Context

A description of the context of the sector itself and the terminology it uses to signify itself and that which is used by others to understand it forms an important and necessary background: the nature of the sector, in comparison to primary and secondary sectors, might be seen to be problematic in terms of establishing of a coherent definition. According to Thompson 2014:5

There are well-known difficulties in defining the sector, arising from its diversity and complex history. Variously described over the years by terms such as ‘further education’, ‘post-compulsory education and training’, ‘learning and skills’, ‘lifelong learning’ and ‘FE and skills’, the sector includes the activities of many different types of institution, including colleges of further education (FE), sixth-form colleges, adult education centres, work-based learning providers, voluntary organisations, and higher education institutions. Even when higher education is excluded, the range of provision is so broad as to pose extremely difficult challenges to developing a coherent national system of ITE for teachers in the education and training sector

It is proposed that the sector described above will be referred to as the Lifelong Learning sector, to take account of the complexity within the sector.

The University of Huddersfield School of Education and Professional Development has a long standing history of providing professional Initial Teacher Education courses in the sector on an In-Service and Pre-Service basis in partnership with a Consortium of Further Education Colleges

In-Service refers to teachers employed in the sector without a recognised teaching qualification and to teachers employed in a voluntary capacity. Professional teaching and/or training experience (teaching practice) is provided by their job role. The course is part time over two academic years

Pre-Service refers to applicants without a recognised teaching qualification or employment in the sector who wish to train to teach. Professional teaching and/or training experience (teaching practice) is provided through a teaching practice placement. The course is full time over one academic year. One partner college currently offers a two year part time pre-service course.

The Education and Training Consortium is a long standing network of Further Education Colleges, in partnership with and approved by the University of Huddersfield, delivering Higher Education initial teacher education qualifications. (The first partnership was with Durham College in 1966. The Consortium for Post-Compulsory Education and Training was established in 2002 as a “HEFCE Recognised Funding Consortium” to support partner colleges’ aspirations for growth within ITE and thus it was given its own separate student number allocation by HEFCE.) This will be referred to in this document as the Consortium.

Trainees refers to student teachers on the course to distinguish them from the students they teach.

Initial Teacher Education comprises a range of exit qualifications at different levels which consist of 120 credits in 4x30 credit modules as follows:

Certificate in Education

For trainee teachers with vocational and professional qualifications at Level 3 and above, consisting of:

1x30 credit module at Foundation Level
3x30 credit modules at Intermediate Level

Professional Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE)

For graduates who wish to undertake initial teacher training at an equivalent level to their degree, consisting of:

1x30 credit module at Foundation Level
1x30 credit module at Intermediate Level
2x30 credit modules at Higher Level

Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE)

For graduates who wish to undertake some study at Masters level, consisting of

1x30 credit module at Foundation Level
1x30 credit module at Intermediate Level
2x30 credit modules at Masters Level

Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDipE)

For graduates who wish to undertake initial teacher training at a higher level than their degree. This route has an option to undertake a further 60 credit dissertation module and ‘top up’ to a full Masters qualification in Teaching and Learning and consists of:

4x30 credits at Masters Level

Trainee teachers at each level undertake professional learning together in each approved centre. The levels of course are differentiated in academic level by module outcome and assessment requirements (as set out below). These are taught in mixed level groups.

The multiple levels of study enable a high level of flexibility to cater for a diverse range of potential trainees, which will be retained in the new programme.

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