Becoming a Chartered Psychologist via the researcher and teacher route

By Claire Barker and Lyndsey Hayes

What is the research and teaching route pathway to chartered status?

Why we became Chartered Psychologists

• To get more letters after our names! List of members
• To be recognised for what we have done in our research/teaching.
• To inspire others (E.g. Who better to encourage students to do psychology after our courses than real life psychologists)!
• To become full members of the Division of Academics, Researchers and Teachers in Psychology (DART-P). We have an exhibition stand if you want more information about this important network.
• You can also use the BPS logo on your email and any school marketing.

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For other reasons why it’s worth becoming a Chartered Psychologist, go to: Chartered Psychologist

Who can do it?

To Join the BPS You need:

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• A psychology degree with graduate basis for registration (GBR) with the BPS or a conversion course recognised (accredited) by the BPS. You can check this at: https://portal.bps.org.uk/Accredited-Courses
• A 2:2 or higher.
• Have appropriate postgraduate training and experience of teaching psychology.
• 2 Appropriate references (ideally recommendations from 2 Chartered Psychologists but 2 referees from your school/college who have seen you teach is fine).
• To be ‘ready’. E.g. ‘I first thought about applying when I first heard about this route in 2010 when I was Head of Psychology in a large FE college. I got my PGCE (post compulsory) in 2005.’ (Lyndsey)

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However….

DARTP Membership - Teaching or Research Route

it is also possible to achieve Chartered status through DART-P membership, based upon established experience of teaching and/or research.

So you will be considered on a case by case basis:

“Support, both in the pre-tertiary and higher education sectors, to gain Chartered status through the teaching route” DART-P

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How did we do it?

• We downloaded the application and professional referees' forms from this page: application form (NB. You have to log into the BPS membership page for it to work).
• If you’re not a member of the BPS, you can join as a graduate member, click on this page for more information: graduate member
• Get 2 people to complete the referee form.
• Completed the application form.
• Upload copies of our academic and research/teaching qualifications.
• email the above documents.

How did the BPS decide to make us Chartered Psychologists?

The BPS membership team passed on our applications to DART-P advisers who assessed us for 4 things:

1. Transferable skills.
2. Professional attributes
3. Professional Knowledge
4. Professional skills.

We had to show how we met all these in a personal statement of 1500-2000 words in total.

NB. There are sets of criteria for each thing. ‘I counted 48 in total’ (Lyndsey).

Most useful advice I got when completing the application! Lyndsey

The 3 most helpful people for me were:

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How I used their advice! Lyndsey

• BPS: I asked for and got an anonymous personal statement from someone who had successfully applied as a template.
• Theogriff: She advised writing an executive summary-a table with brief examples of how I meet the criteria.
• Andy Mac: Gave me honest advice about what to expect from the process in 2016: ‘It’s not easy! Don’t be surprised if you get rejected at least once because you have to show how you do each thing exactly!’ Sounds brutal but this advice really helped as it made me think about how I was wording my examples and showing how I do things as an independent practitioner. E.g. Instead of just saying ‘I participated in many parents’ evenings during my career. Thus, I communicate effectively with parents…’, I wrote ‘I have also attended numerous parents’ evenings and successfully run taster sessions with my students’ help throughout my career. During these evenings, I have spoken to parents and students about their choices, progress, well-being and how we can work together to help them succeed.’ I then added an example of how one of my students improved her performance after I had met with the student and parent.

An example of my executive summary-Lyndsey

How I used the ES to write my personal statement-Lyndsey

“During my varied teaching career, I have critically and creatively applied my knowledge and experience to novel situations. For example, I wrote the schemes of work and assessment criteria for the Open College Network (OCN) Psychology courses at college T in 2006-7 and the psychology of communication and disease module of the clinical physiology degree at college X in 2009 using my knowledge of the AQA and OCR A-level specifications.”

Final application advice:

• Don’t be modest! If you have taken responsibility for something that matches a criterion, say so! E.g. coming to these conferences is potential evidence!
• If you’re an ECT, spend the next year or 2 doing things and writing down things that you can use as evidence if you don’t feel ready yet.
• Don’t be shy in asking for help! ‘I later found out that there are lots of friendly and caring people in the ATP who are Chartered Psychologists and would have been delighted to be referees for me if I’d asked. If so, it wouldn’t have taken me so long to apply!’ (Lyndsey)

Want more application support?

These are the ATP members who are Chartered Psychologists and are happy to support your application:

1. Helene Ansell atpmembershipmail@gmail.com
2. Claire Barker clairebarker64@gmail.com
3. Deb Gajic d.gajic@sky.com
4. Lyndsey Hayes ps09lh@googlemail.com
5. Helen Kitching helenjkitching@gmail.com
6. Andy McCarthy amac54@btinternet.com
7. Jock McGinty atpmembershipmail@gmail.com

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How can DART-P benefit you?

• We mentioned that another benefit to becoming a Chartered Psychologist is full membership of the Division of Academics, Researchers and Teachers in Psychology (DART-P), although you can also join DART-P as a graduate member, affiliate subscriber or e-subscriber.
• DART-P is the division of the BPS which represents psychology professionals who teach/carry out research in all contexts, including colleges and schools.
• It also promotes our interests through professional development, supporting us with developing and sharing information about our skills, knowledge and careers in psychology.
• It also creates chances for us to work with others across the different psychology education sectors. SCoPESC is one of the crucial ways of doing this. More recent projects are the BPS Psychology Teachers toolkit and the Pre-tertiary Education Psychology Teacher of the Year awards.

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How can SCoPESC benefit you?

• SCoPESC is the Standing Committee on Psychology Education in Schools and Colleges.
• SCoPESC is our voice within psychology education.
• Its members include school and college teachers, university academics, and representatives from the awarding bodies, the BPS Education & Training Board and the Association for the Teaching of Psychology (ATP), teacher training professionals. Yes, that includes me and Claire! Lyndsey
• There is a core membership but SCoPESC will welcome new members, especially active psychology teachers, to represent those who teach psychology, and those who are non-specialists. 
• One of our aims is to continue to work with the ATP and DART-P in providing meaningful professional support to identify and meet your needs.
• For example, we are extremely proud of our innovative and popular BPS Teachers’ toolkit-a collection of resources to support you that we update every term. For more information, speak to one of us or Deb Gajic. The link to the toolkit can also be found here: https://www.bps.org.uk/member-networks/division-academics-researchers-and-teachers-psychology/teachers-toolkit

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Further information:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Interview-Teaching-Job-definitive-headteacher-ebook/dp/B07199S876

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https://www.bps.org.uk/join-us/membership/chartered-membership

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https://www.bps.org.uk/subscribe-bps

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https://www.theatp.uk/bps/#:~:text=As%20part%20of%20the%20Memorandum%20of%20Understanding%20between,ATPESUB%20as%20the%20discount%20code%20at%20check%20out.

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For more information about how you and your students can join the BPS and DART-P as an e-member at discounted rate.

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https://www.bps.org.uk/member-networks/division-academics-researchers-and-teachers-psychology Click on the awards tab for more information about the Pre-tertiary Education Psychology Teacher of the Year (PEPTOTY)Award.

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https://www.bps.org.uk/member-networks/division-academics-researchers-and-teachers-psychology/teachers-toolkit

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Thank you for coming!

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We hope that you found our workshop useful!

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We are very happy to talk to you more about being a Chartered Psychologist, the BPS teachers’ toolkit, PEPTOTY, DART-P and SCoPESC!

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Just ask!

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Good luck!

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