This reflects the equal importance of both pathways within an education system that is equipped to create the skilled, innovative, and adaptable workforce that Wales needs. High quality Post-16 Education and Training that is diverse, agile, collaborative and delivers for learners, employers, and communities across Wales is central to this vision.
Whether by providing compelling options for 14 to 19-year-olds, supporting learners to re-engage with learning in our communities, or by providing continuing opportunities for those in employment, we aspire to provide learning of the very highest quality. Within this context it is essential that our practitioners are given the right tools and support to facilitate excellence in their professional practice.
The Professional Standards set out here aim to provide an aspirational framework for the sector to work towards, with professional learning and collaboration at its core. We have worked in partnership with the sector to develop these standards, to ensure they enhance individual professional learning in a structured and cohesive way. We are confident that these standards will further engage and motivate practitioners and their employers in their pursuit for excellence and improved outcomes for all.
These standards are not the Welsh Government’s standards. They belong to the post-16 workforce - written by the sector, driven by the sector, and owned by the sector.
Jeremy Miles
Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
Between February and July 2017, the Welsh Government worked in partnership with a working group made up of a range of FE and WBL practitioners and others with specialist expertise in these areas to develop a set of professional standards for FE teachers and WBL practitioners in Wales. In May 2017, draft professional standards were published for wider engagement and comment from the sector. As a result of the engagement process, these revised standards and their accompanying guidance were strengthened by many helpful suggestions from the field. The Professional standards for further education teachers and work-based learning practitioners in Wales were published in November 2017.
In April 2022 the Welsh Government commissioned the Education Workforce Council (EWC) to develop professional standards for support staff and leaders in FE and WBL, and for adult learning practitioners.
Between September 2022 and March 2023 the EWC, on behalf of the Welsh Government, worked in partnership with FE, WBL and adult learning practitioners to co-construct two additional sets of standards (for support staff and leaders in FE and WBL) and to incorporate adult learning into the existing standards.
The suite of professional standards are an important aspect of supporting all practitioners to actively engage in professional learning, with the purpose of developing individual and collective expertise to make a collaborative, coherent, innovative and sustainable research-led impact on all learners.
We are also encouraging employers to consider how they can use these professional standards to support and embed professional learning within their current professional development systems and processes.
Although the professional standards are not statutory, they do provide an important element for the sector to be considered alongside registration with the Education Workforce Council and access to the Professional Learning Passport (PLP).
Purpose of the professional standards
The professional standards aim to promote the professionalism of leaders in FE and WBL, provide a framework for continuing professional learning, promoting improved practice through self-reflection and collaboration, and thus help to ensure high-quality leadership in teaching, learning and assessment. Their primary purpose is to support individuals in making the most of their personal professional learning and as a basis to inform professional learning needs analysis.
Who are these standards for?
It is envisaged that they will be used by practitioners within all of the following groups:
- further education leaders and institutions
- work-based learning leaders and providers
- individuals aspiring to work in leadership positions in FE and WBL
- voluntary and community sector organisations
- commercial organisations and independent training providers
- adult and community learning providers
- employers
- other public sector organisations.
How can the professional standards be used?
Like any statement of quality, the standards can be used in a range of ways, for example:
- to stimulate debate
- as a focus for research and enquiry
- as an inspiration for specific training inputs
- as a framework for progression
- as an agenda for coaches, mentors and trainers
- as a benchmarking tool for training provision within institutions
- as a strategy tool for developing institutional strategies to improve teaching and learning
- as a guide for induction processes
- to inform the construction of job descriptions and person specifications
- as an indicator of personal and professional performance and learning
- as a means to establish a common language and expectation
- to inform curriculum development
- for organisational development and as core principles for setting up and running services.
The professional standards have been written to support and inspire practitioners and not as a means of assessing competence. They are designed to support a professional learning system in which leaders in FE colleges and WBL organisations are trusted and empowered to choose the best methods to develop their practice, in a way that suits their specific local context.
