The Professional Standards for Teachers and Trainers have been developed with sector professionals and experts to support and inspire your professional learning and career development. The Standards were introduced in 2014 and have been updated in 2022.
Professional standards: Teachers and Trainers
They consist of 20 standards organised into three domains of practice, which are visualised below. You can view the individual standards below this section.
Seven standards to help you develop your own judgment of what works and does not work in your teaching and training.
Five standards which highlight the importance of subject knowledge, teaching expertise, knowledge-sharing, supporting learners with educational difficulties, and professional responsibilities.
Eight standards which support you to master planning, motivation, coaching and assessment strategies to enable your learners to make excellent progress.
Click to open the boxes below and explore each of the 20 standards.
In 2021, we reviewed the standards, prompted by the rapid changes to working practices and digital learning seen during the Covid-19 pandemic, and the emerging sustainability and wellbeing challenges societies are now addressing. We consulted with colleagues across the entire sector over a period of more than six months.
You can download a transcript for the animation.
The original 2014 Professional standards can be viewed for reference.
Benefits of using the Professional Standards are wide ranging. They will:
You will naturally want to reflect upon your teaching practice, and the standards will help you to identify areas for your own professional development and provide a national reference point for staff development in the FE and Training sector.
As a provider of Initial Teacher Education courses, what do the updated Professional Standards mean for you?
From Sept 2024 onwards, Further Education ITE courses are planned to change. These new courses will be mapped to and assessed against a new Occupational Standard published by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education. Until then, ITE courses will be referenced against the ETF’s Professional Standards. The grid below gives details on which Standards ITE institutions should be using:
| ITE Provision | Standards Referenced Against | Implications |
|---|---|---|
| Trainees who started an ITE course before Sept 2022 | 2014 Professional Standards | No change to the Standards trainees are asked to evidence. Courses continue with the Standards they started with. |
| Trainees starting a new ITE course from Sept 2022 | Updated 2022 Professional Standards | The revisions are still closely linked to the original 2014 versions, so we do not anticipate ITE providers having to significantly rework their courses. |
| Trainees starting a new ITE course from Sept 2024 | New Occupational Standard | ITE courses will be mapped to and assessed against the new Occupational Standard. From Sept 2023, the Professional Standards will be aimed at supporting teachers and trainers who have gained their ITE qualification to support their ongoing CPD. |
Fortunately, our review process was able to conclude that the original 2014 version of the Professional Standards was held in high esteem. This meant that the 2022 update has been more of a refresh than a thorough rewrite, with much of the original carrying over to the updated version. Some of the Standards have been modified but remain broadly the same, although you may find that some elements have been relocated to different places. There are importantly three brand new Standards for you to signpost, but this is not expected to be an onerous task. You can view a summary of the latest changes in the Professional Standards. Overall, what is needed will be small amendments to the course paperwork and the highlighting of these new elements.
For support with this process, please contact Howard Pilot, National Head for Teacher Education at enquiries@etfoundation.co.uk.
The Professional Standards were awarded Bronze at the Association Excellence Awards 2023 in the category of Best Learning/Professional Development Programme.
