Education and Training Foundation - UK

Our Story Home » About us » Our Story The Education and Training Foundation (ETF) was founded in 2013 by the Association of Colleges, Association of Employment and Learning Providers and Holex. Its purpose was to oversee workforce development. The ETF was created by the sector, is owned by it, and acts for it. Setting and promoting high professional standards In May 2014 the ETF published the first Professional Standards for the sector, providing a framework for teachers and trainers to critically appraise their own practice and improve their teaching. These standards have been embedded across the ETF’s courses and programmes and embraced by the profession. The role of the Society for Education and Training (SET) has been fundamental to the ETF’s work. Launched in May 2015, SET grew quickly and by the beginning of 2019 had almost 19,000 members. That figure continues to grow, in part due to the popularity of SET Corporate Partnership, which sees FE providers investing in their staff by providing them with access to the resources and tools SET provides. SET members are able to study for Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) status and by the end of 2018 more than 8,000 of them held the badge of professionalism. Those who achieve QTLS are entitled to apply to study for Advanced Teacher Status (ATS), the badge of advanced professionalism and mastery in further education and training. The first to successfully do so were announced at the inaugural SET annual conference in Birmingham in November 2018. Thanks to an agreement with the Chartered College of Teaching, those who gain ATS will also hold Chartered Teacher Status. Leading workforce development for teachers, trainers, leaders and governors The ETF has supported teachers, trainers and assessors with a range of courses and resources. It has developed a comprehensive range of courses to support effective teaching of maths and English for teachers of GCSE, Functional Skills, apprenticeships and study programmes. Each year around 4,000 practitioners complete face-to-face, online and blended courses to improve their teaching and assessment approaches in maths and English. More than 200,000 learners have been enrolled on the ETF’s online prevent modules and our SEND resources have helped staff improve the effectiveness of teaching and learning with students with autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia and ADHD. Encouraging professional collaboration has also been a priority for the ETF. The Outstanding, Teaching, Learning and Assessment programme has helped FE professionals realise the potential of practitioner-led collaboration and research, while the locally-organised Professional Exchange Networks have acted as a focus for practitioners to share and develop responses to issues they have identified. Supporting the FE sector to succeed through reform and change The period since the creation of the ETF in 2013 has been characterised in FE by a significant amount of reform and change. The ETF has helped the sector navigate challenges including the Area Reviews that posed questions about institutional structure, reforms to apprenticeships and the development of Functional Skills teaching. Potentially most significantly of all, it began the work of preparing leaders, teachers, trainers and assessors for the advent of T Levels, which will first be delivered in September 2020. Attracting new talent to the sector has also been a priority and the ETF has developed and delivered a range of recruitment initiatives. Further Forces, supports services leavers to make the transition from life in the Forces to FE, Taking Teaching Further attracts experienced industry professionals with expert technical knowledge and skills, and Talent to Teach in FE encourages final-year undergraduates to consider the opportunities in FE. In 2018, ETF produced a short film aimed at encouraging people to consider bringing their knowledge and industry experience into FE. Creating independent, impartial and comprehensive workforce data and research Understanding the sector has been key to the ETF’s success and the insight it has gained from its research programme has underpinned its work. The launch of the enhanced new Staff Individualised Record Data Insights Service in 2015–16, the establishment of the annual Initial Teacher Education reports in 2015, and the first major and cross-sector Training Needs Analysis in 2017–18, were all major landmarks for the organisation. EVENTS EdTech Summit 2020 logo Nov 18, Wed 09:00am EdTech Summit 2020 AoC events logo Dec 2, Wed AoC SEND Online Conference 2020 AELP National Conference Jan 11, Mon AELP National Conference 2021 NEWSLETTER Sign up to receive our monthly newsletter and catch up on previous editions Sign up now "Hands-down the best CPD I have ever experienced" BETH CURTIS DRAMA AND PERFORMING ARTS LECTURER, EXETER COLLEGE AND PARTICIPANT ON PRACTITIONER RESEARCH PROGRAMME ABOUT US OUR GOVERNANC