Focus Awards Level 5 Diploma in Teaching (Further Education and Skills) (RQF)

Focus Awards Level 5 Diploma in Teaching (Further Education and Skills) (RQF)

QRN – 610/5281/4                                                          Fee £72

 

Qualification Overview

The Focus Awards Level 5 Diploma in Teaching (Further Education and Skills) (RQF) is aimed at learners working, or wishing to work as a teacher in the Further Education sector.

Qualification Structure

To successfully complete the Focus Awards Level 5 Diploma in Teaching (Further Education and Skills) (RQF) learners must complete 5 mandatory units. A minimum of 30 credits must be completed from the optional units.

Learner Entry Requirements

Trainee teachers must have achieved level 2 in maths and English when they start this programme. This matches the standard of those completing the Level 5 FE and Skills Learning and Skills Teacher apprenticeship. This means all trainees will have the skills to support their learners in these areas regardless of their training route. Within the qualification itself is a core unit relating to digital skills and educational technology (effective digital and online pedagogies). Learners must be:
  • be well-qualified or experienced in their chosen subject (or subjects)
  • have a high level of literacy, numeracy and technological awareness
Centres 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. Centres should ensure that they can offer sufficient teaching practice and associated support (for example, a high-quality, suitably trained mentor) for every trainee. Where centres consider accreditation of prior learning (APL), they should make judgements in line with the policy of Focus Awards, and submit the appropriate requests via Qualitas. External quality assurers will verify that APL processes are used appropriately.
Centres should not consider FE teaching qualifications below level 5 – for example the Award in Education and Training (AET, level 3), or the Certification in Education and Training (CET, level 4) – when considering APL for qualifications at level 5 and above. These were developed as standalone awards in 2013, and do not reflect the new occupational standard. This qualification is not designed for those wishing to work as teachers within school settings.

Safeguarding

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, Centres 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. Centres should consider any disclosures from this process and decide whether this makes a trainee unsuitable to work with children. Centres 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. Centres 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. Centres 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. Centres 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. Centres 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
Centres 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

Progression Routes

Learners wishing to progress from this qualification can undertake the following qualifications:
  • Degree level programmes

Age Ranges

Entry is at the discretion of the centre; however, learners should be at least 18 years old to undertake this qualification.

Geographical Coverage

This qualification has been accredited for use in England.

Qualification Specification

To view the Qualification Specification please click here.

Teaching and Lecturing