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Skills for life teacher
Hours
37 per week
Starting salary
£18,000 + per year
WorkDesc
The work
Skills for Life teachers (also known as basic skills teachers) teach and support adults who want to improve their skills in reading, writing and spelling (literacy), maths (numeracy) and ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages).
As a Skills for Life teacher, your work would typically involve:
- carrying out skills assessments
- discussing individual goals with students
- designing learning programmes to suit the needs and abilities of students
- preparing teaching materials
- using a range of resources such as worksheets and computer packages
- delivering individual and group teaching sessions
- keeping records
- guiding and supporting learning support assistants and volunteers.
You would usually specialise in literacy, numeracy or ESOL, although you could teach more than one of these areas.
HoursDesc
Hours
You could work full-time or part-time. As a part-time teacher you may only have a temporary contract. As a full-time teacher you are likely to work up to 37 hours a week, with around 25 hours spent teaching. Evening work is common.
You could be based in a college but, as outreach and community-based classes are increasing, you could also teach in community centres, schools, libraries or prisons.
IncomeDesc
Income
- Skills for Life teachers can earn from around £18,000 to £25,000 a year.
- With experience there may be opportunities to progress to more senior roles and higher pay scales.
Starting salary can depend on experience, qualifications, and whether the teacher is employed in a further education college, a charity or a private training provider.
Figures are intended as a guideline only.
EntryRequirementsDesc
Entry requirements
To qualify as a Skills for Life teacher you will need both of the following:
- a full teaching qualification
- a qualification in teaching literacy, numeracy or ESOL.
Some courses combine both qualifications. This is known as the 'initial' route. On this route you can choose either of the following:
- PGCE (if you have a degree) or Certificate in Education (if you do not have a degree) in literacy, numeracy or ESOL
- Level 5 Diploma in Teaching English (Literacy), English (ESOL) or Mathematics (Numeracy) in the Lifelong Learning Sector (often known as an 'integrated DTLLS').
If you cannot find one of these combined qualifications in your area you may be able to take both qualifications on what is known as a 'concurrent' route. This involves taking a separate full teaching qualification and a literacy, numeracy or ESOL qualification, but completing both at the same time.
You would complete one of the following full teaching qualifications:
- PGCE or Certificate in Education (Cert Ed)
- Level 5 Diploma in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector (DTLLS).
At the same time you would also complete a Level 5 Diploma in Teaching English (Literacy) English (ESOL) or Mathematics (Numeracy).
The PGCE, Cert Ed and DTLLS are available full-time (one year) or part-time (two years). The additional Diplomas are one-year, part-time courses. If you want to do a part-time course and are not already teaching you will need to arrange some teaching hours, possibly on a voluntary basis, so that you can comply with the course requirement for teaching practice. On a full-time course the course provider will arrange teaching placements.
To be accepted on any of the courses you will be expected to show your own competence in English and/or Mathematics - this could be assessed by previous qualifications, on-course assessments or national tests. You should contact course providers for details. You can find full lists of endorsed courses at the talent website.
To find out if you are suited to this type of teaching, you could do some voluntary work, and perhaps complete the Level 2 Certificate in Adult Learner Support before applying for a teaching course, although this is not essential.
The Skills for Life teaching qualifications are part of the qualifications for further education teaching which were introduced in September 2007. You should contact the LSIS Information and Advice Service for details of the qualifications or advice on how qualifications you already have will fit into the new framework.
If you have skills and experience but are not qualified, LSIS Information and Advice will also advise you on how to have your skills and experience recognised towards becoming qualified.
TrainingAndDevelopmentDesc
Training and development
If you already have an adult teaching qualification and want to qualify to teach literacy, ESOL or numeracy, or have a qualification in teaching literacy, ESOL or numeracy, and want to qualify in an additional specialist area, you can do one of the following qualifications:
- Level 5 Diploma in Teaching English (Literacy)
- Level 5 Diploma in Teaching English (ESOL)
- Level 5 Diploma in Teaching Mathematics (Numeracy)
Contact the LSIS Information and Advice Service for details.
As a newly-qualified teacher you would join the Institute for Learning (IfL) and apply for Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) status.
Qualifying as a Skills for Life teacher does not give you qualified teacher status (QTS) to teach in schools. See the Primary and Secondary School Teacher profiles for more information.
SkillsAndKnowledgeDesc
Skills and knowledge
To be a skills for life teacher you should have:
- excellent communication and listening skills
- the ability to get on well with people of all ages and backgrounds and understand their needs
- patience and tact
- creativity to devise appropriate, interesting and meaningful learning activities
- enthusiasm and the ability to motivate and encourage students.
MoreInformationDesc
More information
LSIS Information and Advice: 0300 303 1877
Email:
lluk.advice@lsis.org.uk LSIS - FE advice 
OpportunitiesDesc
Opportunities
You could find work in colleges or adult education centres, or with private training providers and work-based training organisations.
