WIREDGOV

The Institute for Learning (IfL) has welcomed the government's announcements spelling out its commitment and further investment in helping young people enter the world of work. These include confirmation that further education teachers with the full professional status of Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS), conferred by IfL, will be able to teach in schools alongside their peers, professional school teachers, as recommended by Professor Alison Wolf in her review of vocational education.

IfL’s chief executive, Toni Fazaeli, said, “At a stroke, the government's agreement that teachers with QTLS will have their professionalism recognised in schools opens up the prospect of new worlds for young people – broader, high-quality vocational and subject specialist teaching in a school setting, whether that is the teaching of engineering, land-based studies, Mandarin or vocationally related mathematics. Schools will have the flexibility to employ professional teachers from further education as well as schools, and young people will be the winners. IfL’s leadership of this issue, grounded in evidence given by 5,000 members, and our engagement with policymakers and influencers, was instrumental to bringing about this important policy change, helping further improve young people’s chances of progressing to further study or to a job.

“The government’s confirmation that it will legislate for holders of QTLS to teach in schools is a major victory for further education teachers, who have long sought parity with their school sector colleagues, and will improve the career opportunities for those with QTLS status.

“As the professional body for teachers and trainers, IfL is pleased to see in the announcements new opportunities for professional teachers and trainers in further education and skills to create innovative ways of helping disadvantaged young people, especially those currently not in education, employment or training (Neet), and to draw on the new £10m innovation fund. Many IfL members teach or train in voluntary and community organisations, and are well placed to develop effective and imaginative programmes for young people.

“IfL hopes that the government, in its new Access to Work programme for vulnerable 18-year-olds and the Access to Apprenticeships pathway for 10,000 vulnerable young people, will properly trust our professional teachers and trainers. With their vast expertise in how young people with difficulties learn, they should be trusted to design and develop learning programmes that really succeed. In many cases, initial education has not worked for young people with complex learning needs, which is why they especially need a responsive and highly personalised programme designed by experienced and skilful teachers and trainers. The government and leaders of providers should put expert trainers in the driving seat for these programmes, to be sure that learning will work well.

“It is good to see the government explicitly recognising the importance of vocational education to the economy and of 14 to 16-year-olds being able to study in further education colleges. Ofsted has consistently found the teaching of 14 to 16-year-olds in further education to be good.

“IfL agrees that high-quality teaching transforms the life chances of every young person, and looks forward to playing our full and active role in the implementation of Professor Wolf’s recommendations.”