Associate Teacher Programme (ATP)

New green circles logo graphic for ATP

Tab Content: About ATP

Support for associate teachers, in particular Postgraduates and researchers who teach, is provided through the Advance HE (formerly Higher Education Academy) accredited Associate Teacher Programme (ATP) and the Introduction to Teaching for Lancaster workshops. These programmes are offered in the Autumn/Spring terms.

You are also encouraged to take advantage of any of the Curriculum and Educational Development workshop opportunities, intended for all those involved in teaching and supporting students learning on Lancaster programmes.

The Associate Teacher Programme is designed to provide a framework for the academic and professional development of those who are new to roles which involve some duties and responsibilities for supporting learning opportunities on Lancaster programmes.

Potential participants include a wide range of staff who support learning using information technology; in the laboratory; with flexible learning systems; in the studio or clinic; research staff with specialist teaching responsibilities; library, careers and advisory staff or hourly paid lecturers or seminar leaders with prescribed duties.

Successful completion of the ATP leads to recognition as an Associate Fellow of Advance HE, the national body for teaching in HE in the UK.

There is a requirement that as a participant you will have a minimum of 10 hours of teaching and/or supporting student learning activities in Higher Education on a Lancaster Programme during the term in which you are undertaking the programme.

The aims of the programme are:

  • To support individuals in their professional activities and development aspirations
  • To recognise individual professional achievements
  • To advance professional practice
  • To enhance the experience of students participating in higher education
  • To encourage the development of learning communities with shared values.

The programme is designed so that you can work on it part-time as you teach. There are core workshops and submission deadlines in place to offer a structure to the programme, and to help you to prioritise the programme at certain times.

The core attendance requirement of the programme comprises two core workshops and three collaborative workshops linked to the relevant cohort and your choice of attendance mode (online or in person) depending on your start date:

- Pre-requisite (core workshop) - Introduction to Teaching for Lancaster (ITL)
- Induction (core workshop) - Tools for Teaching
- Collaborative Workshop 1 - Inclusive Practice
- Collaborative Workshop 2 - Marking Activity and Development Planning
- Collaborative Workshop 3 - Synthesis

A “notification list” will be automatically activated once we reach the maximum number for each cohort. A place on the programme will be dependent on you having registered for or completed an ITL workshop before the start of the Tools for Reflective Practice workshop.

We appreciate that your 2024/25 teaching hours may not yet be confirmed or available at this stage, however you can still apply for the ATP programme and provide this information at a later date, we will follow up on any outstanding confirmation of teaching hours in the weeks prior to ATP starting.

For 2024/25 you will be able to indicate on the application form your preference to attend workshops for the duration of the programme either online or in person. We regret that you cannot “mix” these modes of attendance.

Confirmation of participation mode (online or in person) is subject to cohort size viability and will be confirmed in September.

For general enquiries and expressions of interest please email the CEDA Administration Team.

Please read our information on access statement and cancellation charges for this programme.

The Associate Teacher Programme is part of the provision offered by CEDA.

Tab Content: Programme Dates

We appreciate that your 2024/25 teaching hours may not yet be confirmed or available at this stage, however you can still apply for the ATP programme and provide this information at a later date.

For 2024/25 you will be able to indicate on the application form your preference to attend workshops for the duration of the programme either online or in person - you cannot “mix” these modes of attendance.

The core attendance requirement of the programme, whether you are attending in person or online, comprises a pre-requisite and induction workshops and three collaborative workshops linked to workshop two of the relevant cohort depending on your start date:

- Pre-requisite (core) - Introduction to Teaching for Lancaster (ITL)
- Induction (core) - Tools for Teaching [either October 2024 or January 2025 see below]
- Collaborative Workshop 1 - Inclusive Practice
- Collaborative Workshop 2 - Marking Activity & Development Planning
- Collaborative Workshop 3 - Synthesis

Pre-requisite: Introduction to Teaching for Lancaster (ITL)

If you have already completed the ITL workshop you will need to register for one of the cohorts detailed below. If you have not yet attended an Introduction to Teaching for Lancaster (ITL) workshop and wish to undertake ATP this academic year, you will need to book onto one of the following ITL workshops this academic year.

Please note that if you are teaching in Autumn term, the date of your ITL workshop must be completed before you attend the Tools for Teaching workshop.

Michaelmas/Autumn 2024 - TERM 1

Lent/Spring 2025 - TERM 2

ATP Cohorts (either October 2024 or January 2025):

You must then apply for either the October 2024 or January 2025 cohorts, please ensure you select you preferred attendance option - either “In Person” or “Online”, you cannot “mix” these options. Details of the cohorts are as follows:

October Online Cohort

Tools for Teaching - Wednesday 2nd and Thursday 3rd October, 9.30am–12.30pm
Collaboration Workshop 1 (Inclusive Practice) -Wednesday 6th November 2024, 9.30–11am
Collaboration Workshop 2 (Marking Activity & Development Planning) - Wednesday 27th November 2024, 9.30–11am
Collaboration Workshop 3 (Synthesis) - Wednesday 22nd January 2025, 9.30–11.30am

October In-person Cohort

Tools for Teaching - Wednesday 16th October 2024, 9.30am-4pm
Collaboration Workshop 1 (Inclusive Practice) - Wednesday 6th November 2024, 2–3.30pm
Collaboration Workshop 2 (Marking Activity & Development Planning) - Wednesday 27th November 2024, 2–3.30pm
Collaboration Workshop 3 (Synthesis) - Wednesday 22nd January 2025, 2–4pm

October cohort - Final deadline for portfolio: Tuesday 18th February 2025, 12 noon

