Aspiring Teachers & Trainers
Suitable for adults preparing to develop a teaching or training role and who can access an appropriate environment in which to generate the required practical evidence.
ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING QUALIFICATION
Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training (RQF)
Advance your teaching and training career with the Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training, a recognised Level 4 teaching qualification designed for trainee teachers, existing teachers and trainers, and professionals progressing from assessment into teaching.Study the Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training online with flexible learning, structured tutor support and practical teaching evidence while developing the knowledge and skills to plan, deliver and assess inclusive education and training.
Awarding organisationFocus Awards
Qualification number601/6341/0
Study modeFlexible Online Learning with Practical Teaching Requirements
DurationFlexible / Self-Paced
Credits36 Credits
AssessmentPortfolio of Evidence and Practical Teaching Evidence
£389.00
Start your qualification for £14.99 and pay as you progress.
About This Qualification
The Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training (RQF) is a teaching qualification for people who want to enter or develop within teaching and training roles. It is particularly suitable for trainee teachers, existing trainers and assessors who want to strengthen their ability to plan, deliver and assess learning effectively.
Awarded by Focus Awards, the qualification develops knowledge and practical competence across key areas of education and training, including inclusive teaching, lesson and programme planning, assessment, learning resources, communication with learners and evaluation of professional practice.
The qualification is commonly searched for as the Level 4 CET course and may also be associated with the older term CTLLS — Certificate in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector. CTLLS is legacy terminology, while the current qualification title learners should use is Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training (RQF).
Unlike an introductory teaching qualification, this programme requires learners to demonstrate practical teaching-related competence as well as underpinning knowledge. Several mandatory assessment criteria require learners to create inclusive learning environments, use teaching and assessment methods, communicate with learners, apply minimum-core skills and evaluate their own practice.
The official specification describes the qualification as suitable for those entering teaching, trainee teachers, people with teaching experience and those progressing from assessing roles
Who Is This Course For?
Existing Teachers & Tutors
Develop more advanced skills in inclusive teaching, planning, assessment, resource use and reflective professional practice.
Workplace Trainers
Useful for professionals who deliver structured learning, staff development or vocational training within workplace or organisational settings.
Assessors Progressing into Teaching
A suitable progression route for assessors who want to broaden their professional practice into teaching and training.
Training & Education Professionals
Relevant to professionals working across further education, adult learning, private training, vocational education and related learning environments, subject to employer and role requirements.
Learners Progressing Beyond Level 3
Suitable for learners who have completed an introductory teaching qualification such as the Level 3 Award in Education and Training and are ready to develop broader teaching competence.
What You Will Learn
Through this Level 4 CET course, you will develop the knowledge and practical skills to:
- Understand professional roles, responsibilities, boundaries and relationships within education and training.
- Plan inclusive teaching and learning around the individual needs and starting points of learners.
- Use initial and diagnostic assessment to identify needs and agree appropriate learning goals.
- Design teaching and learning plans and schemes of work.
- Create and maintain inclusive teaching and learning environments.
- Select, use and adapt learning resources for different learner needs.
- Use appropriate communication methods and learning technologies.
- Apply literacy, language, numeracy and digital skills—the minimum core—within teaching practice.
- Use different assessment types and methods appropriately.
- Conduct and record assessment in accordance with relevant internal and external requirements.
- Give learners appropriate feedback and support progression.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of your teaching, planning, resources and assessment practice.
- Identify areas for continuing professional improvement.
Qualification Structure / Units
To achieve the Focus Awards Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training (RQF), learners must achieve:
Total qualification: 36 credits
Mandatory requirement: 5 mandatory units totalling 21 credits
Optional requirement: Minimum 15 additional credits
Total required: 36 credits
The official rules of combination require all five mandatory units plus at least 15 credits from the optional-unit group.
Mandatory Units
1. Understanding Roles, Responsibilities, and Relationships in Education and Training
Reference: H/505/0053
Level: 3 | Credits: 3
Explore the teaching role, professional responsibilities, relevant requirements, equality and diversity, safe learning environments, professional boundaries and referral relationships.
2. Delivering Education and Training
Reference: M/505/0122
Level: 4 | Credits: 6
Develop practical competence in inclusive teaching, communication, technology-enhanced learning, minimum-core skills and evaluation of your teaching practice.
3. Using Resources for Education and Training
Reference: L/505/0127
Level: 4 | Credits: 3
Learn to select, use, adapt and evaluate teaching and learning resources to promote inclusion and respond to individual learner needs.
4. Assessing Learners in Education and Training
Reference: F/505/0125
Level: 4 | Credits: 6
Develop competence in selecting and using assessment methods, conducting assessment, involving learners, maintaining records and evaluating assessment practice.
5. Planning to Meet the Needs of Learners in Education and Training
Reference: A/505/1189
Level: 4 | Credits: 3
Develop skills in initial and diagnostic assessment, setting learning goals, designing schemes of work and lesson plans, inclusive planning and evaluating planning practice.
