Institute for Learning (IfL) members with Qualified Teacher Leaning and Skills (QTLS) status have been recognised as being fully qualified to work in schools.

An amendment to the 2003 Regulations, outlined in number 431 of the Statutory Instruments 2012, means IFL members now have Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and can take up a permanent position without undergoing any further induction requirements.

Staff will also be paid on the qualified teachers’ pay scale provided they remain a member of the IfL.

Toni Fazaeli, chief executive of the IfL, said: “Teachers and trainers with the high-level professional status of QTLS will be able to teach flexibly across schools and colleges, and schools will be able to recruit specialists whose expertise and experience in their subject area is combined with expert teaching and a commitment to staying up to date through continuing professional development.

“For those who already have or will soon have QTLS, the change in legislation is good news.”

Almost 7,000 teachers and trainers in further eduction have obtained QTLS, however the IfL says that number is increasing all the time.

Ms Fazaeli added: “IfL has consistently made the case for the professionalism of our members and for QTLS to be recognised for teaching in schools settings as well as further education, for the benefit of young people’s learning.

“We gave evidence to the education select committee and to the Skills Commission inquiry into teacher training for vocational teachers, and our evidence to Professor Alison Wolf’s consultation in October 2010 was based on over 5,000 IfL members’ expertise in vocational teaching.

“It was a triumph for further education teachers and right and proper that the government chose to accept Professor Wolf’s recommendation that further education teachers with QTLS should be able to teach in schools.

“The national recognition of QTLS has been reflected in these new legislative changes for April 2012 onwards.”

Under the new legislation schools and local authorities will still be responsible for employing QTLS holders, and the IfL will continue to maintain the national register of QTLS holders.

The change follows a consultation by the Department for Education (DfE) which closed last December.