Aspiring Teachers & Trainers
Prepare for a teaching or training role. You need a suitable setting to produce the required practical evidence.
ONLINE TEACHER TRAINING QUALIFICATION
Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training (RQF)
Develop teaching skills with the Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training. This CET course suits trainee teachers, current teachers, trainers and assessors moving into teaching. Study online with tutor support. Complete practical teaching and assessment evidence in a suitable setting. Learn to plan, deliver and assess inclusive learning.
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
Pay in full: £389.00. Or start with £14.99 and access your course after confirmed payment. Then pay 3 monthly instalments of £100.00 and a final instalment of £74.01. Total: £389.00, interest-free. First invoice issued 30 days after enrolment. Pay within 20 days of each invoice; overdue course access is suspended. Restore registration by paying the overdue instalment plus £25.00.
About This Qualification
The Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training (RQF) helps you start or develop your work as a teacher or trainer. It may suit trainee teachers, current teachers and assessors who want to teach.
Focus Awards is the awarding organisation for this qualification. Learn to plan lessons, teach groups and check progress. Choose resources for your subject. Adapt your approach so learners with different needs can take part.
What Is CET?
You may see this called the Level 4 CET course. CTLLS is an older teacher-training term. Use the current title when you check course details.
What You Must Show
Study the theory and show your skills in real teaching. The course covers:
- Inclusive learning, teaching and assessment methods.
- Planning and using suitable resources.
- Clear communication.
- Minimum-core skills.
- Reviewing your work and judging what you could improve.
Build on your experience or begin your teaching development. You must meet the course’s knowledge and practical requirements to pass.
Connect Study to Your Teaching
For example, you might plan a lesson for a vocational group, adapt a resource for a learner’s needs and use a short assessment to check progress. Keep the plans, resources and assessment records that show your work. Your assessor helps you match the evidence to the unit criteria.
A Level 4 Teaching Qualification: CET and CTLLS
CET is a Level 4 teaching qualification for developing your teaching and assessment practice. Compared with an introductory AET award, this route requires evidence from genuine teaching. Before enrolling, confirm that you can access suitable learners, teaching opportunities and the required observations.
If you are searching for a CTLLS course, the current route offered by SJA is the Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training. CTLLS stands for Certificate in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector and is older terminology. Compare the current qualification title, units and practical requirements rather than choosing by an abbreviation alone. If you already hold CTLLS, check its acceptance with your employer or intended progression provider before repeating study.
Who Is This Course For?
Existing Teachers & Tutors
Build skills in inclusive teaching, planning, assessment and resources. Reflect on your professional practice.
Workplace Trainers
Develop skills for staff learning and vocational training in a workplace or organisation.
Assessors Progressing into Teaching
Build on assessor experience and expand your role into teaching and training.
Training & Education Professionals
May suit staff in FE, adult learning, private training and vocational education. Check employer and role requirements.
Learners Progressing Beyond Level 3
Build on an introductory award such as Level 3 AET. Develop wider teaching competence when you are ready.
What You Will Learn
Through this Level 4 CET course, you will develop the knowledge and practical skills to:
- Know your teaching role, duties and limits. Build sound working relationships.
- Plan inclusive lessons to suit each learner’s needs and starting point.
- Use initial and diagnostic checks to find learning needs. Agree goals with learners.
- Design teaching plans and schemes of work.
- Create and maintain a learning space where everyone can take part.
- Choose, use and adapt resources to suit different learners.
- Use clear ways to communicate and suitable learning technology.
- Use literacy, language, numeracy and digital skills in your teaching. These form the minimum core.
- Choose suitable types of assessment and methods to check learning.
- Carry out and record assessments. Follow internal and external rules.
- Give clear feedback and help learners take their next step.
- Review your teaching, plans, resources and assessment work. Check what works well.
- Identify skills to improve through further professional learning.
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 teaching duties, relevant requirements and equality and diversity. Learn about safe learning settings, boundaries and referral relationships.
2. Delivering Education and Training
Reference: M/505/0122
Level: 4 | Credits: 6
Build practical skills in inclusive teaching and communication. Use technology and minimum-core skills. Review your teaching practice.
3. Using Resources for Education and Training
Reference: L/505/0127
Level: 4 | Credits: 3
Choose, use and adapt teaching resources. Review how they promote inclusion and meet individual needs.
4. Assessing Learners in Education and Training
Reference: F/505/0125
Level: 4 | Credits: 6
Choose and use assessment methods. Carry out assessment, involve learners and keep records. Review your practice.
