Many schools rely on teachers from overseas

Ministers wanted all teachers trained overseas but working in England to get Qualified Teacher Status within four years of starting work in the country.

They had been given until September 2007 to do this, but the NUT teaching union warned this would leave scores of teachers facing the sack.

But the government has delayed the deadline to September 2008.

The crisis faced by OTTs needed a common sense response based on pragmatism and humanity Steve Sinnott NUT general secretary

A spokesman for the Department for Children, Schools and Families had said: "For a number of years regulations allowed Overseas Trained Teachers (OTTs) two years to obtain Qualified Teacher Status.

"A change was introduced six years ago which increased the period to four years.

"But to be absolutely certain everyone knows their rights and responsibilities we have sent out annual reminders to the sector, provided information on websites and included guidance in the Governors Guide to the Law."

But a message on a government website providing information to teachers said the deadline had been deferred by a year after a six-week consultation.

Now OTTs will have until September 2008 to ensure that they have gained Qualified Teacher Status instead of the original date of September 2007.

However, it stressed that after that time those who had worked in the UK for four years or more would not be able to continue teaching without the qualification - even if they were on a work-based training scheme leading to it, the DCSF said.

Facing the sack

The NUT had said hundreds of teachers who had given their time and energy to schools in England could have lost their jobs.

It said it had been dealing with 172 cases of teachers facing the sack.

The union was not against the four-year qualification period but wanted its introduction to be delayed to allow existing overseas teachers to have more of a chance to obtain it.

General secretary Steve Sinnott said the government had been "in grave danger of inflicting a major injustice on a group of teachers who have made a vital contribution to schools in this country".

He said: "Many teachers had simply not been informed that they had to gain QTS by the 31 August this year. Consequently they faced the sack and potential cancellation of work permits.

"The crisis faced by OTTs needed a common sense response based on pragmatism and humanity. I'm glad to say that this has prevailed."

But he added that the government and its agencies must ensure there are sufficient teacher training places available for OTTs.

And there needed to be justice for those teachers who have lost their jobs, he added.