Associate Lecturer - Functional Skills

Role: Associate Lecturer – Functional Skills

Location: Central Bedfordshire College – Dunstable Kingsway Campus

Salary: Salary is £21.50 per hour

Hours/Weeks: A minimum of 8 hours per week

Contract Type: Sessional - Hourly Paid

This is a UK based contract, and you are required to have theRight to Work in the UK. Unfortunately, we’re unable to offer sponsorship and any offer of employment will be subject to evidence of your Right to Work in the UK.

About the role: 

We are currently seeking an Associate Lecturer in Functional Skills to join our Adult and Community Learning and ESOL department at The Bedford College Group.

As an Associate Lecturer, you play an important role in the success of our students through:

• Functional Skills English Delivery – Plan, deliver and assess high‑quality Functional Skills English (Entry Level–Level 2) for adult and community learners, ensuring lessons meet diverse needs including SEND and returners to learning.
• Learner Assessment, Support & Progression – Conduct initial/diagnostic assessments, set learning goals, track progress via ILPs, provide constructive feedback and prepare learners for reading, writing and speaking & listening assessments.
• Curriculum Planning & Quality Assurance – Produce tailored lesson plans and resources, maintain accurate records, contribute to exam processes and ensure delivery meets college quality and awarding‑body standards.
• Community Engagement & Collaboration – Support learner recruitment, enrolment and induction in community venues while working collaboratively with colleagues to develop curriculum models and improve learner experience.
• Professional Practice & Compliance – Participate in CPD, standardisation and performance processes, continuously improve practice using feedback and data, and uphold safeguarding, Prevent, EDI, health & safety and data protection responsibilities.

About you:

• Qualifications & Compliance – Holds (or is working toward) a recognised teaching qualification (PGCE/CertEd/DTLLS/DET), Level 2+ English/Maths, with evidence of continuous CPD, right to work in the UK and enhanced DBS clearance.
• Functional Skills Teaching Experience – Proven experience teaching Functional Skills English and/or Maths from Entry 3 to Level 2, with strong understanding of awarding‑body requirements and assessment processes.
• Inclusive & Adaptive Teaching Practice – Skilled in supporting diverse learner needs, including ESOL backgrounds, using differentiation and inclusive strategies to manage mixed‑ability groups effectively.
• Digital & Administrative Skills – Confident using digital learning and tracking systems such as Teams, ProMonitor or similar platforms to support delivery, monitoring and communication.
• Professionalism, Collaboration & Learner Focus – Positive, proactive and solution‑focused, with a strong learner‑centred approach and ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team.

What is an Associate?

Associates work on a short-term basis as assigned. They teach or provide support services, and they work with and are supported by core staff. As an Associate you will be issued with an Associate Agreement, under this Agreement period you will be eligible to work on assignments offered to you.

For a more detailed breakdown of the job role and the requirements, please see the Job Description attached to this vacancy.

Interviews to be held: TBC

Successful candidates must also be able to demonstrate alignment to our organisationalVISION values:

• Valuing Teamwork - We are one team who by working together can achieve great things, respecting the opinion and valuing the contribution each of us makes.
• Improving Continuously - We challenge ourselves to always do better by trying new things, sharing knowledge, reflecting on practice and learning from others.
• Student Centred - At our heart is always doing what is best for our students. We consider students in all of our decision making to create positive outcomes and memorable experiences for every student.
• Inclusive - We celebrate differences and diversity, recognising that we can learn from each other.
• Open and Caring - We care about the wellbeing of our staff, our students, our community and wider society, creating an environment built on trust where we listen, engage with and support each other.
• Nurturing Education Excellence - We promote educational excellence by delivering programmes that challenge our students to achieve their ambitions.

About Central Bedfordshire College

Central Bedfordshire College (CBC) operates campuses across Central Bedfordshire.  Offering a wide range of modern and professional facilities to prepare students for their chosen career pathway.  CBC benefits from excellent transport links and town centre locations, enabling students to experience a high standard of education and training, alongside a thriving social experience.

About Bedford College Group

The Bedford College Group was formed in 2017 following the merger of Bedford College and Tresham College and is now the largest provider of education in the South East Midlands, with over 15,000 students passing through our doors each year.

Today, the Group is made up of a family of colleges across Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire: Bedford College, Central Bedfordshire College and Tresham College in the towns of Bedford, Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard, Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough; Shuttleworth College, a specialist land-based college; The Bedford Sixth Form, (the only dedicated sixth form in Bedford); The Corby Sixth Form, (opened in September 2023); and the National College for Motorsport alongside Silverstone race circuit. To widen accessibility to education and training, the Group also has community-based Learning Centres in Bedford, Corby and Kettering which offer IT training.

Safeguarding our Students

The Bedford College Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be subject to thorough vetting process which includes, an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Exceptions Order 1975, provides information about which convictions must be declared during job applications and related exceptions and further information about filtering offences can be found in the DBS filtering guide. The Bedford College Group's policy on Employment of Ex-Offenders is attached to this vacancy.

Candidates who are barred from working with children are reminded it is a criminal offence to apply for this post.