Educator Member Teachers who have successfully applied and registered on our register can give out our permaculture design certificates. 

View list of teachers on the Register

This logo will appear next to a teachers course listings if a teacher is CTR registered.


What is the Certifying Teachers Register (CTR)?

The CTR is an international register of teachers who are able to certify their Permaculture Design Courses (PDCs) using the Permaculture Association official PDC certificate. Our requirements and guidelines ensure that those on the register are suitably qualified to teach and are able to deliver the required content to an agreed standard. 

This policy was developed in 2013 and sent out for consultation to teachers and our Board of Trustees in 2014. In 2015 it was extensively updated following the comments received. In 2019 this policy was updated to include recommended guidelines by the voluntary Education Working Group and through consultation with teachers at our educators meeting. 

The CTR teachers are independent teachers outside of the Permaculture Association and not employed by the Permaculture Association. The requirements to be certified and the guidelines for best practice are overseen by the Education Working Group. 

These guidelines can also be used by students to ensure the course they are attending matches their needs. We encourage students to communicate with their course leader about any particular needs they have, prior to attending a course. If you have attended a course taught by one of our certified educators and you would like to discuss your experience, if appropriate, please first and foremost contact the person responsible for your course and provide them with your feedback. Please feel free to use these guidelines in your communications with your lead educator. If you are unable to resolve issues directly with the lead educator and need further assistance here is a link to our complaints procedure


What is required to be on the register?

All applicants must apply via the 'certified' route or the 'practitioner' route.

Certified Route

All applicants must

1. Have an Education Membership of the Permaculture

2. Meet one requirement from Column A and one from Column B. 

Column A

Column B

Have a Permaculture Diploma from a Diploma system recognised by the Permaculture Association Diploma Working Group

Have a teaching qualification such as Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector (PTLLS, AET) or similar*

 

Highly recommended: Permaculture teacher training course

 

Practitioners Route

All applicants applying through the practitioner route must:

1. Have an education membership of the Permaculture Association

2. Be an existing PDC graduate

3. Meet one criteria from Column A and one from Column B

Column A

Column B

Have a teaching qualification such as Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector (PTLLS , AET) or similar

You are responsible for a LAND or iLAND centre or a substantive and public facing permaculture project for a period of at least 2 years and can send documentation of this. 

Or have taught at some level on at least 5 PDCs

Have a Permaculture Diploma from a Diploma system recognised by the Permaculture Association Diploma Working Group

 

Highly recommended: Permaculture teacher training course

 

Ongoing requirements:

To stay on the register, teachers need to:

  • Maintain their Educator Membership (this was proposed by the Education Working Group due to the time it takes to keep the register up to date. This was decision was reviewed by the Certified Teachers). 
  • Have filled out and submitted the most recent PDC Core Curriculum Checklist in respect of their PDC's timetabled content (the checklist will be updated annually or longer, in response to discussions with teachers and others).

Additionally, we recommend that our certified teachers reach and maintain the following standards:  

  • Have up to date first aid course training (or have 1 first aid trained team member on site)
  • Have a mental health first aid certificate (or have 1 MH first aid trained team member on site), or have experience / training in supporting people through challenging and emotional experiences. Free courses are available on coursera and future learn
  • Have an up to date and appropriate safeguarding certificate. This is obligatory if working with children or vulnerable people.
  • Have an up to date Health & Safety policy in place.
  • Kitchen / catering facilities / catering staff, where at least one member of staff needs to have a food hygiene certificate, and the food should be ethically considered. (EHO compliancy requirements in the UK).
  • Have completed risk assessments of the teaching environment in relation to the course participant needs. 
  • Have gathered voluntary and confidential information about their course participants relating to health conditions, accessibility needs and/ or their emotional wellbeing and according to GDPR.
  • Respect local policies and procedures where appropriate. 
  • To partake in continuous professional development (CPD) to ensure current and up to date information is shared, and attend Permaculture Teacher Training as often as is practicable. Please see the course listings page, and search for ‘Teacher Training’ . 
  • Treat all learners equitably and according to need regardless of age, gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, chronic illness/disability, or sexual orientation
  • That the certified teacher needs to be present for the majority of the course.  
  • That assistant teachers / facilitators be offered free spaces and be working towards registering on the CTR and should be supported for most of their teaching. 

*Possible Qualifications for CRT Educators

 

CTLLS, PTLLS and DTLLS are no longer active but can still be recognised by the PA as valid qualifications for educators

  • PTLLS qualification has now been replaced with the AET (Award in Education and Training)
  • CTTLS qualification has now been replaced by the CET (Certificate in Education and Training)
  • DTLLS qualification has been replaced by the DET (Diploma in Education and Training)

Tutoring:

  • University Diploma in Tutoring
  • Qualified Tutor’s Level 3 in Education and Training
  • Level 3 Award in Tutor Training Theory 'PRESET'
  • Certificate of Certified Tutor Status (CTS)

Teaching:

  • PGCE - Postgraduate Certificate in Education
  • PGDE – Postgraduate Diploma in Education
  • Qualified teacher who trained overseas
  • Unqualified but have been teaching for a significant period of time
  • A Level 3 Award in Education and Training
  • A Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training
  • Level 5 Diploma in Education and Training
  • Level 5 Integrated specialist diplomas

How to apply?

Ensure you are an education member before applying or join now

Please complete the following:

 

1. The Application form (this is an online form - please log in to complete)

2. Send a copy of your PDC timetable, which evidences your:

3. Core curriculum checklist (please complete the document, also attached below and send to [email protected])

Survey to track the Impact of learning permaculture

Tell us about the impact of learning permaculture

What impact has learning permaculture had on your life, your career or your community?

You can answer this survey for each time you take a course or learn at a project.

You can give feedback on specific teachers or projects and tell us about your experiences.

With quality data on the impact of permaculture design, we can begin funding research, greater impact developments and provide more support to our members.