Get the recognition you deserve
Professional statuses for the further education and skills sector.
Looking to stand out and gain recognition for the difference you're making in your teaching role? Achieving a professional status helps you turn impact into long-term career momentum.
Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) Status and Advanced Teacher Status (ATS) are designed to recognise your growth and support better practice in the classroom at different stages of your career.
Whether you're building your teaching practice or developing your leadership, there's a status to support your next move.
Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS)
This status demonstrates your dedication to your continuing professionalism following ITE graduation. This is a popular choice for early career practitioners.
Advanced Teacher Status (ATS)
This status is aimed at demonstrating the depth experience and wide-reaching impact of sector teachers, trainers and aspiring leaders.
Top 5 reasons to gain a status
Individuals choose to gain these two recognised and respected statuses to achieve career goals that include:
1. Gain nationally respected professional status that reflects your expertise and ambition
2. Open doors to greater responsibility and potential new roles
3. Increase your earning potential through recognised status that supports career progression
4. Build momentum in your career with pathways to leadership
5. Fit development around your role with a structured and flexible process.
99% of status holders report lasting impact on their teaching, learners, and teams.
Status application checklist
These are some of the key aspects we check to see if it is suitable for a sector professional to undertake the programmes to gain their preferred status:
QTLS |
ATS |
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| Hold SET membership |  |
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| Work in FE and skills sector teaching post 14+ year olds | |
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| Be teaching groups of 5+ for 230 hours between 26 January to June 2026 | |
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| Be teaching groups of learners 5+ for a minumum of 320 hours for the length of the programme | |
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| Have identified a suitable, qualified supporter | |
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| Have identified a suitable mentor | |
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| Be able to get an endorsement from a senior leader in your organisation | |
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| Hold FE and Skills qualification to Level 5+ | |
Yes - for 4+ years with QTLS/QTS and 5+ without |
| Hold accepted maths and English qualifications Level 2+ | |
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| Hold accepted qualification for the main subject(s) you teach to Level 3+ | |
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| Hold accepted qualifications for the subject(s) you teach for more than 5 hours a week to Level 3+ | |
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| If you are delivering teacher training programmes, you will be required to be a teacher/trainer with at least 4 years experience post Initial Teacher Education | |
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| Be able to demonstrate a positive impact on learners or colleagues | |
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| Be in a position to coach/mentor qualified colleagues in a teaching position as part of your role | |
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| Be able to influence departmental, middle or senior level teaching and learning strategies within your organisation and evidence the outcome/impact | |
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| If you are delivering teacher training programmes for 5+ hours per week, in addition to a subject specific qualification, you must also demonstrate that you have a minumum of five years' experience within FE and Skills, evidenced via a current CV | |
Want to support your team?
ETF Partnership offers long-term, tailored collaboration to support your organisation's professional development goals. You can enhance the skillset and confidence of your team by supporting them to undertake QTLS or ATS programmes as part of your ETF Partnership.
Interested in a sustainability-focused pathway?
If your passion lies in green skills, climate education or sustainable practice, the Specialist Status in Education for Sustainable Development (SSESD) offers an alternative route to professional recognition - focused on leading change for a sustainable future.