1) The document summarizes a proposal by the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) to implement a new "Professional Update" scheme to help teachers keep their skills and knowledge up to date. 2) Under the new scheme, teachers would engage in annual updates and a more extensive professional update every five years to confirm they are meeting high standards and identify development opportunities. 3) The goals are to maintain and improve teacher quality, support teacher professionalism, and enhance the impact on student learning. Key principles include teacher responsibility for development and access to relevant training opportunities.

1. Professional Update: a positive innovation in Scottish schools Tony Finn 22 September 2011

2. Professional Update- Why now? Public Services Reform (GTC Scotland) Order 2011 (Section 31) requires GTCS to set up a scheme of reaccreditation allows GTCS scope to develop such a scheme and to give it an appropriate name allows for different provision in respect of different types of registered teachers requires consultation before making or varying a scheme

4. strengthened powers and increased responsibilities for GTCS

6. The national context.... A Curriculum for Excellence Teaching Scotland’s Future (Donaldson Report) Publication of McCormac Review Launch of Education Scotland and review of ‘How Good is Our School.’

7. Some important starting points about professional update.... The GTCS scheme will seek to be supportive and helpful Its aim is to help teachers keep their skills up to date. It is about “Improving not proving” It is therefore not linked to competence procedures Once guidelines are agreed, each local authority will agree a way forward with professional associations

8. What has GTC Scotland done to date? 1 consulted very widely with stakeholders agreed the potential advantages of professional update broad principles and purposes considered need to act sensitively and avoid bureaucracy what we can learn from/avoid in other schemes

9. What has GTC Scotland done to date? 2 set up a working group to represent all key interests in Scottish Education consider how key issues should be developed review wider issues plan a programme for implementation published an initial statement and draft advice on two areas (Sept 2011) arranged meetings to discuss current thinking and listen to teachers’ views (Oct/Nov, 2011)

10. All professions need to keep skills and knowledge up to date....

11. What are the key purposes? to maintain and improve the quality of our teachers and to enhance the impact that they have on pupils’ learning to support, maintain and enhance teachers’ continued professionalism.

12. Key principles: teachers would have..... a responsibility to consider their own development needs. an entitlement to a system of supportive PRD which would: assist them to identify constructive ways to update their skills provide access to opportunities which can address areas they have identified as requiring support help them to manage change offer a focus on ways in which they can enhance their careers confirmation that they are maintaining the high standards required of a teacher

13. What might this mean in practice...? An annual update, involving submission to GTCS of changes in personal details continuing engagement in professional development at establishment level. a five yearly professional update which builds on the key purposes

14. For this to work well, we need: opportunities for teachers to engage in ongoing self- evaluation constructive and helpful PRD processes and training to ensure this works well in practice processes which help teachers do their current jobs well and also plan for the future Emphasis on the importance of CPD opportunities which are relevant to a teacher’s identified needs clarity in links to the SFR and to relevant ongoing developments in education

15. What will GTCS do next? Listen to teachers’ feedback: at meetings across Scotland through online comments through responses from individuals and groups review findings and launch a formal consultation around the end of 2011 Tackle some big issues which we need to consider more fully Set up a pilot programme in 2012

16. The big issues... Professional Update: Perception and reality improvement of teachers’ skills, not links to competence PRD: supporting and developing a scheme which works for teachers Teachers not currently teaching in schools The role of Head Teachers and employers Communication Nomenclature

17. GTC Scotland Professional.Update@gtcs.org.uk