Guidance

Expectations for the delivery of initial teacher education for FE

Updated 25 January 2024

Applies to England

Introduction

This guidance explains the essential elements of high quality initial teacher education (ITE) programmes for further education (FE).

The best available evidence suggests that these elements should be a feature of teacher training, regardless of the age or phase of the trainees.

This guidance is not a:

• curriculum
• detailed set of content requirements
• specification for a qualification

Excellent teachers in the FE sector are crucial to deliver an agenda of skills reform, and to secure the best outcomes for learners. Raising the quality of ITE is vital to drive up standards across FE teaching.

This guidance sets out the Department for Education’s (DfE) expectations for the delivery of publicly funded FE ITE, and supports our aims to:

• raise quality standards
• ensure high quality outcomes for trainees
• increase employers’ confidence in trainees
• achieve good value for the investment of public funds

We will regularly review this guidance and will give providers notice of any changes.

Any statutory requirements are clearly indicated in this guidance.

Who this guidance is for

This guidance is for the use of organisations delivering FE ITE programmes.

It can also be used by:

• awarding organisations (AOs) and higher education providers (HEPs) with degree awarding powers (DAPs) as they develop new qualifications or curricula for FE ITE programmes
• providers who are delivering qualifications through partnerships, franchises or other commercial relationships, to provide support to organisations delivering their qualifications to ensure that they are achieving the highest quality
• employers of teachers in the FE sector, to identify better quality programmes
• current and prospective trainees, to understand what they should expect from ITE programmes, and to inform decisions about where to undertake training

This guidance applies to providers of FE ITE with qualifications at level 5 and above. It does not apply to any qualifications or apprenticeships delivered at level 3 or 4, which may be precursors to achieving the recognised standard for teaching in FE, for example Certificate in Education and Training (CET) or Award in Education and Training (AET). It does not apply to programmes leading to qualified teacher status (QTS).

Public funding and occupational standards

Public funding is available for the following FE ITE routes in academic year 2023 to 2024:

• the level 5 Diploma in Education and Training (DET)
• DET-compliant qualifications validated by HEPs with DAPs, at level 5 and above
• the learning and skills teacher (LST) apprenticeship

You can find a list of qualifications that are DET-compliant in the guidance chapter on assessing eligibility on the Student Finance England website.

FE ITE qualifications continue to be prescribed as higher education qualifications for the purposes of funding, benefiting from HE funding of up to £9,250 per trainee.

The apprenticeship levy can provide funding of up to £7,000 per apprentice for employers and apprenticeship providers delivering the LST.

In addition to student finance, other types of public funding are available, including:

• financial incentives and bursaries to support trainees in priority subjects
• programmes such as Taking Teaching Further, which provide early career support to those with relevant knowledge and industry experience to retrain as FE teachers

The criteria for these programmes, and any future programmes, will take into account the expectations set out in this guidance. This will include the transition from the current DET to the new Diploma in Teaching (FE and Skills) from the academic year 2024 to 2025.

Changes from academic year 2024 to 2025 onwards

The Secretary of State for Education will publish a list of recognised FE ITE courses eligible for public funding, from the academic year 2024 to 2025 onwards. The list will only include courses that are consistent with the LST occupational standard.

The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) is responsible for this standard. Programmes that do not align to this standard, or which allow completion without achievement of the full relevant occupational standard, will not be eligible for public funding.

Qualifications based on the framework for the new Diploma in Teaching (FE and Skills) – which is based on the LST occupational standard – will replace DET and DET-compliant qualifications. Qualifications at levels 5, 6 and 7 delivered by HEPs with DAPs will be eligible for funding if they are compliant with this framework.

Routes of delivery

FE sector employers often prefer employment-based (in-service) ITE, particularly when recruiting in technical and vocational subjects, where they might look to recruit someone who is currently employed in that area or has relevant prior experience.

Recruitment for teachers of academic subjects often follows different patterns. Pre-service training routes might be more appropriate to train new teachers in these subjects.

