September 2013

Current Reforms to Teacher Education in Scotland

National Implementation Board

Timeline

2011 2012

November 2012 and onwards – National Implementation Board established

November 2012: NPG report and Scottish Government response published

March 2011: Scottish Government response

January 2011: Teaching Scotland’s Future

June 2011: National Partnership Group (NPG) established

International Context• School education is one of the most important policy areas

for governments across the world.

• Human capital in the form of a highly educated population is now accepted as a key determinant of economic success.

• Evidence of relative performance internationally has become a key driver of policy.

• Evidence suggests that the foundations of successful education lie in the quality of teachers and their leadership.

National Context • Curriculum for Excellence

• ‘Teaching Profession for the 21st Century’ (2001).

• Teaching Scotland’s Future (2011),

Advancing Professionalism in Teaching (2011),

National Partnership Group Report (2012)

• General Teaching Council for Scotland

• Aspiring and early-phase teachers

Key themes: Teaching Scotland’s Future and the National Partnership Group

• Recognise commitment and hard work of teachers

• Quality of teaching and leadership fundamental to improving quality: must be central to educational policy

• Teaching is a complex, challenging activity: develop enhanced professionalism and leadership across each teacher’s career

• Teacher education too fragmented and haphazard: coherent approach needed to underpin new concept of partnership– Rigorous selection.– More relevant learning.– To higher standards.– With more effective use of evidence, time and resources.

What does this mean for teachers?• National e-portfolio to allow teachers to record their professional learning• Framework for Educational Leadership and new Scottish College for Educational

Leadership aimed at supporting teachers’ leadership development• Improved Professional Review and Development process• Revised Professional Standards to help develop expertise and experience• More opportunity to undertake accredited school-based learning at masters level• Redeveloped Education Scotland website with access to updated guidance and

resources on career-long professional learning• More opportunities to work with universities in the development and

assessment of student teachers

Professional learning across the early phase• Students working in groups to reflect on and develop practice • Access to an ‘Aspiring Teachers’ website• Shift from traditional models of student teacher learning to

direct impact on pupils’ learning• Access to literacy and numeracy diagnostic assessments and

support materials• Partnerships between local authorities and universities being

developed to improve the student and probationer experience

Career-long Professional Learning: key messages from Education Scotland guidance

• Evidence-based, critical self-evaluation• Shift from reflective professionals to enquiring professionals• Planned, deep, relevant and sustained professional learning• Masters-level learning• Blend and balance of professional learning activities• Collegiate and collaborative professional learning activities• High impact professional learning: learners, self, school,

system• Evaluation and analysed evidence of impact• Underpins professional review and professional update

Mentoring matters: key messages from Education Scotland’s guidance

• Mentoring is a process designed to support and encourage people to manage their own learning, maximise their potential, develop their skills and improve their performance

• Mentoring is an interpersonal partnership and helpful relationship based on mutual trust and respect

• Mentors provide mentees with opportunities to reflect upon their skills and their performance and identify ways of developing and progressing them

• Mentoring is about mentees becoming more self-aware and taking responsibility for their own learning and development

Professional Standards and Professional Update

Professional Update will be a requirement for all teachers rolled out from August 2014. It will ensure teachers have an entitlement to supportive professional learning and confirm that they have maintained high standards.

The Standard for Leadership and Management supports the professional learning of teachers in, or aspiring to, formal leadership roles.

The Standard for Career-long Professional Learning helps teachers develop their expertise and experience across all areas of their professional practice and become enquiring and accomplished professionals.

The Standard for Full Registration continues to be the baseline professional standard for competence.

New Standards came into force in August 2013.

Professional Enquiry

Professional enquiry and teachers adopting an enquiry

stance should become an integral aspect of day-to-day

practice

Enquiring teachers will be critically informed and this will

lead to transformative learning, sustainable change and

impact

Is a systematic, evidence-rich approach to critically

informed thinking and practice

Enquiry is about knowing deeply about teaching and learning:

knowing what, knowing why, knowing how Teachers as enquiring professionals is at the heart of

the new Professional Standards and the new model of

Career-long Professional Learning

Framework for Educational Leadership

Establishing a Scottish College for Educational LeadershipFramework is currently being developed into an interactive toolPurpose of framework is to develop high performing

leaders managing in challenging timesLeadership is the ability to:

- develop a vision for change based on shared values which leads to improvements in outcomes for learners

- enable and support others to develop

Professional Review and Development

Current guidance (2002) is being updatedRevised guidance based on key features of effective PRD:– Entitlement and responsibility of all teachers– Positive impact on professional learning and

outcomes for pupils– Takes place within a supportive, challenging and

collegiate culture– Self-evaluation– Professional dialogue– Professional learning record

Further informationThe National Implementation Board website

http://www.teachingscotlandsfuture.org.uk

Comments on any areas of this work can be made to the NIBNIB@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

Education Scotland website http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk

GTCS websitehttp://www.gtcs.org.uk