Institute for Learning putting professionalism in your hands

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Institute for Learningputting professionalism in
your hands

• Licence to Practise Professional Formation
• Whats involved in Professional Formation?
• The process of obtaining
• Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS)
• or
• Associate Teacher Learning and Skills (ATLS)
  status
• (updated December 2011)

Professional Formation
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How to use this presentation

• This presentation is an introduction to the
  various elements of the Professional Formation
  process.
• It is an interactive presentation, designed to be
  used like a website. It should not be used by
  clicking slides sequentially or by using cursor
  keys as with a conventional presentation.
  Underlined words or phrases are hyperlinks to
  further information.
• There are also buttons that navigate you around
  the presentation.
• Click to return to the home page
• Click to read more about the topic you are
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Professional Formation - Home Page
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Click to view answers
to your most commonly asked questions
Professional Formation
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What is Professional Formation?

• This is a post qualification process by which a
  teacher is able to gain Qualified Teacher
  Learning and Skills (QTLS) or Associate Teacher
  Learning and Skills (ATLS) by demonstrating
  evidence of professional practice. This is
  defined as
• The ability to use effectively the skills and
  knowledge gained whilst training to be a teacher
• The capacity to meet the occupational standards
  required of a teacher

Professional Formation
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Who can gain Q/ATLS and why?

• Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) and
  Associate Teacher Learning and Skills (ATLS) are
  each a professional status available for the
  majority of Associate grade, Member grade and
  some Fellow grades of the IfL
• If you hold a Level 3/4 teaching/training
  qualification and literacy and numeracy at level
  2 then you may be eligible to gain ATLS
• If you hold a Level 5 teaching/training
  qualification and literacy and numeracy at level
  2 then you may be eligible to gain QTLS
• For those who took their first teaching position
  within the sector after 2007, gaining QTLS or
  ATLS is a mandatory requirement within 5 years
  of your start date.
• This also applies to holders of QTS who are new
  to the sector as of September 2007. In this case
  you would have two years to gain QTLS or ATLS as
  of your start date.
• Click for further guidance to the Regulations
• This only applies to those working in the Skills
  funded provision of the sector.

Professional Formation
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Skills for Life

• If you are a Skills for Life teacher of ESOL,
  Literacy or Numeracy, of any level from Entry 1
  to Level 2, even if part time, then you must
  provide certificate evidence of either
• Level 4 Subject Specialist award
• or
• Level 5 Additional Diploma.
• No other evidence is acceptable.
• Please click here for further guidance

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How can professional status be gained?

• Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) or
  Associate Teacher Learning and Skills (ATLS) is
  gained through completion of the Professional
  Formation process. This entails
• Completion of an Expression of Intent found on
  the members area of the website
• Printing, completing and posting a signed
  Declaration of Suitability to the IfL Standards
  team
• Completion of a webfolio that meets the 9
  standardised and personalised elements of
  Professional Formation

Professional Formation
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When will I receive my professional status?

• The annual timetable is as follows

Expression of Intent made between Webfolio needs to be sent to IfL by Conferral of ATLS/QTLS status will be sent by
Spring Sep 1-Oct 31 End February April 30
Summer Dec 1-Jan 31 June 30 August 31
Winter April 1-May 31 October 31 December 31
Professional Formation
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Declaration of Suitability

• This is a self-declaration of fitness to practice
  made against IfLs criteria.
• This needs to have been printed, completed and
  posted to the IfL separately. If it has not been
  received, then it will not be possible for you to
  proceed with your application for ATLS or QTLS.
• The declaration can be found here.

Standardised Elements
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Qualification

• To apply for QTLS, you need an initial teacher
  training qualification at Level 5 or above,
  equivalent to the Diploma in Lifelong Learning
  (DTLLS)
• OR
• To apply for ATLS, you need an initial teacher
  training qualification at Level 3 or 4,
  equivalent to the Certificate in Lifelong
  Learning (CTLLS)
• Certificates of one of these should be scanned
  into your webfolio.

Standardised Elements
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Literacy Numeracy

• Literacy and Numeracy qualifications at (or
  above) level 2 can be demonstrated by scanned
  certificates - this is IfLs preferred method of
  evidencing these skills.
• There is an approved list of qualifications on
  the SVUK website. Please check your
  qualifications are listed as acceptable before
  adding to your webfolio.
• (Please refer to this link www.standardsverificat
  ionuk.org/evidencing-approved-qualifications-at-le
  vel-2-htm.)
• Please refer to this document for further
  guidance.

