There will be more users, from up to 190 countries, applying for QTS under more complex criteria when new regulations come into effect in early 2023.
With the existing service, discovery showed us that there are substantial challenges for overseas trained teachers (from circa 30 currently-eligible countries) looking to gain qualified teachers status (QTS) using the current service.
Problem areas centre around:
- understanding their eligibility to apply
- understanding what supporting documents are needed for an application
- completing the application form and submitting the required documents and data
- understanding the status of their application once it has been submitted
- using the service if they have access needs
As a result of some of these issues, assessing applications is often a painful experience too. Many applications result in ineligibility, plus for those that may be eligible, many require requests for further information. All of this adds time and complication to the application process, from both perspectives.
Our alpha aims to explore solutions to the problems we identified in discovery and to de-risk the new, expanded service.
We prioritised two areas for initial focus, in the early stages of a teacher’s journey. These were areas that we felt held the most value:
1. How might we help teachers understand if they are eligible to apply?
A high proportion of applications are unsuccessful. In a large part this is because applicants have not understood from the guidance that they do not meet the eligibility criteria.
Lack of clarity over eligibility causes confusion, anxiety and wasted time for applicants
We believe that if we help overseas trained teachers to easily understand if they eligible to apply then we will see
- Reduction in % of unsuccessful applications
- Fewer related support queries to the helpdesk about eligibility
- More people exploring alternative, more suitable routes for their circumstances
2. How can we help teachers get prepared so they make a complete and successful application?
Around two thirds of applications are incomplete when submitted by overseas trained teachers, with key pieces of evidence missing.
We believe that if we help overseas trained teachers to understand and gather the evidence they need to make an application then they will be more prepared and able to gather the right evidence to make a successful application
We will know this is true when:
- Reduction in % of further information requests
- Fewer related support queries to the helpdesk
We completed a one week design sprint to create our first prototypes.
Screenshots
Current service – Start page
Current service – Personal details
Current service – Details of teacher training
Current service – Employment
Current service – Documents
Current service – Declaration
