REFORMS TO THE TRAINING AND QUALIFICATIONS OF TEACHERS, TUTORS, TRAINERS, AND INSTRUCTORS

In brief...

In September 2007, the government introduced new regulations to reform the training and qualifications of teachers, tutors, trainers and instructors. The reforms include changes to initial teacher training and impacts on all those delivering learning within the further education sector which includes work based learning and the organisations they work for. By 2010, every teacher will be qualified or working towards an endorsed qualification.

More detail...

The reforms include changes to initial teacher training (ITT) and continuing professional development (CPD), and impact on all those delivering learning within the further education (FE) sector which includes work based learning and the organisations they work for. By 2010, every teacher will be qualified or working towards an SVUK endorsed qualification – including those working within work based learning and funded by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). This means that from now all staff employed as teachers in the FE sector must be professionally registered and all new staff must also be licensed to practise by the Institute for Learning (IfL). To be licensed, all teachers must be trained to a standard that allows them to achieve either Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) status or Associate Teacher Learning and Skills (ATLS) status, depending on their role. All full time teachers (new and existing) should undertake at least 30 hours of CPD per year and keep a record reflecting on the CPD activities they have undertaken to maintain their status with the IfL. Those in part time employment will undertake CPD on a sliding scale, with a minimum of 6 hours a year.

Applies to..............

If your organisation delivers internal training courses (publicly funded/Train to Gain etc), or provides work based learning (NVQ's Modern day apprenticeships etc) then the changes may be of relevance to you.

The definition of 'teacher' is very wide. 'Teachers' means anyone who is responsible for planning and carrying out teaching or learning activities with a learner or learners – irrespective of the amount of hours they do. Learning delivery or teaching means:

Training or instructing
Tutoring (with learners in the work place or off the job)
Coaching in the workplace
Teaching key skills or functional skills
Planning and running inductions
Delivering underpinning knowledge

What are the qualifications required?

The new professional qualification requirement in the lifelong learning sector are:

Click here for our 4 day PTLLS course details and dates.
More experienced teachers can do the 2 day PTLLS course.