The Highfield Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training (RQF) has been designed to prepare teachers to teach in a wide range of contexts. It requires observation and assessment of practice and the range of optional units available provide opportunities to contextualize the qualification for different learning environments.
This qualification is suitable for individuals who:
- want a qualification focused on practical teaching
- want a choice of optional units that reflects the context in which they teach
- are currently teaching and want to have their practice and experience accredited
- are not currently teaching but can meet the minimum teaching practice requirement of 30 hours
- are able to undertake a qualification of medium size
- have the potential to study at this level which equates to the first year of an undergraduate degree
How long will it take me to achieve this qualification?
The total qualification time for this qualification is 360 hours. This includes the time spent in the classroom, self study and practice.
How is the qualification assessed?
This qualification is assessed by a portfolio of evidence which must cover all assessment criteria of the units selected. The portfolio of evidence will be assessed and internally quality assured by us.
There is a requirement for a minimum of 30 hours of practice for this qualification. There is no
requirement to evidence working with groups of learners to achieve this qualification unless units are
undertaken which specify that purpose. However, where trainee teachers are working solely with
individuals, a programme may also include support and preparation for working with groups.
Highfield recognises that an effective teaching practice experience should ideally include:
• different teaching practice locations/settings/contexts;
• teaching across more than one level;
• teaching a variety of learners;
• teaching individuals and groups; and
• gaining subject-specialist knowledge through workplace mentoring.
Please note: Experience of non-teaching roles is also very useful but cannot be included within the
specified number of teaching practice hours.
There must be a minimum of three observations totalling a minimum of three hours. This excludes any
observed practice completed as part of the Level 3 Award in Education and Training. Any single
observation must be a minimum of half an hour. Observations should be appropriately spaced
throughout the whole programme and take into account a trainee teacher’s progress.
The three observations must be linked to the following mandatory units:
• Delivering education and training (Level 4)
• Assessing learners in education and training (Level 4)
• Using resources for education and training (Level 4).
Highfield recommends that a holistic approach should be taken to observed and assessed practice
so that each observation and assessment of practice enables trainee teachers to provide evidence
for all of the three units identified above.
In order to achieve the Highfield Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training (RQF) learners must
achieve a minimum of 36 credits overall. In order to complete this, learners must achieve the following
rules of combination:
• Mandatory Group A - 21 credits must be achieved from this group
• Optional Group B - 15 credits must be achieved from this group
Mandatory Group A
Learners must achieve 21 credits from this group.
- Understanding roles, responsibilities and relationships in education and training.
- Planning to meet the needs of learners in education and training.
- Delivering education and training.
- Assessing learners in education and training.
- Using resources for education and training
Optional Group B
These topics are optional and learners must achieve a minimum of 15 credits from this group.
- Action learning to support development of subject specific pedagogy
- Action research
- Assess occupational competence in the work environment
- Assess vocational skills, knowledge and understanding
- Assessment and support for the recognition of prior learning through the accreditation of learning outcomes
- Delivering employability skills
- Develop and prepare resources for learning and development
- Develop learning and development programmes
- Developing, using and organising resources within a specialist area
- Effective partnership working in the learning and teaching context
- Engage learners in the learning and development process
- Engage with employers to develop and support learning provision
- Engage with employers to facilitate workforce development
- Equality and diversity
- Evaluating learning programmes
- Identify individual learning and development needs
- Identify the learning needs of organisations
- Inclusive practice
- Internally assure the quality of assessment
- Manage learning and development in groups
- Preparing for the coaching role
- Preparing for the mentoring role
- Preparing for the personal tutoring role
- Principles and practice of lipreading teaching
- Specialist delivery techniques and activities
- Teaching in a specialist area
- Understanding and managing behaviours in a learning environment
- Understanding and managing behaviours in a learning environment
- Understanding the principles and practices of externally assuring the quality of assessment
- Understanding the principles and practices of internally assuring the quality of assessment
- Working with the 14-19 age range in the learning environment
- Analysing English language for literacy and language teaching
- Reading skills for literacy and language teaching
- Speaking and listening skills for literacy and language teaching
- Writing skills for literacy and language teaching
- Using mathematics: academic subjects
- Using mathematics: personal and public life
- Using mathematics: professional and vocational contexts