Learning and development standards for pre-registration education

The Learning and development standards for pre-registration education describe the expectations of the profession that education providers must meet when delivering a pre-registration occupational therapy programme in the United Kingdom.

October 2023: Criterion 6.4.4 has been removed. Professional lead of all RCOT accredited programmes and those working towards RCOT accreditation, have been notified of the removal of criterion 6.4.4.

Criterion 6.4.4: Learners are prevented from progressing in the pre-registration programme if they fail their first attempt at consecutive practice-based learning components.

If you would like to discuss this change please do not hesitate to contact Anna, Caroline and Hannah within the quality assurance team (qa@rcot.co.uk) and/or Carolyn Hay, Head of Education (carolyn.hay@rcot.co.uk).

September 2022: In recognition of the introduction of the pre-registration doctoral level route into the profession, we have made amendments to the relevant aspects of the RCOT Learning and development standards for pre-registration education. You can find further background information on this decision in the 'Addition of pre-registration doctoral level route into occupational therapy in the UK' page.

April 2020: An amendment has been made to the guidance and evidence of section 4.1.2 which describes the normal length of an individual period of learning. Reference to a maximum duration of study, and to an exceptional extension to this period, has been permanently removed from the Standards. Programme teams will need to draw upon their own University's regulations and their related processes to make appropriate and proportionate decisions on progression for individual learners. RCOT will no longer be involved in the decision making process, bringing us into alignment with other professional bodies.