LSIS Head of Research visits LJMU

27 April 2012

Professor Diana Burton, PVC (Academic Enhancement, Research and Regional Engagement), hosted a visit by Sheila Kearney, Head of Research at the Learning and Skills Improvement Service (LSIS) which is responsible for quality and improvement within the FE and Post-Compulsory Sector.

Sheila met with Education Researchers at IM Marsh to discuss the work of LSIS and potential research collaborations. Professor Burton is an elected member of the LSIS Governing Council, a sector-governed body, and for many years a governor (and Chair) of a local FE College.

Part of the context for the meeting was the interim report of the Lingfield Review of Professionalism in the Further Education and Skills Sector which proposes revoking the 2007 regulations on the qualifications for FE staff and their required registration with the Institute for Learning. In their stead there should be a largely voluntary regime of in service advanced practitioner training and CPD for lecturers based on advice to employers drawn up through consultation by LSIS. Lingfield recommends that LSIS reviews all in service teacher qualifications (PETTLS, CTLLS, DTLLS), abolishes the 'associate teacher' grade and the CTTLS award, and replaces the others with a new suite of qualifications from September 2013.

Professor Burton, herself a former teacher and teacher educator, commented:

"These proposals have provoked considerable concern about the extent to which professional development within FE can be truly said to be valued if there is to be wholesale deregulation. For many years the FE sector has struggled to gain parity with school teachers in terms of qualified status. Now, just as the collaboration between HE and FE in training FE lecturers has achieved almost 100 % of staff being qualified, there is a bizarre plan to undo it all. The implication here is that 14-18 year olds in schools will be taught by fully qualified staff but if these same students studied within FE, which many now do, it is acceptable for them not to be taught by qualified staff."

Education Researchers within the Faculty of Education, Community and Leisure have considerable experience of researching teacher professionalism and the meeting discussed a number of ways in which this expertise might be deployed.


Pictured (left to right): Sheila Kearney, Professor Diana Burton, Gill Adams, Professor Marion Jones, Dr Grant Stanley, Dr Sandra Hiett, Dr Gillian Peiser, Stephanie May