OCR Level 3 Certificate Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector

From September 2007, all new entrants to teaching in the sector will be required to complete as a minimum, a new award which will prepare them to teach. This is a small introductory course which will give a threshold status to teach. It will be mandatory for any new teacher who teaches publicly funded provision. Those for whom teaching/tutoring/training is their major role, will be required to progress to a further qualification suited to those identified as being as Associate teacher.

Someone is deemed to be an associate teacher role (as identified by LLUK) if their role and responsibilities are to teach predominantly in at least one of the following ways:

From packs/pre-prepared materials, and therefore has fewer responsibilites in design of curriculum and materials generally.
On a one-to-one basis.
A programme confined to a particular level/subject/type of learner (i.e. does not develop or deliver a full range across a curriculum area.
Short courses.
The OCR certificates in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector (CTLLS) are made up of three mandatory units (worth 18 credits) and at least one optional unit (depending on the credit value of the unit). Candidates must complete at least 24 credits to achieve the certificate. These qualificatons are part of the Qualifications Credit Framework and are at either level 3 or level 4 to allow access to candidates with different abilities.

Candidates who successfully complete these certificates can use some of the completed units towards the OCR Level 5 Diploma in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector, depending on the level of each unit. If a candidate completes the level 4 certificate with all units at level 4, all of these units can be used towards the OCR Level 5 Diploma in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector.

The OCR certificates in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector give a threshold licence to teach for all new teachers, trainers and tutors delivering publicly-funded provision who are entering the profession from September 2007, and also qualify candidates who are in an Associate Teacher role. The Award and Certificate is a requirement as laid out in the Dfes paper ‘ Equipping our teachers for the future: Reforming Initial Teacher Training for the Learning and Skills Sector’.

Please note: ‘Teacher’ is used as a generic term to represent teachers, tutors, trainers, facilitators, instructors, lecturers, practitioners.