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Skills for Life Professional Development Planning
- Resources to support the work of Skills for Life professional development planners

The Skills for Life strategy (2001) promised better training for teachers, tutors and trainers and those supporting learners with language, literacy and numeracy (LLN) needs. The refreshed Skills for Life strategy ‘Changing Lives’ (2009) remains committed to ensuring we have enough fully trained numeracy, literacy and ESOL teachers to meet increased demand for courses. The strategy further commits to growing the capacity of the wider workforce - those who support teaching and learning and those who offer advice, guidance and support for learners.

As a result, providers in the lifelong learning sector are experiencing a time of rapid change and development in regulations and requirements for Skills for Life professionals. Organisations are facing the challenge of producing clear, realistic, coherent plans for Skills for Life staff development.

The following materials have been developed for and by providers involved in professional development planning for literacy, numeracy and ESOL. Please use and adapt them to suit your own contexts and goals.

New for 2009

- Materials to support professional development planning

Activities and information

Key messages for professional development planning
This is a list of key good practice messages from the Skills for Life Improvement Programme national professional development planning report of 2007/08.
SfLIP key messages for professional development planning Nov 2008
Policy and context
Background and information about government policies and developments relating to literacy, numeracy and ESOL qualifications for teachers and those is roles in the wider workforce.
SfLIP PDP policy and context ppt. Mar 2009
Roles, responsibilities, qualifications and training
This table describes key roles in the lifelong learning workforce and offers information about qualifications and training required by regulation and recommended as good practice.
SfLIP Roles and responsibilities table Mar 2009
Professional development for assessors who support LLN
This paper was produced as a useful reference for consultants and providers in the Skills for Life for World Class Skills Train to Gain Effective Practice Projects. It is relevant to all who support or develop learners’ English (literacy or ESOL) or Maths (numeracy) skills, whether those learners are aiming for Skills for Life, Key Skills, Functional Skills or other related qualifications.
WCS Professional development for assessors Mar 2009
Continuing professional development cycles and online tools
This information sheet introduces key elements of the continuing professional development (CPD) cycle for teachers, tutors and trainers in the lifelong learning sector. It describes three useful online tools for recording CPD: from the National Centre for Excellence in Teaching Mathematics (NCETM), the Institute for Learning (Reflect), and the Teaching and Learning Project.
SfLIP CPD cycle and online tools Nov 2008

Exemplars for learning settings

These exemplars are intended for professional development planning advisers and providers involved in professional development planning for literacy, language and numeracy. The providers described here have been created for training and support purposes. The practice and activity described is drawn from good practice encountered on the Skills for Life Improvement Programme and the Skills for Life in World Class Skills Programme.

Train to Gain exemplar
SfL in WCS Train to Gain PDP exemplar Jan 09
SfL in WCS Train to Gain PDP qualifications matrix Jan 09
Offender Learning (prison) exemplar
SfLIP PDP offender learning exemplar Nov 08
SfLIP PDP offender learning exemplar qualifications matrix Jan 09
Employability skills programme exemplar
SfLIP PDP employability skills programme exemplar Nov 08
SfLIP PDP employability exemplar Apps. 3 and 4 Nov 08

Provider experience

Hertford Adult and Family Learning Service and Nottingham Hairdressing Training Agency describe their experience of professional development planning for literacy, language and numeracy.

Taking stock and planning ahead
Hairdressing professionals at the cutting edge of staff development