We expect that the majority of FE ITE will be employment-based, through:

• in-service programmes commissioned by employers
• apprenticeships

This is one of the main areas in which teacher training for the FE sector differs from that for schools.

A smaller number of pre-service programmes – mainly delivered by HEPs in collaboration with FE colleges – will continue to provide training for FE teachers for certain, largely academic, subjects.

Regardless of the route, we expect all FE ITE programmes to be able to show that they provide a solid grounding in the knowledge, skills and behaviours that trainees will require for successful employment as teachers in the FE sector.

Both pre- and in-service programmes should allow all trainees to meet the relevant occupational standard in full. The Diploma in Teaching (FE and Skills), and HEP-delivered programmes aligned to it, will be available through both pre- and in-service routes.

Quality of programme delivery

Any publicly funded ITE programme should show that it meets all the elements of the relevant occupational standard. This is regardless of the delivery level or the training methods the provider uses.

Differences between qualification levels

The baseline routes for FE ITE are delivered at level 5, through:

• the LST apprenticeship
• Diploma in Education and Training (DET) and Certificate in Education (Cert Ed) qualifications
• the Diploma in Teaching (FE and Skills), from 2024 to 2025

We expect HE providers who choose to deliver qualifications at higher levels to demonstrate a qualitative difference from the baseline level 5 programme, beyond solely the assessment of the qualification.

Qualifications at higher levels should reflect the requirements associated with the level of content and methods of delivery, for example, aligning with the relevant Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) benchmarks.

Preparing teachers for the FE sector

The process of becoming a teacher is complex. Providers are expected to design and deliver curricula appropriate for the subjects, age ranges and settings that their trainees will be working in.

Although this guidance is not a framework of content, many of the same core concepts that underpin the quality of teacher training programmes leading to QTS will apply to the delivery of FE ITE.

Providers should ensure that their programmes allow trainees to meet the requirements of specific qualifications – and from the academic year 2024 to 2025, the relevant occupational standard – in full. Programmes should integrate the following features, as appropriate:

• analysis and critique of theory
• research
• expert practice

We expect teacher educators to ensure that:

• they model good practice in teaching, learning and assessment
• they use the best available, evidence-based approaches
• their trainees learn, select and apply the most effective approaches to teaching, learning and assessment
• their trainees learn the principles and practice of effective curriculum design, including the selection and sequencing of curriculum content, especially in relation to their subject

Trainees should understand how the relevant occupational standard will prepare them to teach in the sector. The content and curriculum of every FE ITE programme should be carefully crafted and sequenced in such a way as to support trainees to succeed as teachers in FE settings.

The 9 duties contained within the LST occupational standard set out the areas that trainees need to address. Certain duties focus on activity that takes place in the classroom or workshop. Others apply to wider organisational and professional matters.

At the end of their training, all teachers should understand:

• how students learn
• the central evidence-based concepts that underpin effective teaching practice

Theory and knowledge help trainees to understand what the best evidence says about learning and how to facilitate it, and how to apply that evidence to their own teaching.

Duties 3 and 4 of the occupational standard cover foundational concepts of pedagogy. We expect programmes to prepare trainees for effective practice by developing their knowledge about how memory enables learning.

Trainees should understand that this is at the core of teaching in any environment.

How students learn, and how memory functions, are essential foundational knowledge. Research and evidence should complement any core learning within a vocational subject programme.

Many students, whether young people or adults, may have weak subject knowledge or misconceptions about their subject. In FE, this is sometimes due to students’ prior experiences of, and engagement with, education.

FE teachers need to understand, with reference to reliable evidence, how learners can consolidate and recall information, to build confidence in their subject across the full duration of their programme of study.

It is essential that ITE prepares individuals to be effective teachers in the FE sector. Whilst in-service programmes often lead to continuing employment, pre-service trainees will have to secure employment during or after their training. ITE providers should put in place appropriate, high quality support for this.

High quality pre-service programmes should use information about the destinations of all graduating trainees as evidence of their effectiveness and impact. ITE providers should gather the following information as a minimum:

• trainee’s employment status
• employer name, if applicable

Providers should collect this information least once, 6 months after trainees complete the programme.

