Professional Formation Terms and Conditions October 2022

Updated 10 November 2022

 

Professional Formation leading to Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) Status: Terms and Conditions.

These terms apply to anyone undertaking or who has undertaken Professional Formation leading to QTLS from October 2022 and supersede any previous terms.

Previous Terms and Conditions for Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) starting January 2021 October 2021 and October 2020

 

By registering to undertake Professional Formation leading to QTLS, you agree to accept and be bound by these terms and conditions. The Society for Education and Training (SET) reserves the right to amend these terms at any time. Participants will be given 14 days' notice by email of any changes. 

Professional Formation participants must also be members of SET and as such are bound by its Conditions of Membership and Code of Ethics and Conduct.

Pre-Registration

1. Prior to registration, participants are responsible for checking they meet the eligibility criteria to undertake Professional Formation leading to QTLS. Participants must use the full eligibility guidance available on the SET website to make an informed decision to ensure  the programme is right for them. If participants have any questions about the eligibility criteria, they should contact or call the team on 0800 093 9111. 

2. Participants must also check that the qualifications held are on our 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. Participants must have access to original qualification certificates in advance of registration. Any certificates dated after the official portfolio issue date will not be accepted. 

Registration 

4. To register for Professional Formation leading to QTLS, participants must join SET at either ‘Member’ or ‘Fellow’ grade.

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

6. During the registration process, participants must use the ‘eligibility checker’ tool on the SET website to complete a final eligibility check.  

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

8. 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. 

Payments 

9. The fee for undertaking Professional Formation is £500. 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 window opens. 

10. The fee can be paid by: 

1. 1. Single payment: £500 is paid by credit/debit card at registration 
   2. Direct Debit: A deposit of £125 is paid by credit/debit card at registration, followed by three consecutive payments of £125 paid by direct debit. Payments will be taken in the first three months of the programme. 
   3. Employer payment: An invoice is sent to the participant for their employer to settle via BACs transfer, within the specified terms (normally 30 days).  

11. All Payments must be received no later than 4 months from the portfolio issue date. Payments can be made online or over the phone by calling the team on 0800 093 9111. Confirmation of all payments will be sent via email to the address associated with your SET membership. (Members can update their personal details at any time by logging into their MySET dashboard).

12. All fees are non-refundable, except during the 14-day cooling-off period (see point 15), or in the case of a participant being found to be ineligible during verification (see point 20). The cooling-off period only applies to first-time participants, and not to Restarts. 

Professional Formation

13. Professional Formation 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 Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) status.

14. 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.ukwithin 5 calendar days of the portfolio issue date to ensure this is resolved in a timely manner.

15. Participants have access to a '14-day cooling off period', from the date the portfolio is officially issued, in which the participant can withdraw from Professional Formation and will be entitled to a full refund of all programme fees (up to £500). After the 14-calendar day period, usual payment terms and conditions apply (see 'Payments').

Eligibility 

16. Participants must complete the initial sections of the portfolio (About You, Qualifications and Roles & Responsibilities), which includes uploading the required qualification certificates and submitting the initial portfolio checkpoint, by the checkpoint deadline. If the participant does not complete the initial sections, upload their certificates and submit the checkpoint within this timeframe, SET cannot be held accountable, and the participant waives their rights to a refund if found to be ineligible at any point. 17. By uploading the qualification certificates the participant is confirming that to the best of their knowledge they are a true reflection of the qualifications and grade(s) achieved. Action will be taken against members who upload fraudulent, altered or modified certificates, in line with our

17. SET reserves the right to withdraw any participants who have not uploaded all the required certificates to the portfolio by the initial checkpoint deadline as they have been unable to demonstrate their eligibility within the given timeframe. 

18. Once a participant has submitted the initial portfolio checkpoint, the rest of the portfolio is automatically unlocked and they can proceed with the remaining sections, while their initial is checked by SET’s Professional Status and Standards team. The unlocking of the portfolio is automated and not completed by the SET team.

19. The Professional Status team will check the participant’s qualification certificates at the earliest available opportunity and will contact the participant if further information is required or clarification is required . If during the verification process, a participant is found to be ineligible to undertake Professional Formation, providing they met the initial checkpoint deadline, a full refund will be given.

20. If a participant is found not to hold the required qualifications, or qualification certificates are dated after the official portfolio date,

21. SET reserves the right to withdraw the participant. In this case, participants cannot undertake a qualification during Professional Formation to meet eligibility, they would need to restart with the next available cohort once they have achieved the required qualification(s) as detailed on the approved list. 

