Advanced Teacher Status (ATS) Terms and Conditions October 2023

Pre-Application 

1. Prior to application, SET members are responsible for checking that they meet the eligibility criteria to undertake professional development, leading to ATS. Members must use the full eligibility guidance available on the SET website to make an informed decision if the programme is right for them. If members have any questions about the eligibility criteria, they should contact membership@etfoundation.co.uk.  

2. Members must also check that the qualifications held are on SET’s approved lists for Initial Teacher Training, English and maths. They should contact membership@etfoundation.co.uk with any specific questions about qualifications that do not appear on these lists.  

3. Members must have access to original qualification certificates in advance of application. Any certificates dated after the official portfolio issue date will not be accepted. 

Application 

4. All prospective participants (including restarts) are required to submit an application to SET to be considered for the developmental process leading to ATS. This ensures that applicants are in/still in a suitable position to undertake the programme.

5. Application forms can be downloaded from the SET website and should be submitted to membership@etfoundation.co.uk between 01 April and 31 August.

6. SET will only accept application forms completed on the official and current SET template. 

7. Unsuccessful applicants will be notified, via email, within eight weeks of application and given one final opportunity to resubmit their application.   

8. Successful applicants will be notified, via email, within eight weeks of application and be invited to register when the next window opens. 

Registration 

9. To register for the developmental process leading to ATS, participants must join SET as a member at either ‘Member’ or ‘Fellow’ grade. 

10. SET only accepts registrations in 'windows' throughout the year, in advance of issuing portfolios. Please check the website for the next available window.  

11. To proceed to the registration process, participants must have successfully applied and been awarded a place on developmental process leading to ATS. 

12. Once participants have successfully registered, they will receive confirmation via the email address associated with their SET membership. 

13. If a participant requires reasonable adjustments, they should read the  Reasonable Adjustment policy, and contact membership@etfoundation.co.uk during the registration process to discuss any further support required prior to the portfolio being issued. 

Payments 

14. The fee for undertaking ATS is £815 (VAT exempt). This price is reviewed each year, with price increases agreed by the SET Management Board in line with the Consumer Price Index. Any changes to the price will be confirmed on the SET website at least one month before the registration date.  

15. The fee can be paid by: 

1. Single payment: £815 is paid by credit/debit card at registration. 
2. Direct Debit: An initial payment of £215 is paid by credit/debit card at registration, followed by six direct debit instalments of £100.
3. Employer payment: An invoice is sent to the participant for their employer to settle via BACs transfer.

16. Payments can be made online or over the phone. Confirmation of all payments will be sent via email to the address associated with the membership.  

17. The full balance of programme fees must be settled within six months of starting the developmental process. 

Professional development period 

18. The developmental process refers to the self-guided and forward-looking period of development, where participants build up a portfolio of evidence, which is submitted to be considered for the award of ATS.  

19. Whilst SET will make every attempt to issue a portfolio to all participants on the portfolio issue date, it is the obligation of the participant to ensure they can access the portfolio. Participants who cannot access their portfolio should contact membership@etfoundation.co.uk within 14 calendar days of the portfolio issue date to ensure this is resolved.  

20. New participants (this does not apply to secondary attempts) have access to a 14-calendar day ‘cooling off period', from the date the portfolio is officially issued, in which the participant can withdraw from ATS and will be entitled to a full refund of all programme fees (up to £815). After the 14-day period, usual payment terms and conditions apply (see 'Payments'). 

Submission 

21. The submission deadline is different for each cohort and is determined by the date the portfolio is issued. Exact dates will be sent to the participant upon registration and can be found both in the portfolio and on the SET website.  

22. To submit their portfolio, participants will need to have fully completed all sections of their portfolio, obtained a supporting statement, paid the full fee and shared their portfolio with SET via the ePortfolio platform. All participants must also be active members of SET to access their portfolios and to submit and receive their results. 

23. It is the participant’s responsibility to ensure they have provided all the evidence required to achieve ATS status. Portfolios are not monitored by SET for the duration of the programme, and participants should utilise their mentors for support during the process. 

