The professional standards for FE and WBL support staff were published in July 2023.

They aim to promote the professionalism of practitioners in FE, WBL and AL, provide a framework for continuing professional learning, promoting improved practice through self-reflection and collaboration, and so ensure high-quality teaching, learning and assessment. The standards exemplify excellence in the professional practice of FE, WBL and AL, providing a framework for your continuing professional development through collaboration and self-reflection to ensure a high quality of delivery across the sector.

Discover the standards

The interactive tool below allows you to explore what the standards mean and how they might be applied at different levels of practice - exploring, embedding, and transforming. Click on the logos below to explore the standards one by one.

Understand the importance of the Welsh culture and language as a bilingual nation:

taking opportunities to celebrate the diverse culture of Wales and its place in the world
 

pursuing opportunities for my own Welsh language development and promoting its importance to others

Value and promote diversity, equality of opportunity and inclusion:

embracing diversity and advocating inclusion
 

challenging discrimination in all forms

Demonstrate dignity, courtesy and respect towards others:

listening to and respecting other peoples’ views, opinions and ideas

acting as a role model for fair, courteous and respectful behaviours

Maintain and update required knowledge and how best to support learners:

keeping abreast of developments in my specific area of responsibility (which may include ALN, digital technologies to support learners or learner wellbeing)

providing personalised support for learners, based on their individual needs

Demonstrate commitment to learners’ progress, safety and well-being:

inspiring, supporting and stretching learners, taking account of their individual learning and support needs

working with others to ensure learners are fully supported

Know how to use evidence and research to improve my practice:

accessing and experimenting with research from a range of sources

reflecting on the latest theories and research with colleagues and exploring their relevance to my context

Build positive and collaborative relationships:

working to build and maintain relationships with learners, colleagues, employers and others as appropriate

participating in and contributing to professional learning networks

Enable learners to share responsibility for their own learning and assessment:

taking a person-centred approach when working with all learners to promote independence and encourage full participation in learning

 communicating effectively with all learners, colleagues, employers and others as appropriate

Demonstrate a commitment to sustainability

inspiring and motivating learners and colleagues to make the changes needed to achieve net zero

supporting learners to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development

Critically reflect on own values, knowledge and skills to improve learning:

developing my own literacy, numeracy and digital literacy skills along with other appropriate professional skills

critically appraising my own practice and adapting it in the light of reflection and feedback, including feedback from learners