ISI is delivering an inspection pilot for a new international teaching qualification backed by the Department for Education and UK government.

International qualified teacher status (iQTS) meets the same high standards as English qualified teacher status (QTS). Applicants for iQTS train where they live and work, with no need to visit the UK.

ISI is co-developing the iQTS inspection framework, in collaboration with iQTS training providers.

The inspection framework will set out how inspections will be carried out, while the iQTS inspection criteria defines the standards against which providers are inspected.

The inspection pilots will run from January 2024 to summer 2024, inspecting the provision of the initial six iQTS providers, who will then be in their second year of iQTS delivery.

The pilot will be used to ensure the iQTS inspection framework and the iQTS inspection criteria work together to deliver the necessary standards for iQTS training provision.

At the end of 2024, the Department for Education will draw on their research findings to finalise the iQTS inspection framework.

This will be published and used by inspectorates from 2025 onwards.