All about the role of ... College tutor

Colleges of Further Education offer a wide range of courses for 14-to 19-year-olds and mature learners at Levels 1 to 4. They also offer apprenticeships and sometimes foundation degrees. Childcare and education courses focus on areas such as children and young people's care, development, learning and health, and teaching and learning support. These courses are verified by awarding bodies such as CACHE, Edexel and City and Guilds.

Ofsted is responsible for inspecting colleges and courses to evaluate how efficiently and effectively the education and training provision meets the needs of students. Areas that are inspected include: the range of teaching methods used; tutors' learning plans and progress reviews; the degree of access students are given to information, advice and guidance; the arrangements for assessment and internal verification; and strategies used to improve and maintain the attendance and retention of students. A tutor may be observed during teaching sessions to identify his or her strengths and areas for improvement. Inspectors highlight good practice and decide the steps to be taken to improve provision further.

The role of the tutor is to teach his or her subject specialism on one or more courses. The tutor also provides pastoral care, learning support and guidance to groups of students, monitors their attendance and progress, marks students' work and records results, visits students in practical training placements and monitors progress; and liaises with training placement staff. An experienced tutor may also assist in the development and marketing of early years courses.

There are also duties such as representing the college at school careers events, advising parents and prospective students during open days and attending staff meetings to keep abreast of current issues. Tutors also attend training days delivered by awarding organisations and other authorities.

QUALIFICATIONS AND TRAINING

Tutors on childcare and education courses are experienced early years practitioners who have worked successfully in positions such as an early years teacher, day nursery practitioner, social worker or health visitor. They hold appropriate industry qualifications to at least Level 3 although many colleges expect qualification to degree level. In addition, all teachers entering the further education sector, whether full or part-time, must have a recognised Level 4 or higher teaching qualification. This may be the Certificate in Education, the Post Graduate Certificate in Education, the Diploma in Teaching Lifelong Learners (DTLL) or an equivalent qualification. They should be able to provide evidence of successful teaching practice.

Childcare professionals without a teaching qualification must be willing to work towards gaining one before they can teach without the professional support of a qualified teacher. The DTLL course leads to Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills status. It is delivered over 16 months and comprises 11 face-to-face training days with tutorials, workplace assessment, individual research and distance learning. Candidates must complete eight unit assignments and they are assessed on these together with their ongoing reflective journal and teaching practice portfolios. They must show evidence of 150 teaching hours delivered to groups of learners and one-to-one teaching during which they will be observed eight times.

To gain the status of licensed practitioner following successful completion of the DTLL course, tutors must complete a period of 'professional formation' to demonstrate their competence in teaching in the workplace. They are then eligible to apply for recognition through the Institute for Learning and be placed on the professional status register.

In addition, college tutors must be organised individuals who have the aptitude to meet deadlines within what is often a pressurised environment. They need excellent verbal and written skills.

A criminal record check is required from the Disclosure and Barring Service.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Institute for Learning: www.ifl.ac.uk

CASE STUDY - HELEN ESPEZEL

Helen Espezel retired from her position as a course tutor and manager of the CACHE Level 3 Diploma in Child Care and Education last July after teaching childcare and education students for over 30 years. In 1972 she completed an initial teacher training course at King Alfred's College Winchester followed by an Open University degree. Her first post on leaving college was as a teacher in a school for children with special educational needs. In 1979 Ms Espezel moved to Eastleigh College to become a tutor with responsibility for teaching child development and early years education to NNEB students. In 1985 she became the course manager of the CACHE Level 3 Diploma in Nursery Nursing alongside her role as course tutor.

She says, 'There have been many changes in early years courses over the years. Childcare students must be up to date with changes in the sector in order to successfully fulfil their professional role on leaving college. The tutor's role is a challenging and demanding one but it has been a privilege to work with staff who are committed to their students' success and to have had that commitment recognised by Ofsted as outstanding.

'It has been enormously satisfying to see our students achieve their goals and go on to work in day nurseries, children's centres, schools for children with special needs and as community and paediatric nursery nurses. Many have progressed to more advanced study and become teachers, managers and leaders in their chosen field. I am proud to have contributed to this process.'