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Further education initial teacher training and development

TUC submission: call for evidence, government consultation deadline 12 December 2025
Author
Julia Jones
Policy Lead - Learning and Skills
Report type
Consultation response
Issue date
Introduction

Trades Union Congress (TUC)

The TUC brings together more than 5.5 million working people who belong to our 47 member unions. We support trade unions to grow and thrive, and we stand up for everyone who works for a living. Every day, we campaign for more and better jobs, and a more equal, more prosperous country.

The TUC welcomes the opportunity to respond to this call for evidence, drawing on input from our affiliates, and focusing on the urgent need to strengthen Continuous Professional Development (CPD) for Further Education (FE) teachers as part of a high-quality skills system.

Current position

The FE sector is central to delivering skills for economic growth and social mobility. High-quality professional development for FE teachers is essential to maintain standards, address skills shortages, and support inclusive learning. However, systemic barriers, funding constraints, workload pressures, and fragmented provision limit access to CPD.

Teacher retention in schools and Further Education

Retention rates in teaching remain alarmingly low, with Department for Education data showing that over 40% of teachers leave the state sector within ten years of qualifying, and more than a quarter exit within just three years. 1 This attrition undermines investment in continuous professional development (CPD), as schools and colleges lose staff before they can apply and embed the skills gained.

In the FE sector, CPD is widely recognised as critical for teacher satisfaction and retention: a DfE survey found that 52% of FE teachers who left said better training and progression opportunities might have encouraged them to stay. 2

CPD in colleges often includes statutory safeguarding training, departmental workshops, and subject-specific development, but quality varies, and teachers report that sessions can feel compliance-driven rather than developmental. 3

The case for CPD investment is strong. Research suggests that introducing 35 hours of high-quality CPD annually could decrease teacher attrition by at least 2%, potentially retaining up to 12,000 additional teachers each year. This investment would also generate a net societal benefit estimated at £61 billion over 10 years, far outweighing the costs. 4

However, while targeted retention payments, such as the government's scheme offering up to £6,000 5 for FE teachers in shortage subjects, may provide short-term relief, they are widely regarded as a "sticking plaster" solution that cannot address systemic issues affecting the wider workforce.

The following section outlines the key barriers to, and opportunities, for ensuring that all FE teachers have access to high quality professional development, identified by the TUC and its affiliates.

Barriers

Despite the critical role of CPD in maintaining teaching quality and addressing skills gaps, several systemic barriers persist:

  • Funding constraints: Limited budgets for professional development restrict access to high-quality CPD, particularly in smaller FE institutions.
  • Workload pressures: Heavy teaching loads and administrative demands leave little time for staff to engage in meaningful development.
  • Fragmented provision: The absence of a statutory CPD requirement since 2012 has led to inconsistent practice across the sector, with no clear entitlement or accountability framework.
  • Casualised contracts: Many FE teachers are on part-time or hourly contracts (according to the 2023/24 DfE FE workforce data, 6 just over 15% of the workforce are on some form of non-permanent contracts), which can exclude them from all but the mandatory CPD opportunities. Feedback from one TUC affiliate indicated that some institutions do not pay their agency staff to come to additional CPD on their non-working days and "act as if they are doing their staff a favour by allowing them to attend, when in reality, it could contribute to curriculum delivery".
  • Employer engagement: Variable commitment from providers and employers undermines efforts to embed CPD as a workforce priority.

Change in statutory requirements

Until 2012, all full-time FE teachers in England were legally required to complete 30 hours of CPD annually, as set out in the Further Education Teachers' Continuing Professional Development and Registration (England) Regulations 2007. 7 This statutory requirement was removed in 2012 through the Revocation Regulations, as part of its wider deregulation agenda. 8 Since that revocation, there has been no statutory obligation for FE teachers to undertake CPD, resulting in a fragmented and inconsistent approach across the sector.

In contrast to Further Education, teachers in schools in England are subject to statutory expectations for professional development. Under the Teachers' Standards and the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD), 9 schoolteachers must demonstrate ongoing professional development as part of their role. Schools typically provide CPD through performance management processes and allocate five INSET days annually for training, as set out in the statutory guidance on teacher appraisal and the school year structure. 10 CPD is embedded in school accountability frameworks and Ofsted inspections.