Subject-specific considerations

Both the qualification and apprenticeship routes are designed to be delivered as subject-specific ITE. Providers should have a differentiated curriculum that reflects the:

• challenge of delivering specific subjects
• range of theory and practice that underpins subject-specific delivery

Subject knowledge should not be located solely in any practice element of an ITE programme. The challenge of teaching a subject may be explored further in practice with the support of experienced and trained mentors.

It is important that trainees and employers have a clear understanding of the value and limitations of any particular subject training when making decisions about the suitability of particular courses.

Mentors and mentoring

Subject-specific mentors and subject specialists have a pivotal role in providing coherence between theory and practice in ITE programmes. Providers should take responsibility for all specialists and mentors who support their programmes. This includes identifying, training and supporting them in their role, along with placement providers and employers.

From November 2023, Cognition Learning Group are delivering the teacher mentoring programme to improve mentoring for early career teachers in the FE sector. Providers may wish to use resources such as those developed by Cognition Learning Group to support mentors within their partnership.

There are obvious challenges to managing mentors across several organisations within an ITE partnership. Providers are responsible for the quality of mentors and should set up systems to support those related to their programme.

Trainees should not be expected to find their own mentor as part of a recruitment process. In employment based ITE, employers should be part of the process of agreeing an appropriate mentor from their organisation, if one is available. For pre-service programmes, the responsibility rests with the ITE provider.

Teaching practice and placements

Placement and practice are integral to becoming a high quality teacher. ITE providers are expected to recognise and prioritise the practical elements of ITE.

We expect providers to consider, for each of their trainees , how much practice trainees need to be able to demonstrate the occupational standard in full. On the LST apprenticeship this is:

• 80% of the total qualification time
• approximately 1,800 hours across a typical 18-month apprenticeship (around 100 hours per month)

Example

For a qualification with a total qualification time of 1,200 hours and 360 guided learning hours (GLH) delivered over 10 months, an equivalent amount of practice would be up to approximately 80 hours per month or 800 hours in total.

We expect trainees to have a minimum of 250 hours of practice, in line with the Diploma in Teaching (FE and Skills) framework. Providers should view placements as a vehicle to achieve the required standard, which should reflect the needs of the trainee.

Providers are expected to deliver, or be able to demonstrate progress towards delivering, pre-service qualifications with equivalent practice placements. Placements should offer opportunities for trainees to demonstrate the occupational standard through experiences that extend beyond the classroom. This could include participation in the wider activity of the organisation, such as taking responsibility for planning and preparation, or staff meetings.

Theoretical and pedagogical content of programmes should support the development of effective practice for each trainee in their chosen subject area. All assessments should be at the appropriate level for the qualification and should align with the occupational standard. Assessments should enable each trainee to prove how they are developing their ability to work as a teacher in the sector.

Where a programme offers the opportunity for practice in more than one setting, or at a different level, this should form part of the overall learning of the trainee, in line with the occupational standard. It should contribute to their development and provide them with opportunities to take part in aspects of the teaching role that are not available elsewhere, with a direct relationship to the occupational standard.

Quality assurance processes

All publicly funded ITE should be subject to quality assurance processes that give trainees, employers and government confidence that programmes are of high quality.

Ofsted will carry out inspections through their ITE framework of all publicly funded ITE. Providers, in discussion with their awarding body or HE provider, are expected to have other quality assurance processes in place as part of their ongoing improvement activities.

The Ofsted ITE inspection framework and handbook sets out inspection principles and guidance.

Apprenticeships are required to meet the IfATE quality assurance processes as well as any requirements within the provider organisation.

Moderation

HEP- and AO-validated qualifications should make use of effective internal and external moderation processes which demonstrate how they maintain the quality of the provision.

