Institute for Learning

putting professionalism in your hands

Licence to Practise : Professional Formation

What’s involved in Professional Formation?

The process of obtaining

Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS)
or
Associate Teacher Learning and Skills (ATLS) status
(updated December 2011)
 How to use this presentation
This presentation is an introduction to the various elements of the
Professional Formation process.

It is an interactive presentation, designed to be used like a website. It

should not be used by clicking slides sequentially or by using cursor
keys as with a conventional presentation. Underlined words or phrases
are hyperlinks to further information.

There are also buttons that navigate you around the presentation.

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Professional Formation- Home Page
OVERVIEW STANDARDISED ELEMENTS
What is Professional Formation? Declaration of Suitability
Who can gain Q/ATLS? Supporting Testimony
How can Professional Status be gained? Qualification
When will I receive my Professional Status?
Literacy & Numeracy

PERSONALISED ELEMENTS
Teaching Biography FREQUENTLY ASKED
QUESTIONS
Subject Currency
Click to view answers
Teaching and Learning to your most commonly
Self Evaluation asked questions
Professional Development Plan
Reflective Practice
 What is Professional Formation?
This is a post qualification process by which a teacher is able to gain
Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) or Associate Teacher
Learning and Skills (ATLS) by demonstrating evidence of professional
practice. This is defined as:

• The ability to use effectively the skills and knowledge

gained whilst training to be a teacher
• The capacity to meet the occupational standards required
of a teacher
 Who can gain Q/ATLS and why?
Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) and Associate Teacher Learning and
Skills (ATLS) are each a professional status available for the majority of Associate
grade, Member grade and some Fellow grades of the IfL
• If you hold a Level 3/4 teaching/training qualification and literacy and
numeracy at level 2 then you may be eligible to gain ATLS
• If you hold a Level 5 teaching/training qualification and literacy and
numeracy at level 2 then you may be eligible to gain QTLS
*For those who took their first teaching position within the sector after 2007,
gaining QTLS or ATLS is a mandatory requirement within 5 years of your start date.
*This also applies to holders of QTS who are new to the sector as of September
2007. In this case you would have two years to gain QTLS or ATLS as of your start
date.
Click for further guidance to the Regulations
*This only applies to those working in the Skills funded provision of the sector.
 Skills for Life
If you are a Skills for Life teacher of ESOL, Literacy or Numeracy, of any level
from Entry 1 to Level 2, even if part time, then you must provide certificate
evidence of either:

• Level 4 Subject Specialist award

or
• Level 5 Additional Diploma.

No other evidence is acceptable.

Please click here for further guidance

 How can professional status be gained?
Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) or Associate Teacher Learning
and Skills (ATLS) is gained through completion of the Professional Formation
process. This entails:

• Completion of an Expression of Intent found on the member’s area

of the website

• Printing, completing and posting a signed Declaration of Suitability

to the IfL Standards team

• Completion of a webfolio that meets the 9 standardised and

personalised elements of Professional Formation
 When will I receive my professional status?
The annual timetable is as follows:

Expression of Webfolio needs Conferral of

Intent made to be sent to IfL ATLS/QTLS
between: by: status will be
sent by:

Spring Sep 1-Oct 31 End February April 30

Summer Dec 1-Jan 31 June 30 August 31

Winter April 1-May 31 October 31 December 31

 Declaration of Suitability
This is a self-declaration of fitness to practice made against IfL’s criteria.

This needs to have been printed, completed and posted to the IfL separately.
If it has not been received, then it will not be possible for you to proceed with
your application for ATLS or QTLS.

The declaration can be found here.

 Qualification
To apply for QTLS, you need an initial teacher training qualification at Level 5+
or above, equivalent to the Diploma in Lifelong Learning (DTLLS)

OR

To apply for ATLS, you need an initial teacher training qualification at Level 3
or 4, equivalent to the Certificate in Lifelong Learning (CTLLS)

Certificates of one of these should be scanned into your webfolio.