The key principles which informed the creation of the professional standards are as follows.
- Dual professionalism – respecting that many practitioners can be both subject and vocational specialists as well as leading (and having expertise in) teaching, learning and assessment
- Ownership – developed by practitioners from the sector in Wales, in collaboration with employers, trade unions and other stakeholders, as a concise and useful framework
- A continuum of growth – useful and inspiring for experienced leaders, as well as being relevant to those aspiring to leadership roles.
- Practitioners as critical thinkers and innovators – problem solving and implementing change in order to ensure that teaching, learning and assessment are of the highest quality and meet the diverse needs of learners.
- A common language – an accessible framework to support individual and collaborative professional learning.
The DNA-like model above seeks to show the inter-relatedness of the values, knowledge and skills which make up professionalism and which, in turn, contribute to better outcomes for all learners.
As the diagrams above and below suggest, we see values, knowledge and skills as being more often interlocking than separated into three discrete elements, as they tend to be in professional standards across the world.
Demonstrate commitment to learners, their learning, safety and well-being
- enabling staff to develop strategies and approaches to inspire, support and stretch learners, taking account of their starting points and progression options
- ensuring staff are fully supported, trained and mentored to ensure learners are fully supported
- ensuring safe and inclusive learning environments
Value and promote diversity, equality of opportunity and inclusion
- ensuring that organisational policies, procedures and practices relating to diversity, equality and inclusion are promoted, implemented, impact assessed and kept up to date
- ensuring processes are in place, and monitored, to enable staff throughout the organisation to challenge discrimination in all forms
Understand the importance of the Welsh culture and language as a bilingual nation
- identifying and taking advantage of opportunities for the organisation (and colleagues) to celebrate the diverse culture of Wales and its place in the world
- pursuing opportunities for my own Welsh language development and ensuring staff have the confidence and skills
Demonstrate leadership, integrity, courtesy and respect towards others
- acting as a role model for fair, courteous and respectful behaviours and exemplifying the professional values of leadership
- listening to and respecting other peoples’ views and ensuring that the opinions and ideas of colleagues throughout the organisation are heard
- supporting the wellbeing of learners and colleagues and seeking support from others where necessary
Maintain and update knowledge of policies and strategies relevant to my sector
- keeping abreast of external good practice and research in relation to my areas of leadership
- maintaining knowledge of the programmes we deliver as an organisation and understanding changes
- ensuring appropriate assessment strategies are in place to support learner progress, and monitoring their impact
- maintaining awareness of the wider education policy context (at a local, regional, Welsh and UK level) impacting on my organisation
Know how to use evidence and research to improve my leadership
- maintaining knowledge and critical understanding of research and key developments in education policy and legislation and taking opportunities to share and apply insights
- reflecting on the latest theories and research with colleagues and exploring their relevance to my leadership context
- maintaining up-to-date knowledge of local and national developments to assist with strategy and benchmarking
- engaging in meaningful action research to improve teaching and learning, and the experience of learners
Develop and implement effective policies and strategies to support the delivery of effective learning, teaching and assessment
- promoting and facilitating effective provision to meet the needs of learners, employers and the local and national economy
- leading practices and approaches which enable digital literacy and the use of digital technologies to enhance teaching and learning
Build positive and collaborative relationships
- building and maintaining strategic relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including learners
- acting as an ambassador the organisation
- playing a leading role in internal groups and representing my organisation through actively participating in external groups and networks
- using advanced negotiating skills to facilitate professional relationships with colleagues and stakeholders
Establish and maintain strategic processes and approaches which enable learners to share responsibility for their own learning and assessment
- ensuring there are processes in place which empower learners to set challenging goals and targets and to evaluate their own progress against these, and monitoring the implementation and impact of these approaches
- ensuring there are appropriate mechanisms in place for communicating effectively with all learners, employers and others as appropriate
Critically reflect on own values, knowledge and skills to improve learning and leadership
- developing my own leadership skills along with other appropriate professional skills
- critically appraising my own practice and adapting it in the light of reflection and feedback
Demonstrate a commitment to sustainability
- ensuring that organisational policies, procedures and practices relating to sustainability are developed, promoted, implemented and impact assessed
- inspiring, motivating and enabling learners and colleagues to make changes needed to contribute to the Welsh Government’s plan to achieve net zero
- ensuring processes are in place to enable learners to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development
Demonstrate effective strategic leadership and governance
- ensuring my knowledge of effective organisational governance and strategic leadership remain up to date and relevant
- ensuring my strategic leadership and governance meet the needs of learners, colleagues and stakeholders
- understanding the key factors required to undertake my role effectively with regard to quality, financial management and legislative compliance
The professional standards for Wales are expressed in the form of a series of personal commitments – In my practice and with others, I . . .