24. If the participant is unable to meet the submission deadline, point 25 of these terms and conditions applies. 

Extensions to the submission deadline 

25. The ATS programme does not allow for automatic extensions to the submission deadline. However, an extension may be granted to a participant under some exceptional circumstances that are out of their control. Requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis, and SET may request evidence to substantiate a request. Examples may include: 

1. Reasonable adjustments form was submitted at the start of the programme and an extension has already been agreed. 
2. Serious ongoing technical issues beyond the member’s control and identified more than five working days before the submission deadline.  
3. Illness, accident or severe trauma or unexpected deterioration in an ongoing illness or chronic medical condition of the participant or a person for whom the participant has caring responsibility. 
4. Recent bereavement of someone close to the participant.  
5. Serious personal disruption such as burglary, fire or requirement to appear in court in the lead-up to the submission deadline.  
6. Significant change of employment circumstances.  

26. Where an extension is granted, confirmation will be provided via email. The portfolio will then be reviewed alongside the next cohort's submissions. 

27. Participants should apply for an extension by email to membership@etfoundation.co.uk no later than six weeks before the submission deadline. Where they have been prevented from submitting a request before the deadline by the same unforeseen event, they can apply for an extension up to five working days after the deadline. SET will endeavour to respond before the deadline wherever possible. 

Provisional results release 

28. The provisional results release date is different for each cohort and is determined by the submission deadline. Exact dates will be sent to the participant after submission.  

29. Provisional results will be released via email, throughout the day on the nominated results release day.  

Criteria not met 

30. Participants who do not meet the required criteria for ATS will be offered feedback and asked to resubmit their portfolio. 

31. All participants will receive an individualised deadline to resubmit their portfolio, from the date the result was released. Depending on the amount of evidence required in the resubmission, participants can resubmit at the earliest available opportunity. Upon resubmission, the additional evidence will be reviewed within six weeks and feedback provided within eight weeks. 

32. If the participant does not resubmit within the resubmission timeframe provided, they will be required to re-apply by completing a new application form. Successful applicants will be required to restart with a new blank portfolio, in a new cohort. This will incur a £50 restart fee.

33. If the resubmission is still deemed not to meet the criteria, participants will be asked to restart the programme with a new blank portfolio following the successful completion of a new application process (see 'Withdraw and restart') in a future cohort. Participants may be advised at this point to take a year to develop their practice before restarting the developmental process. This will incur a £50 restart fee. 

34. In some cases, if there are significant areas for development in the initially submitted portfolio, a participant will be asked to apply to restart the developmental process leading to ATS, with a new portfolio. In this instance, the restart fee will be £50, provided this is the first time the participant is restarting. Second and subsequent restarts will incur the full programme fee. 

35. Participants can only restart once for a £50 fee. Subsequent restarts will incur the full programme fee. 

36. If a participant disagrees with the decision not to provisionally award ATS, they should follow the process set out in the SET Objections Policy. 

VIVA 

37. All participants who submit a portfolio that is provisionally awarded will be required to attend an online VIVA interview to further discuss their portfolio and its content, prior to ATS award.

38. If the Professional Status team require further information to award ATS, they can request a re-VIVA. The participant will have one final opportunity to pass the VIVA component of the programme.

39. Participants must not share the content of the VIVA to ensure that all participants have an opportunity to complete the process.  

Awarded ATS 

40. Participants are awarded ATS if they pass both the portfolio and VIVA components of the developmental process.

41. The details of awarded participants who remain current members of SET will be added to the publicly searchable Professional Status Register. The details include the participant's full name, membership number, membership status, grade and the title of the status awarded. To opt out, please email membership@etfoundation.co.uk. 

42. Awarded participants will be able to request a digital copy of their certificate, via their SET dashboard, at the point of release. They will also be sent formal documentation no later than eight weeks from their award date. Additional or supplementary certificates will not be provided.  

43. After being awarded ATS, participants will need to remain a member of SET to maintain ATS status. 

Withdraw and restart 

44. Participants who are unable to submit by the initial or resubmission deadline must either request their portfolio is “Withdrawn” or the Professional Status team will withdraw the portfolio on their behalf after the deadline has passed.