 Literacy & Numeracy

Literacy and Numeracy qualifications at (or above) level 2 can be

demonstrated by scanned certificates - this is IfL’s preferred method of
evidencing these skills.

There is an approved list of qualifications on the SVUK website. Please check

your qualifications are listed as acceptable before adding to your webfolio.

(Please refer to this link:

www.standardsverificationuk.org/evidencing-approved-qualifications-at-level
-2-htm
.)

Please refer to this document for further guidance.

 Teaching Biography
This is where you can explain your route into teaching. Tell your story here and
set the context for the rest of your evidence.

This should not be an account of every course you have been on – just give
details about how you managed to get to where you are now.

(Have you checked the Professional Formation Notes for further information?
These are available on the IfL website.)
 Subject Currency
This section should explain how you keep up to date with developments in
your subject.

You should describe and explain details of your subject specialist knowledge
and qualifications.
In addition to the above narrative, you should also attach copies of any CPD
or professional training certificates and any other supporting evidence, that
illustrates your subject specialist expertise. Examples could be from a CPD
session, team meetings etc.

NOTE:
Please be thoughtful and selective about what you decide to scan in and
include only that which is relevant and significant. It is not necessary to scan
everything and remember current means recent!
 Teaching & Learning
This is an account of your ability to deliver your subject to a range of
learners.
You should provide some narrative about your knowledge of teaching and
learning with specific examples of your ability to use effectively the skills and
knowledge acquired in your Initial Teacher Training (ITT). It would be useful
to outline how these skills have developed through ongoing CPD and
experience.
To support your narrative, you should attach evidence from a range of
appropriate sources. Examples of this could include a lesson plan, a scheme
of work, an example of a resource that you have developed (such as a
PowerPoint presentation), a lesson observation report and student feedback.
You should ensure a thoughtful selection of supporting evidence is chosen; if
you have mentioned something in the narrative, reinforce this with evidence.
You should take this opportunity to explain how your own development has
impacted on your learners.
 Self Evaluation
This is an opportunity to evaluate where you are now with regard to your
teaching and career progression.

Complete a SWOT analysis – Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and

Threats - which will assist you in identifying your current strengths as well as
weaker areas to develop, and will help you to reflect on the opportunities and
threats to your personal and professional development.
 Professional Development Plan
Your individual learning plan detailing the actions you will take to address
the needs and goals identified in your self evaluation.

This should be linked to your self-evaluation SWOT analysis, outlined

previously, and is an opportunity to suggest how you intend to work on and
develop those areas which are important to improving your practice. This
should be something which is forward looking and may have been developed
in discussion with a manager or through your institutional appraisal systems.

Evidence for this may be based on a range of sources, such as meetings and
discussions with managers and/or peers, appraisals, observations of teaching
and learning. You could also include your needs in subject specialist areas.
 Reflective Practice
Reflection for this section is about the impact of professional development
on your teaching practice and the benefit of this to learners.

You should demonstrate an awareness of the outcomes of professional

development and reflect on its impact on teaching practice, on learners’
experience and perhaps even wider communities of practice.

Supporting evidence for this might be in the form of personal reflection on

CPD, teaching and learning, subject specialist needs, wider networks involving
peer dialogue and discussion. This is also another opportunity to add links to
your REfLECT assets. Remember IfL cannot view any asset unless you add a
link in your webfolio.

Be selective - this should not be the whole of your reflective journal or

assignments from your Teacher Training course!
 Supporting Testimony
Your supporter recommends you for Professional Formation by reading through
and making comment on your completed webfolio.

