Learning and Skills Teacher

The Learning and Skills Teacher (LST) is ‘dual-professional’, having first achieved competence in a vocational or subject specialism and then subsequently trained as a teacher. This means that many teachers in the Education and Training Sector (ETS) begin teaching as a second, or even later, career. The LST role is pivotal to the success of traineeship and apprenticeship programmes, in delivering effective vocational education and training that meets both learners’ and employers’ needs. LSTs teach young people and adults within all parts of the ETS, including: work based/independent training provision; further, adult and higher education; offender-learning; and the voluntary sector. LSTs are responsible for planning and delivering learning that is current, relevant, challenging, and that inspires learners to engage and achieve their full potential. LSTs collaborate closely with colleagues and other ETS professionals in supporting learner progress. LSTs ensure the physical, psychological and social wellbeing of learners. Skills Plan learning to: meet programme requirements and deliver learning outcomes in a realistic context ensure that learning activities are authentic in relation to workplace practice encourage learners to develop: autonomy and resilience personal and interpersonal effectiveness social awareness and respect for others essential employability skills Design and deliver learning sessions and activities to: engage learners to establish standards of behaviour, mutual respect and safe working avoid and overcome unfair disadvantage and barriers to learning develop mathematics and English skills necessary for vocational achievement actively engage and inspire all learners and encourage them to set challenging goals use resources that are inclusive and add value to learners’ development use digital and mobile technologies in ways that are safe and support effective learning Facilitate individualised learning through: access to up-to-date information, advice and guidance reference to initial and diagnostic assessment of learners’ needs obtained at the start of and throughout the learner’s journey varied learning activities that naturally allow all learners to contribute facilitate regular 360° feedback that empowers learners in their own development regular formative assessment processes and updated individual learning plans coaching (or referral) of learners’ to address unhelpful behaviours or viewpoints collaboration with relevant colleagues and professionals to support individual action plans Quality assure outcomes for learners through: compliance with internal and external regulations, legislation and guidance in respect of: teaching, learning and assessment recording, storing and sharing information relating to learners and learning the physical and psychological safety of all learners seeking feedback from learners, colleagues and relevant others to support quality improvements in teaching and learning continually updating their own knowledge and skills as a teaching professional and a subject specialist using aggregated assessment data to review and develop own and others’ practice and to report emerging gaps in progression and achievement amongst groups of learners supporting organisational development and quality improvement interventions Knowledge Principles of effective programme design how to organise and combine syllabus outcomes into meaningful/realistic learning opportunities current and emerging workplace practice evidence-based strategies to ensure that the learning process develops individuals to be highly effective within the workplace, with their families and in their communities Principles of effective learning how to engage learners in maintaining ground-rules for safe and effective learning the causes of unfair disadvantage and barriers to learning, and ways to overcome them mathematics and English in the vocational context and opportunities and support for their development how to ensure that learning activities actively engage and challenge all learners when best to use learning resources to support learners without excluding others current and emerging learning technologies and how they can be used safely and effectively Principles of individualised (differentiated) learning sources of current information, advice and guidance effective use of initial and diagnostic assessment and their application at the start of or during a programme ways for learners to develop or acquire skills and knowledge individually or as part of a team-based task how to involve learners in understanding their own progress, and updating their learning records and plans valid processes of Assessment for Learning and ways to ensure that ILPs support the entire learning journey recognised coaching techniques and the circumstances in which referral may be necessary how and where to access support for learners in achieving agreed developmental targets Quality assurance within the education context the requirements and implications of: organisational policies and procedures OFSTED Common Inspection Framework awarding organisations funding agencies legislation (e.g. equalities and safeguarding) effective methods of securing valid feedback from stakeholders (e.g. learners, colleagues, employers) to support improvements, and how to triangulate feedback from a range of relevant sources ways to access personal and professional development and to maintain vocational currency the use of aggregated assessment data to inform personal and professional development and to identify and report gaps in progress for groups of learners organisational, collaborative quality improvement strategies Behaviours Operate at all times to ethical and legal standards and within professional boundaries Value diversity and actively promote equality of opportunity and inclusion Be resilient and adaptable when dealing with challenge and change, maintaining focus and self-control Promote a passion for learning and high expectations of all learners Model exemplary communication skills with learners and in all professional relationships Be a role model for the effective use of current, digital and mobile technologies in support of teaching and learning Underpin their practice by reference to professional standards and evidence-based teaching and learning