This divergence is relevant because the lack of a statutory CPD requirement in the FE sector, unlike in schools, creates a fragmented and inconsistent professional development landscape, which directly impacts the quality of teaching and learning — a key insight needed to address the barriers and opportunities for improving professional development within FE.

The TUC represented trade unions on the Council of Labour Skills Advisers, ensuring workforce issues were central to shaping recommendations. The Labour Skills Advisers report 11 makes clear that investing in professional development for educators, including those in Further Education, is critical to raising standards and delivering a high-quality skills system. This commitment must sit within a broader lifelong learning agenda that supports workers to retrain and upskill throughout their careers, ensuring the workforce is equipped for the challenges of a changing economy.

While the report does not propose reinstating a statutory CPD requirement, it emphasises:

  • Collaboration between education institutions to create barrier-free development opportunities for teachers and trainers.
  • The need for universities and colleges to maintain teaching excellence and produce work-ready graduates, requiring ongoing CPD for staff.
  • Genuine lifelong learning for educators to adapt to technological and workplace changes.

This positions CPD as a systemic priority in skills reform, alongside measures such as Skills England, Technical Excellence Colleges, and the Growth & Skills Levy.

Opportunities

Despite persistent challenges to CPD, current policy developments and sector initiatives create significant opportunities to strengthen provision:

  • Growth & Skills Levy (April 2026): A mechanism to fund workforce development, including CPD for FE staff.
  • Skills England: Was launched to coordinate national skills policy and address gaps between workforce skills and employer needs.
  • Education and Training Foundation (ETF): ETF is the professional body for the FE and skills workforce and provides extensive CPD programmes, including digital skills, subject enhancement, and leadership development.
  • SET (part of ETF): Provides CPD resources, professional standards, and QTLS/ATS routes.
  • In-house CPD: Effective when focused on sharing best practice, peer observation, mentoring, and collaborative learning rather than top-down delivery.
  • External Providers: Offer high-quality training to enhance pedagogy, but access is limited by funding constraints.
  • Collaborative Networks: Initiatives like Centre for Excellence in Maths, JISC, Blended Learning Consortium, and subject-specific networks support CPD and research.
  • Higher Education Qualifications: Colleges fund PGCEs, MAs, and doctorates, with retention requirements to ensure return on investment.
  • Industry Placements: Valuable for vocational staff to update skills, but concerns include forced placements for non-vocational teachers and the burden of sourcing placements during personal time.
  • Digital/Online Learning: Webinars, micro-credentials, and short courses offer flexibility but are hard to fit around workload.

There is targeted government support to attract and train new teachers in Further Education (FE). This includes bursaries for FE teacher training, 12 helping to reduce financial barriers for those entering the profession. In addition, the Taking Teaching Further programme 13 offers structured support for industry professionals transitioning into FE teaching roles, strengthening the pipeline of skilled educators.

In addition to government and sector initiatives, through collective bargaining with the employer trade unions play a crucial role by funding and delivering CPD for their members in Further and Higher Education. Many unions offer free or subsidised opportunities, helping to overcome barriers such as cost and access. Examples include:

  • Unison: 14 Wide-ranging programmes through UNISON College.
  • Unite: 15 CPD-certified courses in digital skills, health and safety, and leadership.
  • GMB: 16 Free accredited qualifications via its Skills Academy.
  • UCU: 17 Professional development on equality, health and safety, and employment rights.
  • NEU: 18 Subject-specific training and leadership programmes.

These union-led initiatives complement sector-wide programmes and demonstrate the importance of collaborative approaches, particularly for staff on casual or part-time contracts who often face barriers to CPD.

Conclusion

CPD for FE teachers is central to delivering a high-quality skills system that supports economic growth, social mobility, and lifelong learning. The removal of the statutory CPD requirement in 2012 has created a fragmented and inequitable landscape, leaving many educators without the support they need to maintain teaching excellence. Barriers such as funding constraints, workload pressures, and casualised contracts persist, but current policy developments, including Skills England, Technical Excellence Colleges, and the forthcoming Growth & Skills Levy, offer a unique opportunity to embed CPD as a systemic priority.

The TUC, informed by our affiliates, urges government to establish a clear entitlement to high-quality CPD for all FE teachers, backed by sustainable funding and accountability measures. This is essential to ensure that every learner benefits from skilled, supported educators and that the FE sector can meet the challenges of a changing economy.

For further information contact Julia Jones, policy officer: jjones@tuc.org.uk

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