There is a wide range of roles and job titles linked to teaching in the adult and further education and training sector. These include teachers, trainers, lecturers, tutors, mentors, coaches and workplace supervisors, who may work for different types of education and training provider. They also teach across a wide range of academic and vocational areas and from basic skills through to degree or higher level qualifications, and are often referred to as ‘dual professionals’, being skilled as both teachers and technical professionals in their own right. In this article, the term ‘teachers’ encompasses all such roles and contexts. 

Employment status 

Teachers in the adult and further education and training sector are not civil servants and do not have guaranteed employment at any stage of their professional life. They must apply for specific posts. Employers advertise their vacant posts and select and appoint suitably qualified staff.

Teachers may work in a wide range of contexts including: 

• further education (FE) colleges
• voluntary and community sector organisations
• commercial organisations and independent training providers
• adult and community learning centres
• work-based learning settings
• specialist colleges and institutions
• armed and uniformed services
• prisons and offender learning institutions. 

In all cases, it is employers that determine pay and conditions, subject to general employment and equality legislation. There are, however, national agreements on pay and conditions of service for staff in FE colleges. These provide recommendations to the employer but are not binding. See below for further information.

Recruitment and appointment 

Employers are responsible for recruitment and appointment procedures. The process involves advertising vacant posts, shortlisting suitably qualified candidates, and a panel of trained interviewers interviewing applicants.

The University and College Union (UCU) has negotiatied national Guidelines on Recruitment and Selection of Employees in FE, which represent minimum standards to be implemented and improved on locally. The section of the Guidelines on induction (page 3) states that newly appointed staff should have an early induction, comprising introductions, tours and administrative procedures. There should also be a more extended induction programme, including an assessment of an individual’s development needs as well as supportive supervision, mentoring and regular reviews of progress.

Qualification requirements  

There is no legal requirement for teachers employed in the sector to hold particular qualifications. It is the responsibility of employers to ensure that their staff are appropriately qualified for their role. The majority of teachers in the sector obtain a teaching qualification in-service after obtaining a post (see the article on ‘Initial Education' for more information on the qualifications framework). Others may transfer into the sector having previously gained a school or university teaching qualification, or a professional training qualification.

The article on ‘Continuing Professional Development’ describes the professional formation leading to Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) status and Advanced Teacher Status (ATS) for teachers in the sector.

Professional standards 

The expectations of teachers in terms of the skills, knowledge and attributes required are governed by a set of Professional Standards. The overall purpose of the Professional Standards for FE Teachers is to support teachers and trainers to maintain and improve standards of teaching and learning, and outcomes for learners. They:

• set out clear expectations of effective practice in education and training;
• enable teachers and trainers to identify areas for their own professional development;
• support initial teacher education; 
• provide a national reference point that organisations can use to support the development and performance management of their staff. 

There are 20 Standards grouped under the headings:

• professional values and attributes
• professional knowledge and understanding
• professional skills.

The Standards are closely aligned with the qualifications framework described in the article on ‘Initial Education’, and with the professional formation for Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) status and for Advanced Teacher Status (ATS) described in the article on ‘Continuing Professional Development’.

The Professional Standards were originally established in 2007 and reviewed and redeveloped by the Education and Training Foundation (ETF) in 2014.

National agreements on pay, conditions of employment and working time 

Although teachers can be employed in a wide range of contexts, further education (FE) colleges are at the heart of the sector. The following information applies specifically to teachers employed by FE colleges. Commercial organisations and independent training providers set their own pay and conditions of service.

Pay and conditions of service in FE colleges are subject to negotiation between the employers’ organisation and trade unions / professional associations. The agreements reached are not binding, but provide recommendations to the employer. Consequently, pay and conditions can vary from college to college.

The Association of Colleges (AOC) is the employers’ organisation which negotiates with trade unions and professional associations on behalf of institutions. The negotiations take place via a National Joint Forum (NJF) convened for the purpose. The main professional associations which represent the interests of FE staff are:

• the University and College Union (UCU), which also represents staff in higher education institutions (HEIs);
• NEU, the National Education Union, which also represents teachers, managers and support staff in schools, and staff in HEIs;
• Unison, whose members also include staff in schools, children’s services and HEIs, including support staff.

Working hours for teachers in further education can vary considerably. Full-time teaching staff typically work 37 hours per week, with a limit of 24 teaching hours. The National Joint Forum (NJF) has negotiated Guidance on Regulating Working Hours in Further Education Colleges (2009), which aims to help colleges achieve standards of good practice in setting working hours.

Contracts of employment 

Employment contracts for teachers working in further education (FE) include the following types.

a)    Permanent, full-time contract: in addition to their teaching load, which might include one or more evening sessions, the teacher will spend the remainder of their time planning and preparing lessons, marking students’ work, and attending meetings. 

b)    Permanent, part-time contract: part-time teaching roles are also known as ‘fractional roles’ because the holders work for a fraction of a full-time teacher’s week (e.g. a 0.5 part-time role would involve working around 18.5 hours a week). Fractional (part-time) staff may work for more than one provider at the same time, or may teach regular evening classes. National recommended guidelines on the employment of part-time staff in FE colleges are available on the University and College Union (UCU) website.

c)    Variable hours / hourly contract: this may be temporary or permanent, and hours of work each week vary according to the teaching schedule and the individual’s agreement with the employer. Staff are paid on an hourly basis.

d)    Temporary contract: such roles are often filled via employment agencies and may be full- or part-time. Staff employed by an agency are usually paid by the hour. Staff employed directly by an employer may be paid a salary (pro rata if part-time).

Salary scales 

There is no national pay scale for further education (FE) teachers and rates of pay vary according to staff qualifications, experience and type of contract. While FE colleges are able to set their own salary scales, and many do, the University and College Union (UCU) publishes salary scales which are recommended by the Association of Colleges (AOC). These cover unqualified and qualified teachers, advanced teaching staff, and leadership and management grades. The recommended pay range for qualified, full-time FE teachers since August 2016 has been between £24,202 (€28,061*) and £36,524 (€42,348*).

*Exchange rate used: €1 = £0.86, ECB 30 April 2019

Holidays, other paid leave and pensions 

There is considerable variation in the amount of paid holiday entitlement available to teachers, depending on the individual college / institution. This can range from 37 to 60 days plus bank holidays or public holidays. 

Staff are usually required to take their holiday outside of term time according to each institution’s academic calendar. Many contracts allow for a minimum four weeks’ consecutive leave to be taken over the summer. In addition, many teachers’ contracts provide for a specified number of ‘efficiency’ days when the college is closed, and ‘self-directed’ days when teachers may work away from the college premises.

Entitlement to sick pay also depends on the staff member’s contract with the employer. Other national guideline agreements establish recommended minimum standards for a range of employment entitlements.

Available via the UCU website, these cover areas including parental leave and sick leave.

Access to a pension scheme depends on the staff member’s contract with the employer, although many FE staff are covered by the Teachers’ Pension Scheme or the Local Government Pension Scheme. 

Article last reviewed April 2021.