1.1 SET (the Society for Education and Training) is committed to supporting our members undertaking the Professional Formation programme leading to Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) and Advanced Teacher Status (ATS) to reach full potential on the programme.
1.2 The purpose of this document is to ensure that all participants in the Professional Formation process leading to QTLS and the developmental process leading to ATS have fair and consistent support and access to their programmes.
2.1 This policy applies to all members who are undertaking the Professional Formation process leading to QTLS and the developmental process leading to the ATS professional status, from registration stage to award stage.
2.2 While the main source of support will be the QTLS supporter and the ATS mentor, this document outlines the support available from the Professional Status team during the programmes. Participants who wish to apply for reasonable adjustments must refer to the Reasonable Adjustments policy.
2.3 As Professional Formation leading to QTLS and the developmental process leading to ATS are programmes leading to a professional status, formative assessment or tutorial support are not provided.
3.1 Participants
3.2 Professional Status team
Member | Qualified teacher, trainer or leader in the education sector who is registered with SET, pays a membership fee and is eligible to access the benefits attached to their membership. |
Applicant | Member of SET who has registered to undertake Professional Formation leading to QTLS or the developmental process leading to ATS. |
Participant | SET member undertaking Professional Formation leading to QTLS or the developmental process leading to ATS. |
Awardee | SET member who has been awarded QTLS or ATS following successful completion of the developmental processes. |
Professional Formation application window | Refers to the period between 01 August and 30 November when applications for the programme are open. |
Application | Refers to the portfolio issued to members during stage 1 of Professional Formation and to the documents required to ascertain eligibility for the developmental process leading to ATS. |
Professional Formation | Unlike a course or qualification, Professional Formation is a 6-month developmental process when participants work on their portfolios (leading to QTLS status). |
ATS (Advanced Teacher Status) | Unlike a course or qualification, ATS is a 12-month developmental process working on CPD activity at the level of an advanced teacher (leading to ATS). |
In-programme support | Help offered to participants where support had previously been requested and approved, from the date their portfolio is issued to the date when they are awarded or withdrawn, including the resubmission process for those who do not initially meet the criteria. This includes support required during the Professional Formation application window. |
Review and moderation process | Procedures to review the portfolios and reach a “criteria met” or “criteria not met” outcome. The review and moderation process starts after the submission deadline and runs over one month. |
Support communications | Emails or telephone calls instigated by the participant to request advice and clarification, seek help or ask questions to the Professional Status team regarding their portfolio. |
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6.1 In-programme support:
6.2 Support during the review and moderation process:
6.3 Accessibility tools
7.1 Please refer to the Reasonable Adjustments policy.
8.1 Both Professional Formation leading to QTLS and the development process leading to ATS are professional status programmes aiming at the development of skills, values and attributes of fully qualified teachers in the Further Education and Skills sector. These developmental processes are not defined as courses or qualifications.
Participants in these programmes are fully qualified professionals who do not fall into the student category. Therefore, student financial support is not available for participants in any of the professional status programmes.
9.1 If, following initial discussion with the Professional Status team regarding the support received (as described in section 6), participants wish to object against the sufficiency of the support received, they can do so by emailing: membership.enquiries@etfoundation.co.uk to request an objection form. This form must be completed within 10 working days of receiving the initial requested support outcome. The Professional Status team will then respond in writing within 10 working days. See the SET Objections Policy.
Appendix 1: Professional Formation Terms and Conditions January 2024
Appendix 2: Updated version of the ATS Terms and Conditions for October 2023