Internal moderation procedures could include:

• the involvement of expert staff from 2 or more placement partners when assessing trainees
• scrutiny by a moderating panel of a sample of trainees (including any judged by an assessor as likely to fail or as being on the pass and fail borderline)
• joint observations of trainees’ teaching
• discussions with relevant staff of available evidence, including trainees’ previous experience and achievements
• arrangements for feeding back information to the partnership about the accuracy and consistency of assessments and elements of good practice

Providers should make use of suitable external moderators. External moderators should have no direct involvement with the work of the partnership or validating organisation. They should be able to offer an external, objective perspective on the attainment of other providers’ trainees which should help to verify the accuracy of the provider assessments.

Providers should consider how best to use external moderators to corroborate and standardise their trainee assessments. We expect providers to consider, when appointing external moderators, whether they have appropriate subject, curriculum or context expertise to enable them to provide high quality, appropriate, specialist feedback.

In addition to any requirements of an organisation, we would expect that the responsibilities of external moderators might include:

• scrutiny of a sample of trainees which includes a representative cross-section, as well as trainees that internal moderators regard as being likely to fail or on the pass and fail borderline
• observation of the teaching of a sample of trainees, such as those assessed as being borderline satisfactory-to-good, or borderline good-to-outstanding
• discussion with internal assessors and moderators of all the evidence available on whether trainees have achieved the occupational standard
• scrutiny of internal moderation arrangements, drawing on evidence gained from other activities
• producing a report that includes an evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the provision, and the accuracy of the assessments of trainees’ attainment against the occupational standard
• where provision is at different levels, reviewing the appropriateness of assessment to demonstrate the ability of trainees at those levels and any improvements that could be made

Ongoing improvement activity

All providers should be able to demonstrate that they have ongoing improvement processes in place. This should be over and above any advice provided from validating organisations.

They should have a system of monitoring and evaluation that focuses on the quality of outcomes for trainees over time. It should show how the partnership has adapted their programmes to deliver the best outcomes.

As part of a commitment to quality assurance, providers are expected to have processes to review and regularly update the pedagogical content of their programmes.

This should include:

• evidence of the suitability of pedagogical knowledge for the specific subjects taught
• the contribution of the programme overall to trainees meeting the occupational standard

In line with other teacher training programmes, providers are expected to show how they have measured the impact and outcomes of their programme, using evaluation methods that show an ongoing commitment to high quality outcomes.

Providers should compare data with similar sized programmes to form part of any evaluation, and draw on evidence of what works from across the ITE system.

Where providers are working with AOs rather than HEPs, access to some of this information may need to be managed in different ways. In a publicly funded system, we expect providers to be able to share information from their AO with us about the quality of their programme.

Leadership and management of programmes

Effective leadership and management is an integral part of delivering high quality ITE. Those managing publicly funded ITE, including senior managers in organisations, are responsible and accountable for the broader aspects of their programmes. They should be able to provide evidence, when necessary, for example to Ofsted.

Where there are franchise or validation arrangements in place, there should be clear lines of communication and accountability between organisations for the management of the programme. Responsibilities should be clearly defined and accountability set out.

For pre-service programmes, responsible senior managers should be able to demonstrate that the programme, curriculum and delivery structure prepare trainees for the reality of teaching in FE. This should be achieved through engagement with teachers, employers and relevant organisations so that that they understand what is required.

Structure of programmes

Those responsible for ITE programmes should demonstrate a coherent structure and sequencing. This should link content and delivery into a curriculum and assessment strategy that:

• allows each trainee to prove they have met the occupational standard in a fair way
• ensures no trainee is recommended for award or gateway unless they have demonstrated all elements of the occupational standard
• provides clear rationale of the structure and overall purpose of the programme and elements within it to trainees, employers and placement providers
• provides flexibility for adjustments for individual trainees or changes in circumstances
• ensures each trainee has opportunities to access a range of experiences within and across organisations by working with placement providers and mentors
• has quality assurance processes to ensure that all recommendations for award or gateway are secure and fair, where there are franchise or validation arrangements in place

Curriculum

Each ITE provider, in discussion with their validating body, is responsible for their own curriculum. Those responsible for managing an ITE programme should have evidence that their curriculum:

• addresses all elements of the LST occupational standard
• is high quality and ambitious
• is differentiated for and appropriate to the subjects the trainee will teach, and the level at which they are studying

