The Office for Students (OfS) is launching a review into the Diploma in Education and Training (DET) course, a UK teaching qualification for those teaching in the further education and the skills sector.
The course was equivalent to the second year of a degree and was delivered by a range of institutions. In 2024, the Department for Education (DfE) replaced it with the Diploma in Teaching (Further Education and Skills) course, to better align teacher training with contemporary educational needs and standards.
The OfS has already published two regulatory reports on the delivery of these courses at two higher education institutions, which were validated by Ofqual-regulated awarding organisations. The regulatory reports showed large cohorts of students who studied on the DET course at these institutions had not obtained their certificate, despite taking out student loans for the course.
The reports also identified significant concerns in relation to the 100 hours of teaching activity students were required to undertake as part of the courses, with specific issues around the organisation and monitoring of appropriate teaching placements, as well as record keeping and governance issues.
Based on the findings of these regulatory reports, the OfS is now launching a review into outcomes for students and the associated amount of student loan tuition fee monies paid to institutions delivering the DET course. The review will span the final three years the course was delivered (academic years 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24).
The OfS will publish a report setting out its findings. The report is expected to include the amount of Student Loans Company (SLC) tuition fee funding paid to institutions for the delivery of this course, the number of students registered to study this course at individual institutions and subsequently formally enrolled with relevant awarding organisations, completion rates, and the final number of certificates awarded at each institution.
Notes
- The Office for Students is the independent regulator for higher education in England. Our strategy for 2025 to 2030 seeks to ensure that students from all backgrounds benefit from high quality higher education, delivered by a diverse, sustainable sector that continues to improve.
- Following a DfE consultation in autumn 2023, the DET course is no longer designated for Student Loan Company (SLC) funding. A new replacement course, the Diploma in Teaching (DiT) has been taught since the 2024-25 academic year. SLC funding for the DiT course is only available when the course is being delivered by further education colleges or universities.
- Read the regulatory case reports for Applied Business Academy and Brit College.