help you figure out what you need.

If you have been coping with your MH and been stable for many years, then that's a massive point in your favour. If you engage with professionals and treatments (when needed) that is another big point in your favour. In general, when people are rejected for MH reasons, it is usually because they have had a recent crisis and/or their conditions are badly controlled- like, for example, someone who said they would melt down and leave the classroom without warning. I hope you can appreciate why that would be a safety issue as a teacher!

It is honestly rare to be rejected entirely due to the health form, and it is often for something that would be a safety risk in terms of leaving children unattended (e.g. uncontrolled absence seizures). Occasionally, with mental health, it is because they feel you could not safely cope with the course, but again this is more likely if you've had a recent crisis or your conditions are uncontrolled.

Good luck!

Reply 10

Mohammad_Umer

3

The fitness to teach process is in place to ensure public protection and maintain proper teaching standards.

The process is not about disciplining or punishing teachers, it is about ensuring that we have a teaching profession in Scotland that is and remains fit to teach so that public trust and confidence in teachers is maintained and the learning of our children and young people is protected.
Action is taken if a teacher's fitness to teach is found to be impaired because of shortfalls in their conduct or professional competence. Fitness to Teach Hearings are held and Consent Orders issued in this context.

With its focus on ensuring maintenance of our teaching standards, our fitness to teach process is distinct from any employer or criminal process that may also be followed.

What affects fitness to teach

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