Those responsible for managing an ITE programme should ensure that they have evidence that trainees:

• experience a rigorous curriculum that prepares them to teach their subject in the sector
• have knowledge and understanding of a relevant range of theoretical approaches, teaching techniques and skills, in line with evidence-based best practice across the sector relevant to their subject
• learn and use the most effective approaches to teaching, learning and assessment
• learn the principles and practice of effective curriculum design, including the selection and sequencing of curriculum content, especially in relation to their subject specialism

Skills such as critical analysis are central to a trainee’s understanding of what works and how they assess new knowledge or theory and integrate it into their own practice, so that they are equipped for future employment.

Providers should be able to show that trainees are familiar with:

• statistics
• randomised control trials (RCTs)
• peer review
• exploring how evidence can be contested and contestable

Partnerships

We recognise that ITE partnerships can take different forms and involve a range of different organisations and professionals. These can include:

• validation arrangements
• franchised provision
• organisations that provide practice placements
• individual mentors or other professionals who support practice

Providers maintain full responsibility for their partnerships. They should invest in them so that partners are fully engaged with their programme. All partners should be able to describe the type of partnership they are in and the benefits for them and trainees.

Within all partnership arrangements there should be clear lines of reporting and accountability. Where validation and franchise arrangements are in place, we expect those responsible for leading and managing programmes to have access to all relevant information and be able demonstrate how they use this effectively.

Where an organisation works with a network of providers, they should be able to show:

• how the network is led and managed
• the role of quality assurance processes in maintaining quality for trainees across the whole partnership

Programmes can involve a range of partner organisations in different roles. Those with responsibility for programmes should have procedures in place to evaluate these arrangements and should take action to address any issues, for example assessing the contribution made by placement organisations to the overall quality of the trainees’ experience.

Where necessary these procedures should include mechanisms for removing members from the partnership.

As part of their partnership arrangements, those responsible for ITE programmes are required to set clear expectations for recruitment and selection across all organisations.

Management of these relationships should ensure that:

• providers understand their responsibilities for recruitment and selection
• providers have processes and procedures that meet legal obligations
• only those with the requisite experience and ability to teach in FE are recruited

Quality assurance processes

Those responsible for programmes should engage with any quality assurance processes that are required to support their delivery.

Senior managers responsible for large partnerships or franchise arrangements should ensure that all members are supported to:

• engage with and benefit from quality assurance processes
• learn lessons and make improvements to ensure their provision is of the highest standard

Where shortfalls are identified, those with responsibility for the programme should take the lead in addressing the issues. They should use strengths from across the partnership, where appropriate, and draw on evidence of best practice from other ITE providers.

Boards, moderation and award

Those responsible for programmes or any validation or franchise arrangements should set out clear expectations for how any boards, moderation and award processes will be implemented. This should include how they will put all required processes in place, including arrangements for local decision making across their partnerships.

Where decision making is delegated, clear quality assurance and resolution processes should be available to trainees, so they understand:

• where and how decisions are reached
• how any disagreement can be resolved

Employers and providers delivering the LST apprenticeship should engage with IfATE requirements for decision making about gateway and award.

Continuous improvement

Those responsible for managing and leading programmes should set out how they are using continuous improvement processes to ensure that their provision and that of partner organisations continues to be of the highest quality.

We encourage those who lead and manage provision to use all available opportunities to share best practice as part of a system-wide commitment to quality improvement.

Selection and quality of trainees

As with all initial teacher training, recruitment to FE ITE programmes should be on the basis of potential to become an excellent teacher. Recruitment processes should reflect this.

Entry requirements and selection processes

Minimum entry requirements will continue to be set by each provider in conjunction with the relevant AO or HEP. Entry requirements should take into account the relevant occupational standard and qualification specification.

Entry requirements should reflect the expectation for teachers to:

• be well-qualified or experienced in their chosen subject (or subjects)
• have a high level of literacy, numeracy and technological awareness

Providers should set high expectations for those wishing to teach in the FE sector.

