IfL: moving forward

There have been many changes for IfL and in further education (FE) and skills over the last year. Here you can find out more about these changes and how IfL is moving forward.

IfL has returned to its roots of ten years ago when teachers, unions and employer bodies created IfL as the independent and practitioner-led professional membership body, with voluntary membership for teachers, trainers and assessors. 

IfL’s distinct purpose is to support individuals in their practice and to raise the status of the teaching profession. We believe that too often teachers and trainers in the sector are not supported well enough and that more needs to be done to create conditions that enable great teaching and learning to flourish.

IfL is independent and majority governed by teachers and trainers who are elected; supported by selected stakeholders, including NIACE, ATL and UCU trade unions and employer bodies.

“IfL’s elected board is dedicated to supporting and doing the very best for all teachers and trainers, with them developing IfL as the modern, forward-thinking professional body focused on serving them and meeting their needs.”

Sue Crowley, IfL's elected chair

The FE guild

IfL is going forward and is not being replaced by the new FE guild. Key functions and funds, currently with LSIS, will transfer to it between April and August 2013.

IfL is a key partner to the guild, with other independent membership bodies including the 157 Group, land-based colleges, and trade unions, and will influence its development. We are working collectively to support the Association of Colleges (AoC) and the Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP) who are the two lead partners.

What this means for IfL members

As an independent professional body, IfL has restated its role to ensure continued support for professionalism, professional development and the creation of conditions that enable great teaching and learning to flourish.

Changes to the 2007 regulations came into effect on 1 October 2012. This applied only to teachers and trainers whose employer was covered by the regulations.

• IfL returned to its roots as a professional membership body with voluntary membership.
• The goverment's regulations requiring registration with IfL for teachers and trainers in FE colleges ended.
• The requirement for declaring 30 hours of CPD each year was also removed. Government and the FE and skills sector recognise the importance of CPD to the profession however, and have an expectation that CPD should continue.
• The statutory requirement to obtain Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) and Associate Teacher Learning and Skills (ATLS) was removed. However, IfL will continue to offer QTLS status. Since 1 April 2012, after IfL's successful campaign, QTLS is recognised in law as the equivalent to QTS for teaching in maintained schools.
• Based on over 5,000 members' views, IfL made a very strong case for initial teacher training to remain as a national government policy. The requirement by government for teacher training remains in place.

An enhanced offer for IfL members

IfL’s focus is on excellent teaching and training, raising the status of the profession and giving services and benefits that members want and say that they value for their practice.

In response to feedback from thousands of members, IfL has developed a range of benefits and services to support you in your professional practice whatever stage you are at in your career or the context in which you work.

With your support, IfL will continue to strengthen its distinctive role in championing members’ interests and ensuring that advocacy and policy are based on evidence from teachers and trainers.

“Since its creation as an independent professional body 10 years ago, IfL has worked to increase the professional status of teachers and trainers."

Toni Fazaeli, chief executive

“I am optimistic about the future of the teaching and training profession in further education and skills. This optimism is born of witnessing the expertise, deep professional commitment and resilience that teachers and trainers demonstrate in their practice, week-in, week-out, for the benefit of millions of young and adult learners.”

Sue Crowley, IfL's elected chair

Raising the status of teachers and trainers

The voice of more than 75,000 is influential for national policy relating to teaching and training, and for the leadership of colleges and providers. Persuading them to keep supporting your practice and to protect time for teaching, training and learning is a central focus.  

IfL has a distinctive role to play in the future of FE and skills and influencing policy, based on members' views.

IfL worked hard to ensure equivalence of Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) and Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) was achieved, which came into law in April 2012.

The government has recognised that those who have achieved or are working towards Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) status should not be disadvantaged by the regulatory changes. The existing equivalence with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) - which IfL worked so hard to bring about - should also not be put into jeopardy.

IfL is committed to raising the profile of high-quality vocational teaching and learning and will continue with members to work towards this aim.

Background to the independent review of professionalism in the further education and skills sector

In September 2011 the then minster for further education and skills, John Hayes, announced that a review panel would be formed to look at “the current arrangements to regulate and facilitate the professionalism of the FE and Skills workforce”.

The panel was convened in November 2011, led by David Sherlock, former chief executive of the Adult Learning Inspectorate; with Dawn Ward, principal and chief executive of Burton and South Derbyshire College; and Dan Wright, chief executive of First4Skills.

In February 2012 the minister announced that Lord Lingfield would chair the independent review of professionalism in the further education and skills sector, and work commenced in earnest.

An interim report was released on Tuesday 27 March 2012, as part of the independent review.

Government also published contrasting independent research on 26 March 2012, Evaluation of FE Teachers' Qualifications (England) Regulations 2007. This detailed report on research carried out for the Department of Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) presented evidence of considerable gains under regulations.

Members' views - and the importance they attach to the issue of initial teacher training - were reflected in IfL’s one-page feature, which appeared in the Education Guardian on Tuesday 22 May 2012 under the heading, Should teaching qualifications be left to chance?

IfL also held an online broadcast on Tuesday 22 May 2012 to enable IfL members to discuss the issues raised in the Lord Lingfield's interim review. The broadcast ran for one hour and can be viewed free via the Policy Review TV website.

More than 5,000 members responded to IfL's survey about the future of our profession in June 2012. This feedback informed IfL's response to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) consultation on recommendations to remove the 2007 regulations. Read IfL's response to the BIS consultation

John Hayes MP announced the development a guild for further education at the end of July 2012 and the government's response to the consultation was published on 9 August 2012.

The final report of the independent review panel, "Professionalism in Further Education", was published on Tuesday 23 October 2012. You can read IfL's response here

It is positive that the report references a recognisable professional identity across further education and skills, and great that IfL's 75,000-plus members, teachers and trainers, represent our diverse sector - from voluntary and community settings, prisons, colleges to workbased learning providers. IfL is helping to strengthen this shared professional identity.