The specification confirms these exact mandatory unit titles, references, levels and credits. Notably, the first mandatory unit is Level 3, despite the overall qualification being Level 4.
SJA Selected Optional Unit
Teaching in a Specialist Area
Reference: J/505/1096
Level: 4 | Credits: 15
This unit provides a coherent teaching-focused pathway by enabling learners to develop and demonstrate specialist teaching practice, reflect on pedagogical approaches and strengthen their effectiveness within their own subject or vocational area.
SJA Pathway Credit Calculation
Mandatory units: 21 credits
Selected optional unit: 15 credits
Total: 36 credits
Entry Requirements
The awarding organisation does not specify formal prior qualification requirements beyond centre discretion. However, learners should be aged 19 or over to undertake this qualification.
Because the Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training includes practical competence requirements, learners must also be in a realistic position to generate suitable teaching and assessment evidence.
For SJA enrolment, learners should:
- Be aged 19 or over.
- Have sufficient English language, literacy and digital skills to undertake Level 4 study and produce appropriate evidence.
- Have appropriate knowledge or competence in the subject or vocational area they intend to teach.
- Have access to suitable learners and a genuine teaching, training or placement environment where required evidence can be generated.
- Be able to arrange or provide appropriate evidence of practical teaching activity and observation where required.
Practical / Workplace Requirements
This qualification requires practical evidence.
Although much of the underpinning knowledge can be studied online, the Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training cannot appropriately be completed through written assignments alone.
Mandatory units contain competence outcomes requiring learners to demonstrate actual practice. For example, learners are required to:
- Create an inclusive teaching and learning environment.
- Demonstrate inclusive teaching approaches.
- Use appropriate communication methods with learners.
- Use technology to enhance teaching.
- Apply minimum-core elements in teaching.
- Use and adapt learning resources.
- Use different assessment methods.
- Conduct assessments.
- Use initial and diagnostic assessment.
- Design teaching and learning plans.
- Evaluate their own professional practice.
The mandatory Delivering Education and Training unit explicitly requires learners to “create” and “demonstrate” inclusive teaching practice, while the assessment and planning units require learners to “use”, “conduct”, “devise”, “design” and “apply” professional practices.
Learners therefore need access to a suitable teaching or training context and appropriate learners so that valid, authentic and sufficient evidence can be produced.
Online study provides flexibility for the knowledge component, but it does not remove practical teaching, observation or evidence requirements.
How You Will Be Assessed
The qualification is internally assessed through a portfolio of evidence demonstrating achievement of all required learning outcomes and assessment criteria.
Depending on the unit and assessment criterion, evidence may include:
- Written assignments, projects or reports.
- Teaching and learning plans.
- Schemes of work.
- Learning resources.
- Assessment documentation and records.
- Direct observation of teaching or professional practice.
- Assessor observation reports.
- Reflective accounts and evaluations.
- Professional discussion or questioning.
- Witness testimony where appropriate.
- Products of work.
- Learner and peer feedback.
- Recognition of Prior Learning where valid and appropriate.
Assessment methods must match the action verb and nature of each assessment criterion.
A knowledge criterion requiring you to explain, describe or analyse may be evidenced through appropriate written or oral work.
A competence criterion requiring you to use, demonstrate, create, conduct, devise, design or apply requires evidence that you can actually perform the activity to the required standard. Written explanation alone cannot substitute for required competence evidence.
The official specification lists portfolio evidence including assessor observation, witness testimony, learner products, worksheets, assignments/projects/reports, oral and written questioning, learner and peer reports and RPL.
How Online Learning Works
Study your Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training online through a flexible learning model designed to fit around professional and personal commitments.
You will:
- Access structured learning materials through the LMS.
- Work progressively through the qualification requirements.
- Receive guidance explaining what you need to learn and what evidence you need to produce.
- Study flexibly and at your own pace within your enrolment period.
- Submit appropriate written and portfolio evidence online.
- Receive assessor feedback on submitted work.
- Develop and upload additional evidence where required.
- Complete practical teaching and assessment evidence in an appropriate real teaching or training context.
There are no compulsory regular live online classes unless specifically arranged for an identified support or assessment need.
Flexible online study relates to course delivery; it does not remove the requirement to demonstrate practical competence where the qualification requires it.
Tutor Support
LMS Learning Support
Access structured learning materials, assessment guidance and course resources through the online learning platform.
Tutor & Assessor Guidance
Receive guidance to help you understand qualification requirements and develop appropriate evidence.
Assessment Feedback
Submitted work is reviewed against the relevant assessment criteria, with feedback identifying achievement or areas requiring further development.
Email & WhatsApp Support
Contact the support team through convenient communication channels when you need guidance.
Evidence Planning Support
Receive guidance on building an appropriate portfolio, including practical and observation evidence where required.