Standardised Elements
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Teaching Biography

• This is where you can explain your route into
  teaching. Tell your story here and set the
  context for the rest of your evidence.
• This should not be an account of every course you
  have been on just give details about how you
  managed to get to where you are now.
• (Have you checked the Professional Formation
  Notes for further information? These are
  available on the IfL website.)

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Subject Currency

• This section should explain how you keep up to
  date with developments in your subject.
• You should describe and explain details of your
  subject specialist knowledge and qualifications.
• In addition to the above narrative, you should
  also attach copies of any CPD or professional
  training certificates and any other supporting
  evidence, that illustrates your subject
  specialist expertise. Examples could be from a
  CPD session, team meetings etc.
• NOTE
• Please be thoughtful and selective about what you
  decide to scan in and include only that which is
  relevant and significant. It is not necessary to
  scan everything and remember current means
  recent!

Personalised Elements
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Teaching Learning

• This is an account of your ability to deliver
  your subject to a range of learners.
• You should provide some narrative about your
  knowledge of teaching and learning with specific
  examples of your ability to use effectively the
  skills and knowledge acquired in your Initial
  Teacher Training (ITT). It would be useful to
  outline how these skills have developed through
  ongoing CPD and experience.
• To support your narrative, you should attach
  evidence from a range of appropriate sources.
  Examples of this could include a lesson plan, a
  scheme of work, an example of a resource that you
  have developed (such as a PowerPoint
  presentation), a lesson observation report and
  student feedback.
• You should ensure a thoughtful selection of
  supporting evidence is chosen if you have
  mentioned something in the narrative, reinforce
  this with evidence.
• You should take this opportunity to explain how
  your own development has impacted on your
  learners.

Personalised Elements
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Self Evaluation

• This is an opportunity to evaluate where you are
  now with regard to your teaching and career
  progression.
• Complete a SWOT analysis Strengths, Weaknesses,
  Opportunities and
• Threats - which will assist you in identifying
  your current strengths as well as weaker areas to
  develop, and will help you to reflect on the
  opportunities and threats to your personal and
  professional development.

Personalised Elements
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Professional Development Plan

• Your individual learning plan detailing the
  actions you will take to address the needs and
  goals identified in your self evaluation.
• This should be linked to your self-evaluation
  SWOT analysis, outlined previously, and is an
  opportunity to suggest how you intend to work on
  and develop those areas which are important to
  improving your practice. This should be
  something which is forward looking and may have
  been developed in discussion with a manager or
  through your institutional appraisal systems.
• Evidence for this may be based on a range of
  sources, such as meetings and discussions with
  managers and/or peers, appraisals, observations
  of teaching and learning. You could also include
  your needs in subject specialist areas.

Personalised Elements
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Reflective Practice

• Reflection for this section is about the impact
  of professional development on your teaching
  practice and the benefit of this to learners.
• You should demonstrate an awareness of the
  outcomes of professional development and reflect
  on its impact on teaching practice, on learners
  experience and perhaps even wider communities of
  practice.
• Supporting evidence for this might be in the form
  of personal reflection on CPD, teaching and
  learning, subject specialist needs, wider
  networks involving peer dialogue and discussion.
  This is also another opportunity to add links to
  your REfLECT assets. Remember IfL cannot view
  any asset unless you add a link in your webfolio.
• Be selective - this should not be the whole of
  your reflective journal or assignments from your
  Teacher Training course!

Personalised Elements
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Supporting Testimony

• Your supporter recommends you for Professional
  Formation by reading through and making comment
  on your completed webfolio.
• When you have finished collating your webfolio
  on REfLECT, you should share this with your
  supporter by giving them permission to view and
  comment on the evidence. A link to your webfolio
  will then be sent to their email address.
• When your supporter receives the email, they
  will be able to access and complete the
  supporters statement in REfLECT. This will form
  another part of your evidence for IfL. 
• Once your supporter has commented on
  your webfolio this will be shown on the final
  page of your webfolio as Supported. Please note
  you will not be able to make any changes to your
  webfolio once this has been completed. You will
  then be able to share this with IfL by clicking
  the link at step 10 in the webfolio.