5. Planning to Meet the Needs of Learners in Education and Training
Reference: A/505/1189
Level: 4 | Credits: 3
Use initial and diagnostic assessment to set learning goals. Create schemes of work and lesson plans. Plan inclusively and review how well your plans work.
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 develops specialist teaching practice. Explore teaching methods and reflect on your work. Show how you teach effectively in your 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 sets no formal prior qualification requirements beyond centre discretion. Learners should be aged 19 or over to undertake this qualification.
The course requires practical competence. You must be able to produce 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
Plan Your Teaching Practice
The Focus Awards course guide sets out a minimum of 30 hours of teaching practice in a real learning environment. Keep a teaching log and complete the required assessed observations. Contact SJA before enrolling to check that your setting, learners and observation arrangements are suitable.
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 include practical outcomes. You must demonstrate real practice, including:
- 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 requires you to “create” and “demonstrate” inclusive teaching. Assessment and planning units also require practical action. Their criteria use verbs such as “use”, “conduct”, “devise”, “design” and “apply”.
You need a suitable teaching or training setting and appropriate learners. This lets you produce valid, authentic and sufficient evidence.
Online study provides flexibility for the knowledge component, but it does not remove practical teaching, observation or evidence requirements.
How You Will Be Assessed
Build a Portfolio of Evidence
Your assessor checks your portfolio against each learning outcome and assessment criterion. You must meet them all.
Your evidence may include:
- Written assignments, projects and reports.
- Teaching plans, schemes of work and learning resources.
- Assessment records and products of your work.
- Direct observation of your teaching or practice.
- Assessor reports and witness statements.
- Reflective accounts and evaluations.
- Professional discussion and questions.
- Learner and peer feedback.
- Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), where valid.
Match Your Evidence to the Task
Check the action word in each criterion. Tasks that ask you to explain, describe or analyse may use written or oral evidence.
Tasks that ask you to use, demonstrate, create, conduct, devise, design or apply need proof of your practical skills. A written explanation alone is not enough.
Your assessor will help you choose suitable evidence. The official course specification sets out the full rules.
How Online Learning Works
Study your Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training online with flexible learning that fits around work and personal commitments.
You will:
- Access structured learning materials through the LMS.
- Work through the qualification requirements step by step.
- Get guidance on what to learn and which evidence to submit.
- 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.
Online study gives you flexibility in how you learn. You must still show practical competence where the qualification requires it.
Tutor Support
LMS Learning Support
Find course materials, resources and task guidance in your online learning system.
Tutor & Assessor Guidance
Ask your tutor about the course rules and the evidence you need.
Assessment Feedback
Your assessor checks your work against each criterion. Feedback explains what you met and what you need to improve.
Email & WhatsApp Support
Contact our team by email or WhatsApp when you need help.
Evidence Planning Support
Get help to plan your portfolio, teaching evidence and observations.
One-to-One Tutorials When Needed
Arrange a personal tutorial if you need extra guidance.
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 checks that you have met every assessment criterion.
- Internal Quality Assurance (IQA) checks your portfolio and the assessment decisions.
- External Quality Assurance (EQA) and awarding organisation requirements may also apply.
- Provide any extra evidence or clarification requested during the quality checks. Certification must wait until this is complete.
- Certification usually takes 3–5 weeks after formal completion. Quality assurance and awarding organisation processing must be complete.
- You receive an e-certificate after successful certification.
- A printed certificate costs an extra £7 plus postage or courier charges. This applies to UK and international delivery.
Certification follows successful assessment and quality assurance. It cannot be guaranteed before those checks are complete.
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
CET may help you move on to further teacher training or professional study.
The specification names the older Focus Awards Level 5 Diploma in Education and Training as a next step. Check current routes before you plan further study.
A current option may be the Level 5 Diploma in Teaching (Further Education and Skills) or another suitable Level 5 teaching award. Check that the course is available, that you meet its entry rules and that it suits your goals.
You may also build skills in:
- Assessing vocational achievement
- Internal Quality Assurance
- External Quality Assurance
- Learning and development
- Specialist teaching
- Leadership and management in education or training
CET does not automatically give you Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) or Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS). Each status route has its own current entry and application rules.
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.
Ready to Start Your Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training?
Develop teaching, planning and assessment skills through flexible online study. Use structured materials, tutor guidance and assessor support. Work towards a recognised 36-credit qualification and provide the required practical evidence. Check your teaching access before you enrol.