January Online Cohort

Tools for Teaching - Wednesday 8th and Thursday 9th January 2025, 9.30am–12.30pm
Collaboration Workshop 1 (Inclusive Practice) - Wednesday 12th February 2025, 9.30–11am
Collaboration Workshop 2 (Marking Activity & Development Planning) - Wednesday 5th March 2025, 9.30–11am
Collaboration Workshop 3 (Synthesis) - Wednesday 26th March 2025, 9.30–11.30am

January In-Person Cohort

Tools for Teaching - Wednesday 15th January 2025, 9.30am-4pm
Collaboration Workshop 1 (Inclusive Practice) - Wednesday 12th February 2025, 2–3.30pm
Collaboration Workshop 2 (Marking Activity & Development Planning) - Wednesday 5th March 2025, 2–3.30pm
Collaboration Workshop 3 (Synthesis) - Wednesday 26th March 2025, 2–4pm

January cohorts - Final deadline for portfolio: Tuesday 13th May 2025, noon

A place on the programme will be dependent on you having registered for or completed an ITL workshop before the start of the Tools for Teaching workshop.

Please read our information on access statement and cancellation charges for this programme.

The Associate Teacher Programme is part of the provision offered by CEDA.

Tab Content: Mentor Information

A key support of your learning during the ATP is through your departmental teaching mentor. The mentor will provide an essential source of support and help you to contextualise your learning, both in terms of the discipline and local practice as well as in relation to the PSF 2023.

They undertake two main activities as your mentor:

  1. Provide support and guidance for professional development
    Provide an essential source of support and help you contextualise learning, both in terms of the discipline and local practice as well as in relation to the PSF 2023.
  2. Authentication of Practice provided by either:

- an observation of the participant’s professional practice
or
- a signed departmental supporting statement

Participants are asked to discuss and agree with their ATP mentor which is the most appropriate approach for their context.

The supporting statement is generally around 500 words and is an opportunity for your mentor to comment on your wider contribution to teaching and supporting students learning in the department, which might be for example:

    • Contributions to teaching team discussions
    • Activities relating to assessment and feedback
    • Involvement in other teaching related departmental initiatives such as teaching away-days, seminars or workshops
    • Engagement in staff/student committees
    • Pastoral support of students

Anonymised examples are available for your mentor on the ATP Mentors Teams site.

You are expected to identify a mentor in your department prior to starting the programme, and you are asked to send their details once known to the Programmes Officer, Ella Taylor. The2024-25 CEDA Mentor Handbookprovides information to help you identify a suitable mentor and to help your mentor to understand the requirements of the role.

ATP mentors are usually from the same department as the mentee. Mentors hold a variety of roles but must be involved in teaching and supporting learning and be enthusiastic about teaching and your development. ATP graduates often make very good mentors, as they are already familiar with the programme approach. Mentors need to share the mentees interests and concerns about teaching and understand the discipline context.

It is a requirement of Advance HE accreditation of the ATP is for your practice to be authenticated by a mentor/more experienced colleague who has current knowledge and understanding of the requirements of recognition against D1 of the PSF2023.

You should discuss and agree with your ATP mentor which is the most appropriate approach for your context.

You are also encouraged to discuss teaching with your mentor, exploring challenges and ideas for development specifically within your disciplinary context. Previous participants have highlighted the importance of identifying a suitable mentor who can support you through these open and supportive discussions.

Mentors will be invited to complete an online induction which provides an overview of the ATP, a chance to explore the PSF 2023 and the requirements for Associate Fellowship and the role of the mentor.

A follow-up opportunity for mentors to ask questions will be held online on:

Date to be confirmed

There is also an ATP Mentors Teams site for current mentors where further questions can be raised or if mentors are unable to attend the live Q&A session.

Mentors will be automatically added to this group.

Please read our information on access statement and cancellation charges for this programme.

The Associate Teacher Programme is part of the provision offered by CEDA.

Tab Content: To apply

We appreciate that your 2024/25 teaching hours may not yet be confirmed or available at this stage, however you can still apply for the ATP programme and provide this information to us at a later date and prior to ATP starting.

For 2024/25 you will be able to indicate on the application form your preference to attend workshops for the duration of the programme either online or in person. We regret that you cannot “mix” these modes of attendance.

Confirmation of participation mode (online or in person) is subject to cohort size viability and will be confirmed in September.

There is a requirement that as a participant you will have a minimum of 10 hours of teaching and/or supporting student learning activities in Higher Education on a Lancaster Programme during the term in which you are undertaking the programme (October cohort – teaching activities in Term 1 [Autumn] or January cohort – teaching activities in Term 2 [Spring]).

In collaboration with your department an ATP mentor needs to be identified prior to starting the programme, details are required on your application form. For information to help you identify a suitable mentor and to help your mentor to understand the requirements of the role please view the ATP mentor Tab.

A place on the programme will be dependent on you having registered for or completed an ITL workshop before the start of the Tools for Teaching workshop.

To apply

Applications for the Associate Teacher Programme 2024-25 are now closed. If you are interested in joining the notification list for 2025-26, please contact us at CEDA.

  • The deadline for applications for the October 2024 cohorts is Tuesday 6th August 2024
  • The deadline for applications for the January 2025 cohorts is Tuesday 26th November 2024

Your application will need to be approved by your Head of Department, Line Manager or PhD Supervisor.

For general queries please email CEDA.

Please read our information on access statement and cancellation charges for this programme.

The Associate Teacher Programme is part of the provision offered by CEDA.

Tab Content: FAQs

FAQs