Level 5 Diploma in Teaching (Further Education and Skills)

To successfully complete the Focus Awards Level 5 Diploma in Teaching (Further Education and Skills) (RQF) learners must complete 5 mandatory units. A minimum of 30 credits must be completed from the optional units.

This qualification is Internally Assessed. Each learner must create a portfolio of evidence that demonstrates achievement of all the learning outcomes and assessment criteria associated with each unit.
The main pieces of evidence for the portfolio could include some or all of the following:
• Assessor observation
• Witness testimony
• Learner product
• Worksheets
• Assignments/projects/reports
• Record of oral and written questioning
• Learner and peer reports
• Recognition of prior learning (RPL)

Practical Requirements
This qualification requires observation in a real work environment.
The placement should be at least 250 hours in duration. At least 150 hours of this should be teaching practice. Of the 150 teaching hours, at least 100 hours must be in the trainee’s subject area. The trainee should also gain experience of remote teaching. A minimum of 20 hours of live remote
delivery should be included, alongside a minimum of 80 hours of face to face delivery.
The teacher trainee should gain experience in a minimum of two teaching locations. This is to ensure a breadth of teaching practice experiences. The second placement should be for at least 20 hours and should be at a different provider. If this is not possible it can include:
• teaching a different subject area with the same provider
• teaching in a different venue with the same provider
The 20 hours at the second placement are not specified as teaching hours and can be used for professional practice.
Professional practice includes activities such as:
• team meetings
• planning
• interviews
• assessment meetings
• observations
• provider wide sessions – for example, continuing professional development (CPD)
The purpose of the professional practice hours is to understand the wider responsibilities of a teacher.
Mentoring and Local Support
All trainees should have the support of two staff at their placement and the support of their course tutor.
The first is the subject specialist. They will be competent and teach the trainee’s subject area. This enables subject specific support. This staff member will have time to support the trainee for the recommended 30 minutes per trainee per week. Additionally, they will have time to engage in
assessment, particularly of the subject specific element.
Local pastoral support mentors are for more general areas of advice and support. This mentor may support more than one trainee in the placement. This mentor will have time to support the trainee for the recommended 30 minutes per trainee per week. This mentor is expected to work with the
provider on ongoing trainee progress reports. Where the placement is small and resources are limited, ITE provider staff can provide the pastoral mentoring role, if enough additional time is allocated to this role.
All centres providing the qualification will provide adequate training to placement mentors and subject specialists to ensure they can meet the needs of trainees.