22. Participants who are restarting Professional Formation are not eligible for a refund during the 14-day cooling-off period, as this is their second attempt to undertake Professional Formation. 

 

Submission 

23. 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. 

24. To submit their finalised portfolio, participants will need to have fully completed all sections of their portfolio, obtained a supporter statement, paid the full programme fees and shared their portfolio with SET via the ePortfolio platform. Participants must also be active members of SET to access their portfolios and to submit and receive their results/feedback.

a. It is the responsibility of the participant to ensure that they share their portfolio with their supporter with sufficient time to allow them to check the portfolio and provide a supporting statement. If the participant does not submit their portfolio to SET by the submission deadline, SET reserves the right to withdraw the participant’s portfolio and not complete a review of its content.

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

 

Extensions to the submission deadline 

26. The Professional Formation programme does not allow for automatic extensions to the submission deadline. However, an extension may be granted to a participant where there are exceptional/extenuating circumstances that are out of their control. Requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis, and SET may request evidence to support the . 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 members 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. 

The Professional Status team will consider progress made in the portfolio when determining a reasonable extension duration.

27. Where an extension is granted (maximum of two weeks), confirmation will be provided via email. The portfolio will then be reviewed alongside other submissions in that cohort.

28. Participants should apply for an extension by email to membership@etfoundation.co.ukideally 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. 

 

Results Release 

29. The award date is different for each cohort and is determined by the submission deadline. Exact dates will be sent to the participant after submission. 

30. Results will be released via email, throughout the day on the nominated results release day. The result will either be: Award, Criteria Not Met (CNM), Developmental Criteria Not Met (DCNM).

Awarded QTLS

31. 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

32. 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 8 weeks from their award date. Additional or supplementary printed certificates cannot be provided. 

33. After successfully completing Professional Formation, participants will need to remain a member of SET to maintain their QTLS status. If membership lapses their professional status will and the individual’s name will be removed from the Professional Register.  

 

Criteria not met

34. During the portfolio review, if weaknesses are identified in the p portfolio, the outcome would be Criteria Not Met (CNM). Participants who have a portfolio status of CNM will be given feedback on the areas for development and asked to

35. All participants will be given one opportunity to resubmit their portfolio and will have 6 months to do so, 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 4 weeks and feedback provided within 6 weeks.

36. If the participant does not resubmit within 6 months, they will be required to restart with a new portfolio, in a new cohort, which will likely incur a restart fee. 

37. resubmission (see point 35) is still deemed not to meet the criteria, participants will be asked to restart the programme with a new portfolio (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 Professional Formation. If the participant has previously restarted, they will be asked to pay the full fee (see point 44).

38. In some cases, if there are significant areas for development (DCNM) in the initially submitted portfolio a participant will be asked to restart Professional Formation with a new portfolio. In this instance, the restart fee will be waived.

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

 

Withdraw and Restart

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

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

42. 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 take place with a new (blank) portfolio. 

43. A Restart incurs an administration fee of £50. 

44. Participants are only able to Restart once. If a SET Member wishes to undertake Professional Formation again, they would be considered a new participant and be required to pay the full programme fee. 

 

Ethical Considerations 

45. 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 participants role(s) and responsibilities. 

46. 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 has any authenticity concerns, we reserve the right to contact the awarding body to verify the results. 

47. Participants will be able to download a copy of their portfolio once they have been awarded QTLS. Participants must not, under any circumstances, provide this portfolio or its contents to current or future participants. To do so would be viewed as a breach of the Code of Ethics and Conduct (see below).

 

Academic misconduct

48. All SET members are bound by the Code of Ethics and Conduct. . Any inappropriate activity or behaviour by a Professional Formation participant that is considered to be a breach of the Code, could potentially be investigated and may result in a sanction being applied in line with the A. 

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/member 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. Theft of another participant’s work. 
10. Behaving in a manner that raises concerns about members honesty and integrity whilst undertaking Professional Formation. 
11. Financial gain by allowing others to purchase and use part or all of a participant’s portfolio 

49. SET reserves the right to contact external bodies, including but not limited to awarding organisations, employers and other regulatory authorities, if an allegation of a breach of the Code of Ethics and Conduct is upheld.  

 

Suspension and removal of QTLS status 

50. Professional Formation participants and QTLS holders are subject to the SET Conditions of Membership and other membership policies. If SET considers that  information received may give rise to a concern about a member's suitability to hold continue holding QTLS status, it may consider that issue at the same time as any other action taken against a member.