For employment-based routes, entry requirements will generally be set by employers and agreed with ITE providers. Employers should consider the levels at which:

• qualifications are available
• a trainee will be expected to teach

Typically, employers will expect teachers to be qualified to at least one level above the highest level at which they will teach.

Recruitment to technical and vocational subjects reflects the fact that many specialist qualifications are only available up to level 4 or 5. Trainee teachers in these subjects are expected to:

• hold a relevant professional or industry-recognised qualification
• have significant experience of working in their sector

Those seeking to teach academic subjects will generally be expected to be qualified to degree level, although this is at the discretion of individual providers and employers.

There should be rigorous recruitment processes that consider a wide range of evidence to judge applicants’ suitability to train to teach. This might include:

• application forms
• references
• results of any entry tests or tasks
• portfolios
• interviews

Selection processes should enable applicants to demonstrate their aptitude and ability against clear criteria. Applicants should be tested on their experience as well as knowledge where this is needed for a technical or vocational subject.

Applicants should not be rejected solely due to a lack of teaching experience. Providers should ensure that they can offer sufficient teaching practice and associated support (for example, a high-quality, suitably trained mentor) for every trainee.

Where providers consider accreditation of prior learning (APL), they should make judgements in line with the policy of the organisation responsible for the qualification. External examiners and other quality assurance processes should verify that APL processes are used appropriately.

Recruitment to pre-service programmes

Regardless of qualification requirements, we expect all providers of pre-service programmes to include an assessment of an applicant’s suitability to train to teach in the sector and their chosen subject (or subjects). This includes any health considerations as detailed in the Education Act 2002.

Providers must also ensure that applicants have been assessed as suitable to train to teach prior to being admitted to a programme. This will help to protect vulnerable learners, both children and adults, from trainee teachers who might put them at risk of harm because their previous conduct shows they are unsuitable for teaching.

Recruitment to in-service programmes

For in-service programmes, employers have responsibility for assessing an individual’s suitability to train to teach in the sector and in their chosen subject (or subjects). This includes any health considerations as detailed in the Education Act 2002.

These checks should be completed before a programme starts. Where appropriate, employers should share relevant information with ITE providers, subject to data protection.

Equality

To comply with the Equality Act 2010, providers should ensure that all selection and recruitment procedures do not discriminate against individuals with protected characteristics. This includes making reasonable adjustments for students who have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

More generally, providers must comply with all relevant duties under the Equality Act 2010, such as the public sector equality duty.

As HE students, ITE trainees are eligible for support via Disabled Student Allowance (DSA), as well as reasonable adjustments for more specialist support, such as British Sign Language (BSL) interpretation.

Applicants are not required to disclose any protected characteristics to a provider. It is a provider’s responsibility to ensure that their programme does not place any applicants at a disadvantage.

Expectations for minimum standards in maths, English and digital skills

As reflected in the occupational standard, teachers in FE generally have more autonomy earlier in their career than those in schools. They may be expected to take responsibility for aspects of administration as well as teaching.

They are required to have good communication skills and be able to analyse and manage information and data. Shortfalls in skills or knowledge may be identified, either through the application process or subsequent assessment. If this is the case, trainees should work to improve their standards in English, maths or digital skills in addition to their teaching training.

It is the responsibility of trainees to secure the required English, maths and digital skills. Providers will support them throughout their qualification to achieve this. Providers will confirm through the assessment of a qualification if the expected standard has been reached, and that the trainee should be able to succeed as a teacher in FE.

Where a trainee cannot achieve a minimum standard in English, maths or digital skills, the provider should make clear to them that they have not reached the minimum standards to be an FE teacher.

English and maths

Trainees undertaking the LST apprenticeship will need to achieve level 2 in English and maths if they have not already.

Unlike the DET, where evidence of numeracy and literacy have formed part of the common core, the new Diploma in Teaching (FE and Skills) has a pass at level 2 in both English and maths as an entry requirement.

A level 2 qualification in English and maths should be considered the minimum level to show communication, literacy and numeracy skills. Providers should consider how well trainees can use their English and maths knowledge and skills to underpin effective teaching practice.