45. SET reserves the right to withdraw any participants who do not meet the eligibility criteria.  

46. If a participant wishes to “Restart” having not been awarded in the first attempt, they are required to restart with a new portfolio in a future cohort. All restarts are required to submit a new application and if successful, start with a new (blank) portfolio. 

47. A restart incurs an administration fee of £50. 

48. Participants are only able to restart once. If a SET Member wishes to undertake the developmental process leading to ATS again, they would be considered a new participant and be required to pay the full programme fee. 

Chartered Teacher Status  

49. ATS holders are automatically conferred with Chartered Teacher Status, through the Chartered College of Teaching, at the point of ATS award. SET will endeavour to share your success with the Chartered College of Teaching within six weeks, so that you are added to the Register of Chartered Teachers. As a recipient of Chartered Teacher Status, you will be invited to an annual ‘Chartered Teacher’ Graduation.

Reaccreditation 

50. ATS holders are required to re-accredit their status every three years. If you do not re-accredit within the required timeframe (three years), your status will become dormant, and your ATS status will no longer appear on the professional register. ATS holders must remain, active members of SET, in order to re-accredit and maintain their entitlement to use the ATS designation. 

Ethical considerations  

51. Any information submitted to SET, including details about employment, must be submitted in good faith and as an accurate reflection of a participant’s current situation. By providing SET with employers' details, participants consent to SET contacting them if required to verify participant's role/s and responsibilities. 

52. By uploading certificates, participants confirm to the best of their knowledge that they are a true reflection of the qualification and grade(s) achieved. If SET suspect authenticity concerns, we reserve the right to contact the awarding body to verify the results. 

53. Participants will be able to download a copy of their portfolio once they have been awarded ATS. Participants must not, under any circumstances, provide this portfolio or its contents to current or future participants.

Academic misconduct  

54. All SET members must adhere to the SET Code of Ethics and Conduct and be upstanding members of the teaching and learning community. Any inappropriate activity or behaviour by a developmental process participant that is considered to be a breach of the code, may result in the Investigation and Disciplinary Policy and Procedure being implemented.
The following are examples of academic misconduct. This is not an exhaustive list and other instances of misconduct may be identified and considered by SET at their discretion. For example: 

1. The alteration or falsification of any results document, including certificates. 
2. Collusion: cooperation with others to gain an unpermitted advantage. This includes instances where participants have consciously collaborated on a piece of work and presented it as their own efforts.  
3. Copying from another participant or allowing work to be copied.  
4. The deliberate destruction of another member’s work.  
5. Making a false declaration of authenticity in relation to the authorship of the contents of a portfolio.  
6. Recycling: the submission by a participant of work that they have submitted as part of their teacher training or other qualification. 
7. The inclusion of inappropriate, offensive, obscene, homophobic, transphobic, racist, or sexist material in portfolios.  
8. Plagiarism: representing another person's work or ideas as one’s own, unacknowledged copying from, or reproduction of, published sources or incomplete referencing.  
9. The inclusion of text, quotes and images generated by Artificial Intelligence (AI) platforms and tools and falsely declaring authorship as the participant’s own (e.g. ChatGPT, etc). Where AI tools have been used as a source of information, this must be acknowledged by referencing the AI source.  
10. Theft of another participant’s work.  
11. Behaving in a manner that raises concerns about member's honesty and integrity whilst undertaking the developmental process leading to ATS.  
12. Financial gain by allowing others to purchase and use part or all of a participant’s portfolio. 

55. In instances of suspected fraud or deceit, SET reserves the right to contact external bodies, including but not limited to awarding organisations, employers and other regulatory authorities. 

Suspension and removal of ATS status  

56. ATS participants are subject to the SET Conditions of Membership and membership policies, and as such, if SET considers that the information received may give rise to a concern about a member's suitability to hold ATS status, it may consider that issue at the same time.

Data protection 

57. SET takes its responsibilities when processing your personal data seriously. Our Privacy and Cookie Policy explains how we collect, manage, use and protect your personal data.