On 16 March 2021, the Department for Education (DfE) announced funding for Round 4 of the Taking Teaching Further programme. The initiative is managed by the Education and Training Foundation on behalf of the DfE.
Round 4 of the programme will run for a fourth round from April 2021 to July 2023, supporting Further Education (FE) providers to recruit and retain people with industry experience to FE teaching roles across any of the 15 technical teaching routes.
The financial support available to FE providers directly addresses the cost of undertaking ITE and helps to create capacity for new recruits to learn and receive training and support on the job.
Funding of £18,200 per recruit will be made available to cover:
Taking Teaching Further funding is available for all FE providers with two routes to access the programme depending on provider type.
The take-up of the Initial Teacher Education (ITE) places on both Route 1 and Route 2 is subject to organisations and recruits meeting the participation criteria outlined in the programme guidance documents.
Q: When will registration open?
Registration will open on 16 March 2020, with all FE providers able to register from this date.
Q: Who can access the programme?
This programme is open to all FE providers with two routes available:
Route 1 is FE Colleges, Sixth Form Colleges, and Specialist Designated Institutions in England.
Route 2 of the programme is open to all independent training providers, employer led providers, third sector training providers, local authority providers, and adult and community learning providers.
Q: How can I register for the programme?
All interested FE providers should register to either Route 1 or Route 2 by following the relevant online registration form on the linked webpages.
Q: Can individuals apply for the funding to access DET and become qualified teachers?
We can only accept bids from organisations that would be looking to recruit a teacher that has your industry experience, rather than from individuals who would like some support to become qualified. However we would be happy to signpost you to relevant FE providers in your region if you email the TTF team at takingteachingfurther@etfoundation.co.uk
There is also information and advice about the various pathways of becoming a teacher at www.feadvice.org.uk. You may also wish to contact the FE advice line on 0300 303 1877 or email feadviceline@etfoundation.co.uk.
Q: What are the 15 Technical Subject Routes?
The 15 eligible subject areas that FE providers can recruit to for funding can be found here.
Q: I’ve just registered – what are the next steps?
You will receive a grant offer letter from takingteachingfurther@etfoundation.co.uk, you will need to read through and return it signed to the TTF team. Once you have done that you will be able to start recruiting and drawing down funding.
Q: Is this funding available only for new recruits or does it covers existing teaching staff working within an organisation?
The underpinning policy is to attract new industry professionals into FE – and is not currently about professionalising the existing workforce.
Where an industry professional is already working in FE, then they would not be eligible because they are already working in FE.
Q: Does the funding cover a Level 5 DET or can it be used for equivalent ITE qualifications?
The funding provided can be used to cover the costs of a Level 5 DET or an equivalent or higher level qualification such as PGCE. There is also optional funding available for a Level 3 AET to be taken should FE providers feel it is appropriate for their new recruit.
Q: Does the funding cover in-house delivery for the ITE qualification?
Yes, it is fine to do in-house delivery for the ITE qualification and claim funding for the teaching qualification.
Q: Does the funding cover the new trainee teacher’s salary on top of an ITE qualification?
Funding should go towards the ITE qualification, costs that are associated with providing 144 hours of intensive support, as well as 140 hours of a reduced teaching timetable for the new recruit. Salary costs are not included in this funding. For a full breakdown of the funding, please refer to pages 7 and 8 of the programme guidance document.
Q: What reporting is required for FE providers on the programme?
All participating FE providers are required to inform us when you have recruited someone, as well as when they have completed each milestone. You will also be required to complete 3 reports to the TTF team, between April 2021 to March 2022 for Round 3 and 4.
Q: Do you have advice about becoming an FE teacher?
There are several ways to become an FE teacher, catering for people with different qualifications, experience and needs. Information and advice about the various pathways can be found at www.feadvice.org.uk. You may also wish to contact the FE advice line on 0300 303 1877 or email feadviceline@etfoundation.co.uk.
Q: What are the requirements for who I can recruit onto the programme?
We’d encourage you to read the full criteria around what we consider an industry expert in the TTF guidance documents. They can be accessed here.
Q: If I recruited someone before April 2021 can I bring them onto the programme?
Yes, if you recruited someone in February or March 2021, you may bring them onto the programme and be eligible for funding as long as they meet criteria. Anyone recruited before February 2021 is unfortunately not eligible for the funding.
Q: Do the eligible recruits need to be employed within the College that is making the application, or could the College making the application manage the project and funding but place some individuals in an eligible external FE position?
It does not matter who the lead applicant is, as long as the recruit is employed by or working in an eligible FE provider and the individual being recruited is new to teaching. They must also be recruited into a permanent teaching position.
Q: Is this funding available only for new professional recruits or does it cover existing professionals working in a teaching capacity within an organisation?
The underpinning policy is to attract new industry professionals into FE – and is not currently about professionalising the existing workforce. Where an industry professional is already working in FE, then they would not be eligible because they are already working in FE. The only time where they might be eligible would be if they were recruited in February or March 2021 (the two preceding months to the programme being launched).
Q: We’ve just recruited, what we do we do next?
Congratulations on recruiting! Next steps will be to support the recruit with their first few months on campus. You will be expected to enrol them on a Level 5 DET by end of October 2021, provide them with 144 hours of intensive support, and 140 hours of reduced teaching from their start date to the end of March 2022. There is also the option to enrol them onto a Level 3 AET.
Q: Is there any flexibility given with the timelines to recruit by, with the deadline to enrol on to the Level 5 DET and with the intensive support hours provided?
We encourage all providers to try their best to keep to the guidelines given for the programme, however if there are any serious issues- such as Covid-19 related issues, that would need to be addressed then we are willing to look at these on a case by case basis.
If you have any questions or require further information, please contact the Taking Teaching Further team via takingteachingfurther@etfoundation.co.uk