One-to-One Tutorials When Needed
Individual tutorial support can be arranged where additional guidance is appropriate.
Certification & Recognition
On successful completion, learners achieve the:
Focus Awards Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training (RQF)
Qualification Number: 601/6341/0
Credit Value: 36
The qualification is listed on the official regulated qualifications register under QRN 601/6341/0.
SJA Certification Process
After you formally complete all qualification requirements:
- Your assessor confirms achievement against the required assessment criteria.
- Your portfolio and assessment decisions are subject to required Internal Quality Assurance (IQA).
- Evidence and certification may also be subject to External Quality Assurance and awarding-organisation requirements.
- If further evidence or clarification is requested during quality assurance, you will need to provide it before certification can proceed.
- Certification normally takes approximately 3–5 weeks after formal completion, subject to successful quality assurance and awarding-organisation processing.
- An e-certificate is provided following successful certification.
- If you request a printed certificate, a £7 administration fee applies plus applicable postage or courier costs for UK or international delivery.
Certification cannot be guaranteed until all assessment and quality-assurance requirements have been successfully completed.
Career Opportunities
Teacher or Tutor
Can support progression into or development within teaching and tutoring roles in appropriate education and training settings, subject to employer requirements.
Vocational Trainer
Useful for professionals delivering vocational, technical or occupational training within their area of expertise.
Workplace Trainer
Supports professionals involved in staff training, workplace learning and organisational development.
Adult Learning Tutor
Can support opportunities in adult and community learning environments where the qualification meets organisational requirements.
Assessor & Trainer
Particularly relevant to assessors who want to expand their professional role into teaching and training.
Learning & Development Practitioner
The planning, delivery, assessment and evaluation skills developed can support broader learning and development responsibilities.
Progression Routes
The Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training can provide a foundation for progression to higher-level teaching and professional-development routes.
The uploaded specification identifies the older Focus Awards Level 5 Diploma in Education and Training as a progression route. However, learners should not rely on outdated progression terminology when planning current study.
A relevant current progression route may include the Level 5 Diploma in Teaching (Further Education and Skills) or another appropriate current Level 5 teaching qualification, subject to the awarding organisation’s current availability, entry requirements and the learner’s career goals.
Learners may also develop complementary professional qualifications in:
- Assessing vocational achievement.
- Internal Quality Assurance.
- External Quality Assurance.
- Learning and development.
- Specialist teaching practice.
- Leadership and management in education or training.
The Level 4 CET itself does not automatically confer Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) or Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS). Any professional-status route has its own current eligibility and application requirements.
Why Choose SJA?
Start from £14.99
Begin your qualification with a low initial payment and pay as you progress, helping make professional development more financially accessible.
Flexible Online Study
Access course materials online and organise your study around work, family and other commitments.
Assessment-Focused Guidance
Receive clear guidance on what each assessment criterion requires, including the distinction between knowledge evidence and practical competence.
Practical Evidence Support
Get guidance on planning teaching, observation and portfolio evidence rather than being incorrectly treated as an assignment-only learner.
Tutor & Assessor Support
Access support through LMS guidance, email, WhatsApp, assessment feedback and one-to-one tutorials where needed.
Quality-Assured Certification
Assessment decisions pass through the required internal and external quality-assurance processes before awarding-organisation certification.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training is commonly associated with the older CTLLS terminology—Certificate in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector. CTLLS is a legacy name used in searches and by some employers, while your qualification is awarded under its current official title.
The learning and knowledge components can be completed flexibly online through SJA’s LMS. However, the qualification contains practical competence requirements, so you must also produce appropriate evidence of teaching and related professional practice.
Focus Awards does not specify another formal prior qualification requirement beyond centre discretion and the minimum age expectation. However, you need suitable access to teaching or training opportunities to generate the required practical evidence.
Learners should be 19 years or older to undertake the qualification.
The qualification requires 36 credits: 21 credits from five mandatory units plus at least 15 credits from optional units.
No. The overall assessment method is a portfolio of evidence, but the portfolio must contain evidence appropriate to each assessment criterion. Practical competence criteria require evidence of actual performance and cannot be met solely through written assignments.
Where direct evidence of teaching competence is required, appropriate observation and other valid practical evidence will form part of the assessment process. Your evidence must demonstrate that you can perform the required teaching activities in practice.
You need access to an appropriate teaching or training environment and suitable learners so that required practical evidence can be generated. This may be through employment, an existing training role or another suitable arrangement.
No. The Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training does not automatically confer Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
Depending on your goals and current qualification availability, progression may include an appropriate Level 5 teaching qualification such as the Level 5 Diploma in Teaching (Further Education and Skills), as well as assessor, IQA, EQA or other education and training qualifications.
eady to Start Your Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training?
Develop your teaching, planning and assessment skills through flexible online study with structured learning materials, tutor guidance and assessor support.Build a recognised 36-credit Level 4 teaching qualification while progressing at a pace that works around your professional and personal commitments..