It is called the Class Rating Instructor. U only need a PPL, it takes a week for the course (around £1.6k) and allows u to take non- ab initio pilots airborne, conduct differences training, bi-annual check rides and SEP refreshers.
Cap'n,
Yes, it's good, isn't it? I did it in Aug '06 to see if I'd like instructing (and if it would like me!) I'd recommend it to anyone and I don't think the experience requirements are too onerous.
It gave me a taste for it (and some experience) so I did the full-blown FI course this Summer. Beware, though, the silly old CAA won't give you any credit for having had some of the exact FI course content and passed a test almost identical to the full FI test 8 months prior to starting the course AND be in current instructing practice. They EVEN insisted that I did the pre-course flight check to see if I was good enough to start the FI course, having passed the FI test 8 months previously! My instructor was hopping mad on my behalf! I think there's a regular pprune contributor out there who should be a bit hang-dog about it.
Cheers,
TRheOddOne