TES Global Aquires Leading Digital Teacher Training Company Hibernia College UK

LONDON, June 3, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --

Combination of TES and HCUK will help remove barriers to qualification at a time of rising teacher shortages 

TES Global, the global digital education business, today announced the acquisition of the leading online and blended learning provider of teacher training programmes Hibernia College UK (HCUK). The acquisition enables TES to deliver a full suite of digital services that support teachers and schools in the UK, from teacher training, professional development, classroom resources to jobs.

TES's unparalleled reach across the UK teaching community will help accelerate the growth of the HCUK training business, removing barriers to qualification at a time of rising teacher shortages. This recruitment challenge is driven by a range of factors, including a booming birth rate, rising school population and the growth of British schools abroad*. At the same time more teachers are needed who can teach computing, maths and physics.

HCUK's accredited and digital teacher training programmes are designed to give people a flexible and accessible route into teaching via university or classroom, leading to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) or a Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). In addition to initial teacher training, HCUK offers professional development programmes and is a market leader in offering Subject Knowledge Enhancement. This gives teachers the assistance they need to teach shortage subjects such as maths and science and helps schools develop and convert their raw talent if they have particularly difficult positions to fill.

HCUK has been praised by Ofsted for the quality of its training. The organisation was inspected under the new June 2014 two-stage framework and received an overall grade of 'good' for its work securing consistently high quality outcomes for its trainees.

Rob Grimshaw, Chief Executive of TES Global, said: "We're thrilled that Hibernia College UK will be joining the TES family. Together we can play a positive role in helping more people to become qualified teachers through online enabled tuition that widens access and increases flexibility. Hibernia College UK's innovative and rigorous approach also helps bring more teachers into shortage subjects through high quality Subject Knowledge Enhancement courses. TES now offers a wide suite of digital services and tools designed to support the education community and help teachers be the very best that they can be in a rapidly changing and challenging classroom environment."

Lord Jim Knight, Chief Education Advisor, TES Global, said: "It's widely recognised that quality teaching is by far the most important factor in improving standards of education. Through its unparalleled online platform, TES can now help deliver great initial teacher training and then support those teachers with on-going professional development and collaborative teacher networks so that they stay and thrive in the profession in the UK and beyond."

Jeremy Coninx, Managing Director of Hibernia College UK, said: "Hibernia College UK is delighted to be joining TES Global. The combination of our high quality courses with the reach and brand recognition of TES is an extremely powerful and timely combination. Together we will be able to support more people to become teachers and more teachers to be able to access high quality professional development, equipping them to meet future school needs."

HCUK's professional development programmes for teaching include:

• Initial Teacher Training Course with PGCE - accredited by the National College for Teaching and Leadership and aimed at graduates who want to become a teacher.
• Straight to Teaching Programme - aimed at school staff and graduates who want to gain teaching experience and become a teacher with Qualified Teacher Status.
• Subject Knowledge Enhancement for Teacher Training - helps improve subject knowledge before and during your initial teacher training (QTS/PGCE).
• Primary Maths ITT - online and in-school postgraduate Initial Teacher Training Primary with maths is designed to prepare high quality teachers with a passion for maths.

* The Council of British International Schools estimates that 150,000 extra teachers and 1,200 head teachers will be required in British schools abroad in the next 10 years.  

Notes to editors 

About TES Global 

TES Global is a fast growing and global digital education company. Our mission is to help improve performance and standards in education by both supporting the world's teachers with a portfolio of tailored digital services and providing the world's most respected higher education data and analysis. It is home to the world's largest online community of teachers, with 7 million registered users, and the Times Higher Education World University Rankings. For more information, visit http://www.tesglobal.com

About Hibernia College UK 

HCUK is a leading international provider of online teacher training courses and programmes at undergraduate and postgraduate level. HCUK's parent company is based in Ireland. Hibernia College Ireland was established in Dublin in 2000 by teacher training and education professionals who understand the value of innovative and interactive online learning.