Demonstrate commitment to learners, their learning, safety and well-being
- enabling staff to develop strategies and approaches to inspire, support and stretch learners, taking account of their starting points and progression options
- ensuring staff are fully supported, trained and mentored to ensure learners are fully supported
- ensuring safe and inclusive learning environments
For example, by:
- promoting positive attitudes to learning
- working collaboratively with others to reduce and remove barriers to learning
- supporting staff to develop and implement policies and guidance that ensure learners are supported and taught in a safe learning environment
- developing policies and guidance that ensure the online safety and wellbeing of learners and staff
- leading and participating in learner stakeholder groups and forums
Value and promote diversity, equality of opportunity and inclusion
- ensuring that organisational policies, procedures and practices relating to diversity, equality and inclusion are promoted, implemented, impact assessed and kept up to date
- ensuring processes are in place to enable staff throughout the organisation to challenge discrimination in all forms
For example, by:
- actively championing diversity and opportunity and promoting anti-racist practice
- creating an environment in which leaners feel safe to challenge discrimination
- encouraging learners and staff to understand the benefits of diversity
- treating all learners, staff and stakeholders equally and fairly
- challenging unacceptable behaviour
Understand the importance of the Welsh culture and language as a bilingual nation
- identifying and taking advantage of opportunities for the organisation (and colleagues) to celebrate the diverse culture of Wales and its place in the world
- pursuing opportunities for my own Welsh language development and ensuring staff have the confidence and skills
For example, by:
- promoting the importance of Wales’ diverse culture (including through special days and events)
- ensuring processes are in place to support Welsh speaking learners to undertake learning and assessment through the medium of Welsh
- promoting the benefits of developing Welsh language skills to learners, staff and employers, particularly in the context of the work place/sector and/or subject area
Demonstrate dignity, courtesy and respect towards others
- acting as a role model for fair, courteous and respectful behaviours and exemplifying the professional values of leadership
- listening to and respecting other peoples’ views and ensuring that the opinions and ideas of colleagues throughout the organisation are heard
- supporting the wellbeing of learners and colleagues, seeking support from others where necessary
For example, by:
- treating all learners and colleagues equally and fairly, ensuring all have an equal opportunity to be heard
- listening to and responding positively to others’ views
- behaving professionally at all times
- reflecting upon professional conduct and personal attitudes and beliefs
Maintain and update knowledge of policies and strategies relevant to my sector
- keeping abreast of external good practice and research in relation to my areas of leadership
- maintaining knowledge of the programmes we deliver as an organisation and understanding changes
- ensuring appropriate assessment strategies are in place to support learner progress
- maintaining awareness of the wider education policy context (at a local, regional, Welsh and UK level) impacting on my organisation
For example, by:
- actively participating in professional development activities
- keeping abreast of developments in relation to my areas of leadership, ensuring learners and staff benefit from the latest knowledge and skills
- reflecting on latest research and developments collaboratively with colleagues to ensure continuous improvement
- regularly updating policies and procedures to ensure consistent processes and structures
Know how to use evidence and research to improve my leadership
- maintaining knowledge and critical understanding of research and developments in education policy and legislation and taking opportunities to share and apply insights
- reflecting on the latest theories and research with colleagues and exploring their relevance to my leadership context
- maintaining up-to-date knowledge of local and national developments to assist with strategy and benchmarking
- engaging in meaningful action research to improve teaching and learning, and the experience of learners
For example, by:
- working collaboratively with colleagues to share and debate ideas and innovations as a result of joint research
- actively engaging with networks of professional practice
- sharing (and learning from) best practice and research findings, with colleagues, to support continuous improvement
- regularly reviewing measures of implementation and impact in order to ensure an evidence based approach to practice
