Current Reforms to Teacher Education in Scotland

1. Current Reforms to Teacher Education in Scotland National Implementation Board September 2013

2. Timeline January 2011: Teaching Scotland’s Future November 2012 and onwards – National Implementation Board established June 2011: National Partnership Group (NPG) established 2012 2011 November 2012: NPG report and Scottish Government response published March 2011: Scottish Government response

3. 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.

4. 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

5. 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.

6. What does this mean for teachers? • National e-portfolio to allow teachers to record their professional learning • Improved Professional Review and Development process • More opportunity to undertake accredited school-based learning at masters level • Framework for Educational Leadership and new Scottish College for Educational Leadership aimed at supporting teachers’ leadership development • Revised Professional Standards to help develop expertise and experience • 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

7. Professional learning across the early phase • Students working in groups to reflect on and develop practice • Access to literacy and numeracy diagnostic assessments and support materials • Access to an ‘Aspiring Teachers’ website • Shift from traditional models of student teacher learning to direct impact on pupils’ learning • Partnerships between local authorities and universities being developed to improve the student and probationer experience

8. 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

9. 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

10. Professional Standards and Professional Update The Standard for Full Registration continues to be the baseline professional standard for competence. New Standards came into force in August 2013. 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 Leadership and Management supports the professional learning of teachers in, or aspiring to, formal leadership roles. 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.

11. Professional Enquiry Teachers as enquiring professionals is at the heart of the new Professional Standards and the new model of Career-long Professional Learning Enquiry is about knowing deeply about teaching and learning: knowing what, knowing why, knowing how Is a systematic, evidence-rich approach to critically informed thinking and practice Enquiring teachers will be critically informed and this will lead to transformative learning, sustainable change and impact Professional enquiry and teachers adopting an enquiry stance should become an integral aspect of day-to-day practice

12. Framework for Educational Leadership Purpose of framework is to develop high performing leaders managing in challenging times Leadership 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 Framework is currently being developed into an interactive tool Establishing a Scottish College for Educational Leadership

13. Professional Review and Development Professional Review and Development “Professional dialogue within PRD is most effective when it is both supportive and challenging and signals practical steps towards improved practice. It can help to stimulate and sustain the development of individual teachers as well as helping them to manage the demands of the dynamic contexts in which they work.” (Teaching Scotland’s Future) Current guidance (2002) is being updated Revised 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

14. Further information The 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