When you have finished collating your webfolio on REfLECT, you should share
this with your supporter by giving them permission to view and comment on
the evidence. A link to your webfolio will then be sent to their email address.
When your supporter receives the email, they will be able to access and
complete the supporter’s statement in REfLECT. This will form another part of
your evidence for IfL.
Once your supporter has commented on your webfolio this will be shown on the
final page of your webfolio as Supported. Please note you will not be able to
make any changes to your webfolio once this has been completed. You will then
be able to share this with IfL by clicking the link at step 10 in the webfolio.
 Applying for QTLS or ATLS?

If you were first employed as a teacher after 1 September 2007, and you hold
DTLLS or CTLLS, you have a period of 5 years from the date you were first
employed in which to complete the Professional Formation process and
obtain QTLS or ATLS (as applicable).

If you were employed and qualified pre September 2007, there is no time
limit in which to apply for Professional Formation.

If you hold QTS and were first employed as a teacher after 1 September 2007,
you have a period of 2 years from the date you were first employed in which
to complete the Professional Formation process and obtain QTLS or ATLS (as
applicable).

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 Why must I register my intention to begin the Professional
Formation process?

By registering your intention to undertake Professional Formation you are

asserting your determination to become a licensed practitioner, enabling IfL
to process your application.

In addition, registering your intention to acquire QTLS or ATLS (coupled with

IfL membership) will serve as evidence to employers (current or future) of
your intention to gain your license to practice and meet the required
regulations.

You should do this when the ‘Window’ is open – see ‘annual timetable’

Gaining QTLS/ATLS is also an excellent source of CPD!

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 How might I attain professional status if I work through an
agency for an extended period of time?

Your working situation will not affect your application for QTLS or ATLS as long
as you are currently teaching within the sector, the context is irrelevant

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 I have sent my Expression of Intent –
what is the next step?

You should begin to collate the evidence for your PF webfolio.

To learn how to access your webfolio, click here.

Please follow ‘What Next’ for further guidance.

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 Does my supporter have to be a member of IfL?

Preferably, but if you are unable to identify another member in your

workplace, it would be acceptable to use someone else who is appropriately
qualified, e.g. staff development officer, line manager, experienced colleague,
or you can consult your local CETT (Centre for Excellence in Teacher Training).

You should give your supporter adequate time to complete their part in the
process – not the day before the ‘Window’ closes! A fair opportunity would
be 2 weeks before the deadline is due.

This person should know you and your teaching style well and have worked
with you recently.

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 Do I have to complete my CPD before I apply?

No, as CPD and Professional Formation are two separate processes. You could
use Professional Formation (part or all of it) for your CPD.

You should, however, complete CPD each year to maintain your membership
of IfL.

In order to retain your licensed status, you need to remain in good standing
by completing 30 hours of CPD (pro rata) annually.

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 Do I have to use REfLECT to go through the Professional
Formation process?

Applicants are expected to use REfLECT for Professional Formation, as this is

the most efficient and secure means of compiling and sending your portfolio.

For those unable to access REfLECT for legitimate reasons, alternatives will be
provided.

Please note that IfL are not able to access or view your personal REfLECT
asset store. You must ensure you add a link to any REfLECT assets you use in
your webfolio.

For more information please see the Technical Guide.

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 What kind of files can be uploaded to REfLECT?
A number of extensions can be recognised, however, in order to make your
evidence accessible to our reviewers/moderators, please use the following
formats:

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 WHAT NEXT?
1. Post your Declaration of Suitability
2. Register your intention to undertake Professional Formation at the
appropriate time (see annual timetable)
3. Contact your supporter to ask for their cooperation
4. Begin to collate the evidence you need:
• certificates
• supporting evidence
5. Start to build your webfolio in REfLECT, deciding on suitable narrative
to include
6. Attach all the evidence you require to support the narrative
7. Send webfolio to your supporter for endorsement
8. Send webfolio to IfL when it has been completed by your supporter
9. Check when PF will be conferred (see annual timetable)

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 Now you have the overview you can proceed with
Professional Formation.

Just follow the steps and take a moment to reflect on

your accomplishments.

Celebrate your status as a professional teacher!