Providers should be confident that a trainee is able to use spoken and written English well to underpin their role as a teacher. They should be able to communicate clearly, verbally and in writing, to:

• learners
• parents and carers
• colleagues
• other professionals

Trainees should expect to receive feedback and support to improve where necessary.

FE teachers should be able to use mathematical concepts effectively. They will need to model confidence in maths to their students regardless of their chosen subject (or subjects). They will need to be able to understand, interpret and make effective use of learner data, charts and tables as part of their role.

Where teachers are working with students aged 16 to 19, they should expect to integrate elements of the GCSE and Functional Skills curricula for English and maths into their lessons. They should be:

• able to complete simple calculations fluently
• able to work with whole numbers, fractions, decimals and percentages
• familiar with a variety of methods and approaches to problem solving

Digital skills

Providers should take steps to ensure trainees have appropriate digital skills and knowledge to teaching effectively. In the absence of any relevant occupational qualifications or evidence, providers should ensure that trainees are able to demonstrate digital skills at level 1 as a minimum.

Providers may wish to refer to the essential digital skills framework. Providers should consider resources that support effective teaching. The Digital Teaching Professional Framework provides more detail about the digital knowledge and skills required to be an effective teacher.

The ETF Enhance Digital Platform allows teachers to develop digital skills needed for teaching in the FE sector.

Safer recruitment responsibilities

Teaching in FE can take place across a range of settings and groups, including those who are subject to legal protection through ‘Keeping children safe in education’ (KCSIE) and the Care Act 2014. This will include:

• 14 to 16-year-olds in alternative provision
• 16 to 17-year-olds in government-funded colleges
• adults with specific needs

Where trainees are employed as a teacher, either through an apprenticeship or in-service ITE, their employer is responsible for making the relevant checks as set out in part 3 of KCSIE.

For pre-service ITE, where appropriate, providers should keep in mind statutory guidance, including KCSIE, when carrying out duties, including:

• checking suitability of trainees
• safeguarding
• promoting the welfare of young or vulnerable people

This includes obtaining an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) criminal records check with children’s barred list information. Providers should consider any disclosures from this process and decide whether this makes a trainee unsuitable to work with children.

Providers should confirm that a pre-service trainee’s checks have been completed and that the trainee is suitable to work with young people or vulnerable adults. This should be done in writing to the placement organisation.

Providers do not need to give any additional information beyond this confirmation. Placement organisations may wish to record this in their single central record under non-statutory information, but this is not a requirement.

Providers and, where appropriate, employers should ensure they receive references and employment information to confirm a trainee’s suitability. Trainees should not have a previous record of behaving in a way that indicates they may not be suitable to work with children, young people or vulnerable adults.

Providers should be confident that a trainee:

• has not previously been removed from a training programme
• would not have been removed from a training programme by a previous provider had they not left

Where a placement provider considers allowing an individual to start work in regulated activity before the enhanced DBS certificate is available, they must ensure they are appropriately supervised in that activity and that all other checks have been completed.

In the case of employment-based routes, the responsibility lies with the employer to ensure that checks have been completed and to inform the provider of this. Employers should consider their duties under relevant safeguarding policies and funding agreements to carry out checks, including those in line with the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) guidance on misconduct.

Providers should establish clear safeguarding procedures that are agreed by all members of the partnership. This should include a common understanding of things that would not pose a barrier to joining a programme, including:

• convictions
• offences
• cautions
• warnings

All trainees should understand their responsibilities to safeguard children and vulnerable people. At the start of each placement, providers should ensure that all trainee teachers are supplied with:

• the child protection or vulnerable person policy
• the staff behaviour policy, sometimes called a code of conduct
• information about the role of the designated safeguarding lead, where appropriate
• a copy of KCSIE, where appropriate
• a copy of any other relevant statutory documentation

Providers should seek guidance from the DBS if they:

• remove a trainee from a programme
• have concerns about a trainee
• consider there to be a risk of harm to a child, young person or vulnerable adult
• would have removed a trainee if they had not left a programme

DBS can be contacted at customerservices@dbs.gov.uk or on 03000 200 190.