Develop and implement effective policies and strategies to support the delivery of effective learning, teaching and assessment
- promoting and facilitating effective provision to meet the needs of learners, employers and the local and national economy
- leading practices and approaches which enable digital literacy and the use of digital technologies to enhance teaching and learning
For example, by:
- using data to track and review learner progress to inform planning, ensuring effective provision
- facilitating and promoting supportive learning environments where learners are active participants as individuals and as members of collaborative groups
- ensuring formative assessment forms part of the teaching process to support progression
- ensuring an integrated approach to assessment and pedagogy
- planning for learner progression
Build positive and collaborative relationships
- building and maintaining strategic relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including learners
- acting as an ambassador the organisation
- playing a leading role in internal groups and representing my organisation through actively participating in external groups and networks
- using advanced negotiating skills to facilitate professional relationships with colleagues and stakeholders
For example, by:
- playing a leading role in professional learning networks
- working collaboratively with colleagues, learners and stakeholders to support and drive learner progress
- taking responsibility for own development and seeking opportunities to share knowledge with networks
- willingly sharing experiences to promote excellent leadership locally and nationally
- ensuring appropriate communication with all stakeholders
- representing my organisation at internal and external groups and networks
Establish and maintain strategic processes and approaches which enable learners to share responsibility for their own learning and assessment
- ensuring there are processes in place which empower learners to set challenging goals and targets and to evaluate their own progress against these and monitoring the implementation and impact of these approaches
- ensuring there are appropriate mechanisms in place for communicating effectively with all learners, employers and others as appropriate
For example, by:
- establishing processes and approaches which support staff to enable learners to identify their learner needs and aims
- demonstrating an understanding of all stakeholder needs
Critically reflect on own values, knowledge and skills to improve learning and leadership
- developing my own leadership skills along with other appropriate professional skills
- critically appraising my own practice and adapting it in the light of reflection and feedback
For example, by:
- seeking and reviewing colleagues’ views of my leadership
- creating and taking opportunities to discuss and peer assess my work with colleagues and other practitioners
- seeking to share things that work well and collaboratively sharing good practice with peers to support improved learning outcomes
- being aware of how technology can be used to track and support learners
- keeping abreast of constantly changing technology, where relevant, and the requirements of ensuring there is effective literacy and numeracy support
Demonstrate a commitment to sustainability
- ensuring that organisational policies, procedures and practices relating to sustainability are developed, promoted, implemented and impact assessed
- inspiring and motivating learners and colleagues to make the changes needed to contribute to the Welsh Government’s plan to achieve net zero
- ensuring processes are in place to enable learners to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development
For example, by:
- ensuring relevant policies are promoted, implemented and impact assessed
- prompting colleagues and learners to review articles and literature on climate change
- implementing and promoting green initiatives, both internally and externally
- engaging with suppliers to ensure sustainable business practices
Demonstrating effective strategic leadership and governance
- ensuring my knowledge of effective organisational governance and strategic leadership remain up to date and relevant
- ensuring my strategic leadership and governance meet the needs of learners, colleagues and stakeholders
- understanding the key factors required to undertake my role effectively with regard to quality, financial management and legislative compliance
For example, by:
- engaging critically with research and developments to widen my knowledge and understanding of leadership and management
- considering the impact of my leadership on learners, colleagues and the wider organisation
- ensuring compliance with all statutory and regulatory responsibilities, and taking opportunities to strengthen governance arrangements