2. Professional Update – why now?
• Public Services Reform (GTC Scotland)
Order 2011 (Section 31)
– requires GTCS to set up a scheme of
reaccreditation for teachers
– 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
3. GTC Scotland Context
• GTC Scotland independence, April 2012
‒
‒
strengthened powers and increased responsibilities
for GTC Scotland
GTC Scotland review of Professional Standards
• Standards of qualification and practice are high
but
‒
strong political pressure about and regular press
interest in teaching standards
• Growing emphasis on teachers taking
responsibility for their own professional
learning and development
4. What has GTC Scotland done to date?
• Set up Professional Update Working Group
• Published guidance and advice notes
• Arranged meetings to discuss current thinking and
listen to teachers’ views
• Carried out an online consultation (Feb 2012)
• Continued engagement with profession
• Phase 1 and phase 2 pilot programmes
• Evaluation of progress
5. Key principles of Professional Update: teachers
would have.....
•
•
•
a responsibility to consider their own
development needs
an entitlement to a system of supportive
PRD
confirmation that they are maintaining
the high standards required of a teacher
6. Some important starting points about
Professional Update....
•
•
•
Each PU scheme should be developed with
professional associations and staff
GTCS will seek to validate PU schemes to ensure
fairness and consistency across Scotland
Effective and supportive PRD is a key feature of
this development. This process should:
–
be led by the teacher’s self-evaluation
–
–
be supportive, challenging but not threatening
help teachers keep their skills up to date
7. How should PRD work?
•
PRD is not just a meeting. It is a supportive process
which:
‒ needs careful preparation, including:
•
•
training for all involved
an emphasis on coaching and mentoring support
builds on a teacher’s self-evaluation
‒ should help teachers to:
‒
•
•
•
•
identify constructive ways to update their skills
gain access to opportunities which can address areas they have
identified as requiring support
manage change
focus on ways in which they can enhance their careers
8. What will happen in practice...?
An annual update, involving submission to
GTCS of changes in personal details
https://www.gtcs.org.uk/GTCS-login.aspx
• Continuing engagement in the PRD process
and professional learning
• Reflection against the appropriate GTC
Scotland Professional Standard
• Maintenance of a professional learning record
and portfolio of evidence
• A five yearly Professional Update procedure
•
9. Professional Update sign off process
• Teacher:
I confirm that I have engaged in ongoing professional
development in line with the GTCS Professional Standards,
maintained a CPD record and portfolio of evidence, and have
discussed the impact of my professional learning with my line
manager as part of my Professional Review and Development
process.
• Line Manager:
I confirm that..... has engaged in ongoing professional
development in line with the GTCS Professional Standards,
maintained a CPD record and portfolio of evidence and has
discussed the impact of this as part of the Professional Review
and Development process.
10. Discussion session 1
• Does this sound like:
‒ The PRD process in your local
authority?
‒ The PRD process in your school /
centre?
‒ Your own experience of PRD?
11. New Professional Standards
•
The Standards for Registration
(Provisional, Full)
•
The Standard for Career-Long
Professional Learning
•
The Standards for Leadership and
Management (Middle Leadership,
Headship)
13. Discussion session 2
• How familiar are teachers in your
school with the appropriate
standards?
• How familiar are you with the
appropriate standards?
• How familiar is your line manager
with the appropriate standards?
14. Professional Update and Competence
•
•
•
Competence is not a big issue: teaching
standards are high in Scotland
Professional Update is about “improving
not proving” and
is not related to competence procedures
– Competence cases will continue to operate in
line with the agreed framework and
– teachers should benefit from support provided
15. Phase 1 of Pilot 2012/13
•
3 Local Authorities, 1 independent school
•
Partnership model - agreement with LNCT
•
GTC Scotland validation of PRD / Professional Update
schemes
•
‒
‒
•
Identification of participants
2 clusters of schools
20% of staff
Importance of briefing and associated training
•
Arrangements for sign off of Professional Update
•
Evaluation throughout and at end of process
16. Evaluation of phase 1
•
•
•
•
Continue to advertise MyGTCS as a means for teachers to update
their details to GTC Scotland on a regular basis.
Continued need to engage with the profession to ensure teachers
are informed about the revised Professional Standards, their
significance in the Professional Update process and ways in which
they can meaningfully engage with them.
Further work will be required to ensure that teachers are familiar
with models and types of professional learning. The guidelines for
Professional Update which are currently being developed should
include examples of the wide range of professional learning
opportunities.
Further guidance about maintaining a professional learning record
and evidence of impact of professional learning is required.
