New City College partners with SET in landmark step for staff development in the FE sector

The New City College Group has become the first organisation to embrace Society for Education and Training (SET) membership for its entire teaching staff, giving over 550 practitioners the opportunity to gain professional recognition, improve their practice and connect with a national network of professionals and experts.

This pioneering development was announced by Joel Wynn, Director of Quality at the New City College Group, in east London, which is one of the largest further education groups in the country.

SET is the professional membership body dedicated to practitioners working across further education, vocational teaching and training. It is managed by the Education and Training Foundation and, by the end of March 2018, had over 17,000 members.

Over 20 further education providers are already SET Corporate Partners, providing the benefits of SET membership for selected staff, including the opportunity to study for Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) and Advanced Teacher Status (ATS).

Now the New City College Group is the first SET Corporate Partner to progress to full free enrolment, extending the benefits of SET membership organisation-wide.

The college will cover the membership costs for each staff member, with the new programme formally starting on 1 September 2018.

"A structured tool to progress in their career"

Joel Wynn, Director of Quality at the New City College Group, said:

"This is an important step for the New City College Group. Our teachers are professionals, and can now be recognised through this professional membership. This development gives our teachers professional status and a structured tool to progress in their career.”

Martin Reid, Head of Membership at SET, said: “We are delighted that New City College has become the first SET Corporate Partner to progress to full staff enrolment.

“Providing SET membership organisation-wide is a positive step, signalling a true commitment to teaching and training staff. It is an investment in professional standards and high-quality staff development, recruitment and retention.

“It is also a more equitable approach, as extending this opportunity to all staff means everyone can benefit from being part of their national and professional community. We are confident this development will provide an excellent model for every organisation in the sector.”

New City College Group teaching staff, as SET members, will:

• Have the opportunity to study for Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) and Advanced Teacher Status (ATS). SET is the only passport to achieving both QTLS and ATS.
• Gain access to resources, training and leading teaching tools, research and expert views in further education.
• Enjoy benefits, such as SET's mentoring service.
• Be a part of the largest professional network of teachers and trainers in the education sector, with opportunities to share expertise and experience with your peers.
• Receive copies of inTuition, the journal for practitioners working across further education, vocational teaching and training.
• Be entitled to use SET’s membership grades after their names: Associate member (ASET), Member (MSET), Fellow member (FSET) letters, depending on level of teaching qualifications.