Learning Skills Teacher Level 5
Duration: 24 Months
Maximum Funding: £7,000
This occupation is found in all parts of the Further Education and Skills Sector (FES), usually in settings where students are aged 16 and above (a small number of teachers may teach 14–16 year olds in alternative provision). The majority of Further Education, Learning and Skills Teachers will work in FE colleges (whether general or specialist), independent training providers (ITPs), Adult Community Learning (ACL) providers or offender learning. A small number may work as trainers in large organisations. Teaching can be delivered at a range of levels including essential skills generally up to Level 3 including, academic, vocational and technical education, some teachers may deliver subjects up to post-graduate level; it will also cover a broad range of both academic and technical subject/sector areas. Many Learning and Skills Teachers are dual professionals drawing on their technical and vocational as well as academic experience and qualifications to provide a high-quality learning experience.
The broad purpose of the occupation is to ensure that students achieve the best possible knowledge, skills and behaviours. Learning and Skills Teachers do this by planning and delivering teaching that is current, comprehensive and challenging, and that inspires students to engage, progress and achieve their full potential.
In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with other Teachers and FES professionals and students of different ages, abilities, backgrounds and ambitions. They may also interact with employers and stakeholders. Teachers who are specialists in a particular technical or vocational subject, sector or occupation will typically maintain close working relationships with others working in their industry/sector and keep their own knowledge and skills up to date.
An employee in this occupation is responsible for helping to prepare each of their students for progression to/or within employment or to further study. To deliver this to a diverse group of students, including those with special educational needs, a Learning and Skills Teacher needs to be flexible, innovative, and adaptable, changing their behaviour and teaching style to suit the environment and level of their students. A Learning and Skills Teacher needs to have a sound understanding of pedagogy and regularly engage with robust evidence of effective teaching and learning methods and practice relevant to their subject area(s). A Learning and Skills Teacher typically has significant autonomy and needs to demonstrate consistently high standards of personal and professional conduct and is accountable for their professional development. A Learning and Skills Teacher may be responsible for the managing of others, as well as managing budgets.
Knowledge
K1: The pedagogical theory and how to apply this theory to practice
K2: How to support contextualized opportunities to develop English and Maths
K3: The principles of designing, planning, and organising curriculum
K4: Methods for creating and adapting inclusive learning resources
K5: Evidence-informed inclusive teaching, learning and assessment strategies
K6: Strategies to engage and challenge all learners
K7: How to implement ongoing initial and diagnostic assessment to inform planning and progression
K8: Techniques to involve learners in taking ownership of their own progress
K9: Principles and practices of assessment and feedback
K10: How to promote and foster a safe and supportive learning environment
K11: Barriers to learning, and ways to overcome them and adapt teaching, learning and assessment
K12: The range of support available for learners related to health, wellbeing and safeguarding
K13: Sources of current information, advice, and guidance to support progression opportunities for learners
K14: The requirements and implications of organisational policies and procedures, such as internal and external regulatory bodies and frameworks
K15: Techniques to develop collaborative relationships
K16: Communication techniques and how to adapt these for different audiences, including leading difficult conversations
K17: Coaching and mentoring principles and techniques
K18: Strategies for quality improvement
K19: Ways to access personal and professional development, and to maintain sector and/or subject specific currency
K20: Advances in digital, online, and emerging technologies and their application in the teaching environment and principles of digital and online safety
Skills
S1: Integrate subject and pedagogic research into teaching activity to enhance teaching and support changes of practice
S2: Identify, consider and take steps to minimise the impact of barriers to learning
S3: Contextualise English and mathematics in a way that promotes understanding of key topics
S4: Use a variety of teaching and assessment methods depending on the learning environment and learners’ needs
S5: Encourage learners to set challenging goals
S6: Promote understanding of equality and diversity and sustainable development
S7: Demonstrate through their teaching the wider context (policy, economic, societal, technological, legal, cultural and environmental) of the subject, recognising the implications for professional practice
S8: Design and use resources that are inclusive and add value to learners’ development
S9: Engage and inspire all learners
S10: Identify and set outcomes to enable each learner to achieve or exceed targets
S11: Provide ongoing learner feedback
S12: Use the results of initial and diagnostic assessment to plan learning and differentiated support at the start of and throughout the learners' journey
S13: Encourage learners to develop: autonomy and resilience, personal and interpersonal effectiveness, social awareness and respect for others, essential employability skills, a solutions mindset, and the ability to create change
S14: Use assessment data to regularly review and develop own and others’ practice and to report emerging gaps in progression and achievement amongst groups of learners
S15: Support the implementation and execution of safeguarding procedures and promote the welfare of children, young people and/or adults in accordance with statutory provisions
S16: Prepare learners for their transition through education, further training, and into employment
S17: Comply with internal and external regulations, legislation and guidance, such as: teaching, learning and assessment, recording, storing and sharing information relating to learners
S18: Adapt communication style, method, and terminology to reflect the needs of the audience including individual learners, colleagues, stakeholders
S19: Engage learners to establish standards of behaviour, mutual respect and safe working
S20: Challenge learners to address inappropriate behaviour or viewpoints
S21: Continually update and maintain their own knowledge and skills as a teaching professional and a subject specialist as part of managing their own continual professional development (CPD)
S22: Be proactive in seeking and responding to feedback from varied sources including learner voice, peers, colleagues, employers and stakeholders to improve own practice
S23: Manage workload through preparation and prioritisation, time management, and responsiveness to change
S24: Act within, the statutory frameworks which set out their professional duties and responsibilities
S25: Use innovative and up to date digital and online technologies in a way that is safe to improve teaching, learning and assessment
Behaviours
B1: Be resilient and adaptable when dealing with challenge and change, maintaining focus and self-control
B2: Underpin their practice by reference to professional standards and evidence-based teaching and learning
B3: Committed to continuous professional development
B4: Act in a professional manner, and in a way that builds and maintains positive relationships with colleagues, students and stakeholders
B5: Act in a manner that is ethical, fair, consistent and impartial, valuing equality, diversity and champion British values within professional boundaries
B6: Model sustainable practices and promote sustainable development principles, values and goals in relation to their subject specialism