17. Phase 2 of Pilot 2013//14
•
Adaptations in light of learning from phase 1
•
Widen involvement from phase 1 participants
•
Increase in number of local authorities (14)
independent schools (7), HE (3), Education
Scotland. Similar involvement as in phase 1
•
Validations between March 2013 and January
2014
•
Phase 2 roll out in session 2013 / 2014
•
National roll out from August 2014
18. National roll out August 2014
2014/2015
teachers with
2015/2016
teachers with
2016/2017
teachers with
2017/2018
teachers with
2018/2019
teachers with
registration years ending in a 9 or 4
registration years ending in 0 and 5
registration years ending in a 6 or 1
registration years ending in 7 and 2
registration years ending in 8 or 3 etc.
19.
20. The big issues...
•
Professional Update: perception and reality
– Communication of key messages
•
Improving PRD:
– developing a scheme which will work for teachers
– Emphasis on enhancing teachers’ skills, NOT
extending competence procedures
•
Addressing
– the needs of teachers not currently working in
schools
– the role of Head Teachers and employers
Quote from the order:
31. –(1) The GTCs must make and publish a scheme setting out measures to be undertaken for the purposes of allowing it to keep itself informed about the standards of education and training of registered teachers.
(2) The scheme may, in particular –
impose, or allow the GTCS to impose, requirements on registered teachers;
Make provision with respect to failure to comply with such requirements (including, for example, provision allowing the GTCS to review the registration of any individual by or in respect of whom such a failure is made)
(3) The scheme may make different provision in respect of different types of registered teacher or otherwise for different purposes.
(4) Before making or varying the scheme, the GTCS must –
Consult –
Registered teachers or their representatives;
(ii) Employers of registered teachers or their representatives;
(iii) The Scottish Ministers; and
(iv)Such other persons appearing to it to have an interest;
(b) Have regard to any views expressed by those consulted.
Quote from TESS (7 Dec 2012) re reaccreditation title: GTCS chief executive Anthony Finn says: “What we thought we would put in place is a system which encourages teachers to improve, to keep improving - not to keep proving that they have already acquired qualifications and registration status. So, given that background and the culture we’re trying to develop, to call something reaccreditation seemed to be very negative. Calling it professional update recognises that our primary purpose in moving this forward is to help teachers to improve.”
Strengthened powers – includes changes to Fitness to Teach procedures, including removal with consent; increased responsibility for accreditation of ITE programmes; potential to accredit programmes leading to professional recognition and awarding of Standard for Headship; governance of all standards now with GTC Scotland.
Review of Professional Standards – approved by GTCS Council on 5 December 2012. Standards came into effect on 1 August 2013. Revised suite of standards incorporates – Standards for Registration (Provisional and Full), Standard for Career-Long Professional Learning, Standards for Leadership and Management (Middle Leadership, Headship). Opportunity to think differently about the purpose of standards – Standards for Registration provide the benchmarks for teacher competence, additional standards support professional learning and self-evaluation throughout a teacher’s career.
Working group – represents all key interests in Scottish Education - includes representation from the GTC Scotland, EIS, SSTA, NASUWT, AHDS, ADES, SLS, STEC, Education Scotland, Scottish Government, Scottish Parent Teacher Council, National Parent Forum Scotland, Scottish Council for Independent Schools.. Chaired by David Drever, GTC Scotland Convener. Working group - considers how key issues should be developed, plan and monitor programme for implementation, reviews wider issues. Meets approximately 6-weekly. Sub groups established as appropriate to complete specific tasks – e.g. validation guidelines, categories of registration. At all times, considered need to act sensitively and avoid bureaucracy, what we can learn from/avoid in other schemes, agreed the potential advantages of professional update and initial broad principles and purposes
We have looked at a number of other organisations who carry out variations on Professional Update. Examples of what we can learn from / avoid in other schemes.These have included the General Dental Council, the General Medical Council, the Professional Body for Accountants, and a number of teaching bodies including Australia (Victoria), Singapore and England amongst others, who have implemented similar schemes. While our system of Professional Update will be different in its approach to these other organisations, it has been useful to gain an insight into systems of Professional Update elsewhere.
Position paper and advice notes –available on website. Advice notes are on PRD and Coaching and Mentoring. You will also find validation guidelines, summaries of progress, summary of evaluation etc. Professional Update information currently being updated on website – will include sharing practice section.
Consultations – number of meetings across the country to consult teachers, online consultation (Feb/ March 2012). Regular sessions in schools, local authorities, professional associations. Teachers involved in pilot programmes providing extensive feedback. On –line consultation. 75 responses, summary available on website. Broadly supportive of work undertaken so far. Confirmed Professional Update as an appropriate title for this work.
Continued engagement with profession – regularly receive requests to speak about Professional Update from schools, cluster groups, local authorities, professional associations, conferences and other events. Try to accommodate all requests – really important to work directly with teachers.
Phase 1 pilot – 3 LAs and an independent school. Phase 2 – 14 LAs, 7 independent schools, (including phase 1) 3 universities, Ed Scotland.
Evaluation of phase 1 completed in September 2013. Planning for evaluation of phase 2 currently underway – with an interim and full evaluation planned. Again, summary available on website.