With experience, you could be promoted to head of department, or move into training other teachers.
You may find the following links useful for job vacancies and general reading (links open in new window):
Job profiles are based on the latest information supplied to us by industry bodies, such as Sector Skills Councils. Please be aware that with the introduction of the Qualifications and Credit Framework there has been, and will continue to be, changes to vocational qualifications. For more information, please check with industry bodies directly.
We do not accept responsibility for the content of external sites.
LMIData
Related industry information
Industry summary
The further education industry is part of the lifelong learning sector, represented by Lifelong Learning UK Sector Skills Council, which also includes: community learning and development; higher education; libraries, archives and information services; and work‐based learning. The sector as a whole currently employs over 1.2 million people in a range of educational institutions, as well as public and private sector organisations.
The further education industry includes staff involved in the delivery, support and management of learning who work in general further education (FE) colleges, tertiary colleges, sixth form colleges, independent specialist colleges, Scotland’s further education colleges and post‐16 learning in Northern Ireland and Wales.
Key facts:
- There are 305,243 people working in further education, of which:
- 263,257 staff are in England
- 6,357 staff are in Northern Ireland
- 21, 604 are in Scotland
- 14, 025 are in Wales
- A higher proportion of female staff is employed part‐time than male staff.
- A further education lecturer usually works 37 hours a week, with around 25 hours spent teaching.
Jobs in the industry include: head of department, senior lecturer, team leader, curriculum leader, lecturer, teacher, trainer, learning support staff, assessor, internal verifier.
National and regional data
East Midlands – There are an estimated 22,087 people in the further education workforce in the region, of which:
- 9.9% of the teaching staff are of a Black or Minority Ethnic origin
- 8.2% of the workforce are teaching staff
- 60.8% of teaching staff work part‐time
- Pay is the second lowest of all English regions.
East of England – There are an estimated 23,091 people in the further education workforce in the region, of which:
- 10.9% of the teaching staff are of a Black or Minority Ethnic origin
- 7.8% of the workforce are teaching staff
- 53.4% of teaching staff work part‐time
London – There are an estimated 34,406 people in the further education workforce in the region, of which:
- 33.2% of the teaching staff are of a Black or Minority Ethnic origin
- 14.8% of the workforce are teaching staff
- 59.7% of teaching staff work part‐time
North East – There are an estimated 15,488 people in the further education workforce in the region, of which:
- 3.3% of the teaching staff are of a Black or Minority Ethnic origin
- 5.1% of the workforce are teaching staff
- 49.6% of teaching staff work part‐time
North West – There are an estimated 43,001 people in the further education workforce in the region, of which:
- 6.4% of the teaching staff are of a Black or Minority Ethnic origin
- 16.1% of the workforce are teaching staff
- 56.2% of teaching staff work part‐time
South East – There are an estimated 37,189 people in the further education workforce in the region, of which:
- 8.8% of the teaching staff are of a Black or Minority Ethnic origin
- 14.5% of the workforce are teaching staff
- 57.8% of teaching staff work part‐time
South West – There are an estimated 27,539 people in the further education workforce in the region, of which:
- 9.9% of the teaching staff are of a Black or Minority Ethnic origin
- 10% of the workforce are teaching staff
- 68.2% of teaching staff work part‐time
West Midlands – There are an estimated 30,894 people in the further education workforce in the region, of which:
- 12.9% of the teaching staff are of a Black or Minority Ethnic origin
- 12.4% of the workforce are teaching staff
- 59.4% of teaching staff work part‐time
Yorkshire and the Humber – There are an estimated 29,562 people in the further education workforce in the region, of which:
- 6.7% of the teaching staff are of a Black or Minority Ethnic origin
- 11% of the workforce are teaching staff
- 58.9 % of teaching staff work part‐time
Northern Ireland – There are an estimated 6,357 people in the further education workforce: 2,142 staff work full‐time, 51% of them were male; and 3,465 staff work part‐time, 37% of them were female.
Scotland – There are an estimated 21,604 people in the further education workforce, of which:
- 61% of the workforce are teaching staff
- 57% of full‐time equivalents (FTEs) are female
- 51% of teaching staff FTEs and 63% of non‐teaching FTEs are female
- the majority of staff are aged 30‐49 years
- 64% of teaching staff and 37% non‐teaching staff work part‐time
- 61% of staff are employed on a permanent basis
Wales – There are an estimated 14,025 people in the further education workforce, of which:
- 60% of the workforce is teaching and learning staff
- 13% is teaching and learning support staff
- 28% is other support staff
- 61% of the workforce is female
- 70% of support staff are female
- 31% of female staff are aged 40‐49 years
- 15% of male staff are aged 50‐54 years
- amongst non‐teaching staff, numbers are high in the under 25 years age group
- 70% of the full‐time equivalent workforce is full‐time
- 74% of the full‐time equivalent workforce were employed on permanent contracts
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