A highly qualified teaching team is the backbone of any highly respected International School and this is what we offer at YCIS Chongqing. Working for YCIS means that you want to be part of a culture that blends Eastern and Western cultures together as one team with our unique Co-Principal and Co-Teaching models.

Highly qualified and experienced Western teachers are recruited from English-speaking countries including the UK, US, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, as well as recruiting professional Chinese teacher who owns global perspective. When being interviewed for positions, our teachers must be able to share their passion for preparing and delivering and assessing high quality learning. Explaining how their values fit with the YCIS philosophy and demonstrating a commitment to preparing our students for a successful life beyond school.

Over half of our teachers have been teaching for at least 15 years and hold at least a Master’s Degree. Almost all of our teacher have experienced teaching within an international setting with many of them holding middle or senior leadership positions.

As YCIS Chongqing sets such high standards in terms of recruitment, we must work with highly reputable teacher recruitment agencies who search worldwide and identify candidates who match our requirements and expectations.

Before a prospective teaching candidate is even considered for interview, three minimum requirements must be met:

• A bachelor’s degree
• A globally recognised Teaching Certification (for example: QTS/PGCE)
• Over 2 years full-time teaching experience in the country where the teaching qualification was awarded

QTS represents Qualified Teacher Status, it is one of the main teaching certifications in the UK and forms part of a four year degree programme and then one year practical qualification, in total five years.

In order to be awarded QTS, you must:

• Hold a bachelor’s degree
• Have successfully completed a ‘teaching practice’ in each of the four years
• Complete a Maths and English assessment
• Have successfully completed a Newly Qualified Teacher (NQT) academic year in school after the four year degree is complete

PGCE stands for Postgraduate Certificate in Education, this is the other main teaching certification in the UK. This qualification can only be awarded after successful completion of a bachelor’s degree.

In order to be awarded a PGCE and then receive QTS, you must:

• Hold a bachelor’s degree
• Have successfully completed a ‘teaching practice’ during the PGCE qualification
• Complete a Maths and English assessment
• Have successfully completed a Newly Qualified Teacher (NQT) academic year in school after the four year degree is complete

PGCE and QTS holders are qualified to teach in most countries around the world due to the prestigious nature of the qualifications and is why YCIS Chongqing only recruit teachers who have the highest possible teaching certification. Many of our teachers also have TESOL or TEFL qualifications, but these do not replace or can be substituted for a highly recognised qualification such as PGCE or QTS, our teachers gain this so they can further support English as a second language learners.

Alongside the qualifications our teachers have, we also review and investigate their character, we independently receive the following information on our candidates:

• At least 3 reference letters from former employers
• Non-criminal certificate from their home country and or the country they are currently working in
• Background check completed by an external agency
• Successful completion of a character question and answer session

YCIS Chongqing receives over 300 job applications annually, usually on around only 50 candidates meet the necessary requirements. After several rounds of interviews and assessment, only a small number are then hired.

These strict requirements ensure we hire only highly qualified teaching staff. The YCIS teaching team stand proud as their qualifications and experience make them the envy of even the most reputable International Schools around the world.