This level 5 qualification will enable students to teach in the post 16 tertiary education sector of colleges and community schools. The route to teaching in the state school sector using this level 5 qualification is through membership of the Society of Education & Training (SET).

To be eligible for SET membership students are required to have completed their Initial Teacher Training (ITT). ITT involves successful completion of a level 5 teacher training course, assuming candidates have already completed a level 2 (GCSE) Maths and English or equivalent. Completion of the courses provides students with their Qualified Teacher Learning Skills (QTLS) which is equivalent to the Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and sufficient to teach in state schools, as well as further education.

QTLS is a Professional Status recognised in the Education sector, which is gained after successfully completing a six-month period of Professional Formation and maintained through membership to the Society for Education and Training.

The Professional Formation programme enables you to show your progression and commitment to excellence within the Further Education and Skills sector. Once you achieve QTLS, you’ll be added to the professional register where future employers can check your status. Achieving QTLS will also allow you to teach in schools on the same terms as QTS.

More than 26,000 professionals have achieved QTLS since its introduction in 2008.

The window opens on 14 August 2023, and will remain open until 30 November 2023 ,with successful applicants issued a Professional Formation portfolio in January.

For more information on the QTLS and how to achieve it on completion of this level 5 education and training qualification, please click here (https://set.et-foundation.co.uk/your-career/qtls)

Students may wish to contact SET direct for further clarification of their requirements.

SET Core eligibility criteria for QTS:

• be an active member of the Society for Education and Training (SET) 
• hold an eligible FE and Training teaching qualification at Level 5 or above  
• hold an eligible level 2 maths qualification 
• hold an eligible level 2 English qualification  
• hold a level 3+ subject specific qualification 
• hold a level 3+ qualification in subjects that you teach for 5 or more hours per week 
• hold a level 2 or above SEND qualification (related to an FE setting) if you work in a SEND/SEMH setting/department 
• be teaching/training groups of five or more post-14 learners in a Further Education and Training setting for a minimum of ten hours a week, throughout the Professional Formation programme  
• have identified a suitable supporter  

The core eligibility criteria above may raise questions when applied to your specific setting and context, the following Frequently Asked Questions will help you to understand the criteria when applied to your role and organisation.