A network of new training centres for Further Education teachers, tutors and trainers will be up and running across the country by September 2007
A network of new training centres for Further Education (FE) teachers, tutors and trainers will be up and running across the country by September 2007, providing training, professional development and self improvement programmes for all colleges and training providers.
The new Centres for Excellence in Teacher Training (CETTS) were announced by Minister for Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education Bill Rammell at a conference for the FE sector in Huddersfield on the 12th of June.
A selection process to identify the new CETTs, involving a consortium of key partners begins this September, with the new centres to be announced in April 2007. The CETT national network for colleges and providers in work based training and adult and community learning is expected to be in place by September 2007.
From September 2007, all new entry trainee FE teachers will be required to attain fully ‘qualified teacher learning & skills’ status (QTLS). All existing FE teachers will be required to attain QTLS by 2010. CETTs will play a critical role in achieving this and supporting their continuing professional development.
Â
Background information
In November 2004, DfES published "Equipping Our Teachers for the Future’", detailing proposals for reforming initial training for teachers (ITT) in the learning and skills sector. That document provided a response to the areas of concern identified by Ofsted in its report on ITT in further education. CETTs were proposed in the document.
CETTs will cover a wide range of learning and skills contexts. They will all ensure that all staff and mentors engaged in ITT and CPD are well qualified, with expertise in the training of teachers for particular occupations and/or in response to particular community and learning needs.
The number of CETTs will be dependent on the quantity and quality of partnership applications. However it is expected there will be around one CETT per region and another 3 to meet national or specific occupational needs (eg construction).
CETTs will either be based in existing local or regional ITT partnerships, or may be developed from new networks of organisations. CETTs will come together as specialised centres or regional providers.
A new £11 million programme to encourage the recruitment and development of the FE workforce of the future was announced in the FE White Paper, ‘Raising Skills, Improving Life Chances’.
PUBLIC ENQUIRIES: 0870 000 2288 info@dfes.gsi.gov.uk
INTERNET ADDRESS: www.dfes.gov.uk
Â
Source: DfES