Standardised Elements
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Applying for QTLS or ATLS?

• If you were first employed as a teacher after 1
  September 2007, and you hold DTLLS or CTLLS, you
  have a period of 5 years from the date you were
  first employed in which to complete the
  Professional Formation process and obtain QTLS or
  ATLS (as applicable).
• If you were employed and qualified pre September
  2007, there is no time limit in which to apply
  for Professional Formation.
• If you hold QTS and were first employed as a
  teacher after 1 September 2007, you have a period
  of 2 years from the date you were first employed
  in which to complete the Professional Formation
  process and obtain QTLS or ATLS (as applicable).

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FAQs
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Why must I register my intention to begin the
Professional Formation process?

• By registering your intention to undertake
  Professional Formation you are asserting your
  determination to become a licensed practitioner,
  enabling IfL to process your application.
• In addition, registering your intention to
  acquire QTLS or ATLS (coupled with IfL
  membership) will serve as evidence to employers
  (current or future) of your intention to gain
  your license to practice and meet the required
  regulations.
• You should do this when the Window is open
  see annual timetable
• Gaining QTLS/ATLS is also an excellent source of
  CPD!

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FAQs
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How might I attain professional status if I work
through an agency for an extended period of time?

• Your working situation will not affect your
  application for QTLS or ATLS as long as you are
  currently teaching within the sector, the context
  is irrelevant

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FAQs
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I have sent my Expression of Intent what is
the next step?

• You should begin to collate the evidence for your
  PF webfolio.
• To learn how to access your webfolio, click here.
• Please follow What Next for further guidance.

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FAQs
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Does my supporter have to be a member of IfL?

• Preferably, but if you are unable to identify
  another member in your workplace, it would be
  acceptable to use someone else who is
  appropriately qualified, e.g. staff development
  officer, line manager, experienced colleague, or
  you can consult your local CETT (Centre for
  Excellence in Teacher Training).
• You should give your supporter adequate time to
  complete their part in the process not the day
  before the Window closes! A fair opportunity
  would be 2 weeks before the deadline is due.
• This person should know you and your teaching
  style well and have worked with you recently.

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FAQs
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Do I have to complete my CPD before I apply?

• No, as CPD and Professional Formation are two
  separate processes. You could use Professional
  Formation (part or all of it) for your CPD.
• You should, however, complete CPD each year to
  maintain your membership of IfL.
• In order to retain your licensed status, you need
  to remain in good standing by completing 30 hours
  of CPD (pro rata) annually.

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FAQs
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Do I have to use REfLECT to go through the
Professional Formation process?

• Applicants are expected to use REfLECT for
  Professional Formation, as this is the most
  efficient and secure means of compiling and
  sending your portfolio.
• For those unable to access REfLECT for legitimate
  reasons, alternatives will be provided.
• Please note that IfL are not able to access or
  view your personal REfLECT asset store. You must
  ensure you add a link to any REfLECT assets you
  use in your webfolio.
• For more information please see the Technical
  Guide.

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FAQs
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What kind of files can be uploaded to REfLECT?
A number of extensions can be recognised,
however, in order to make your evidence
accessible to our reviewers/moderators, please
use the following formats

• .avi
• .bmp
• .doc
• .docx
• .gif
• .jpg
• .pdf
• .pps
• .ppt
• .pub
• .rtf
• .tif
• .txt
• .xls
• .zip

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FAQs
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WHAT NEXT?

• Post your Declaration of Suitability
• Register your intention to undertake Professional
  Formation at the appropriate time (see annual
  timetable)
• Contact your supporter to ask for their
  cooperation
• Begin to collate the evidence you need
• certificates
• supporting evidence
• Start to build your webfolio in REfLECT, deciding
  on suitable narrative to include
• Attach all the evidence you require to support
  the narrative
• Send webfolio to your supporter for endorsement
• Send webfolio to IfL when it has been completed
  by your supporter
• Check when PF will be conferred (see annual
  timetable)

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FAQs
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• Now you have the overview you can proceed with
• Professional Formation.
• Just follow the steps and take a moment to
  reflect on
• your accomplishments.
• Celebrate your status as a professional teacher!

Professional Formation