Professional Update provides teachers with the opportunity to evidence and further develop their professional knowledge and skills, be supported as they reflect on their strengths and areas for development. It’s also an opportunity for Scottish Education to: maintain and improve the quality of our teachers and to enhance the impact that they have on pupils’ learning and support, maintain and enhance teachers’ continued professionalism.
Responsibility to consider own development needs – PU is the responsibility of the teacher, rather than something that is ‘done to’ the teacher by the line manager.
Entitlement to a system of supportive PRD. Recognition that currently, PRD provision is patchy – work by the National CPD team a few years ago highlighted examples of excellent practice, but also examples of poor practice. Graham Donaldson wrote in Teaching Scotland’s Future, the report on teacher education that PRD for Scottish teachers “is at best patchy in its impacts and is not fulfilling its intentions”. His review of teacher education surveyed more than 2,000 Scottish teachers and included questions about PRD and CPD. Almost half (48 per cent) felt that PRD was not effective in identifying priorities for CPD and two-thirds (69 per cent) said they had experienced barriers in accessing CPD, most commonly related to funding.
Confirmation – most teachers we speak to are reassured by the proposals for Professional Update – confirms what they are already doing effectively.
One of the strengths of the development so far has been partnership working – employers working with professional associations to establish or review PRD systems. Quote from TESS (7 Dec 2012) The pilot in East Renfrewshire is “a model of collegiate practice”, says former EIS president and East Renfrewshire local area secretary Alan Munro. Participating local authorities agreed a way forward through local mechanisms at LNCT / JNCT level.
Validation process – in the pilot programmes, validations have involved a GTC Scotland panel (GTC Scotland officer, Council member, member of PU working group and a representative from another local authority) . Looked at associated paperwork – PRD policy, benchmarking information about the PRD process etc., met with managers responsible for the PRD process – typically Heads of Service, Quality Improvement Managers or Officers, Professional Officers. 4 focus groups of registered teachers – including HTs, DHTs, PTs, class teachers, supply and peripatetic staff, central staff, representatives of professional associations. Verbal feedback provided at the end of the day, with a written report to follow. Possibility of attaching recommendations and conditions. Evaluation of validations has been very positive.
PRD process – important to stress that this does not mean a one-off meeting, but is an ongoing process. Self-evaluation needs to be the starting point. GTCS standards have been revised to ensure that these support the process. Department, school and local authority self-evaluation processes will also be important e.g. Departmental , school priorities. Professional dialogue should be supportive and challenging.
As stressed on previous slide - PRD process rather than a one-off meeting. Preparation is vital – the pilot local authorities have ensured that teachers are well-informed, that line managers carrying out the process have required tailored training.
Annual update – through the existing MY GTCS Link - https://www.gtcs.org.uk/GTCS-login.aspx It’s worth setting this up just now, even if you are not already participating in the Professional Update pilot.
Continued engagement in professional learning – school, local authority, national level. Important to remember that professional learning is much wider than course participation. Many other forms – including – further academic study, participation in CPD programmes of learning, learning from others (e.g. through Teacher Learning Communities, peer observations. learning rounds, Subject networks) participating in teacher researcher programmes, practitioner enquiry, applying for GTCS Professional Recognition.
Importance of maintaining a record of professional learning and portfolio of evidence, which will help planning for professional learning as well as help facilitate dialogue with a line manager as part of the PRD process.
Five yearly professional update process – every 5 years. Confirmation of engagement in the PRD process, self-evaluation, maintenance of a professional learning record, portfolio of evidence. Done in different ways depending on local context – through MyGTCS, Gateway etc. Sign off language on next slide.
This is currently being completed in different ways as part of the pilot programmes –Perth and Kinross, Erskine Stewart’s Melville piloting an on-line GTCS profile, North Lanarkshire and East Renfrewshire using existing Gateway on-line system, Erskine
Once completed this information will be recorded as part of the teacher’s entry on the GTCS register.
Revised standards implemented in August 2013.
Framework to meet the needs of teachers across their careers.
Note: SFR remains benchmark for teacher competence. SCLPL – for teachers who choose to reflect against this standard. Builds on the practice of CT, but to meet the needs of a much wider group of teachers. SLM – for those in, or aspiring to, formal leadership roles in our schools. For the first time, includes a standard specific to middle leaders.
Each of the standards are underpinned by the themes of values, learning for sustainability and leadership. The Professional Values of Social Justice, Integrity, Trust and Respect and Professional Commitment are replicated across the revised framework.
Learning for Sustainability – whole school / organisational commitment – helps the school and its wider community develop the knowledge, skills, attitudes, values and practices needed to take decisions which are compatible with a sustainable future in a just and equitable world. All teachers should be confident in their knowledge and understanding of the challenges facing society locally and globally. Teachers support learners to become responsible citizens contributing to a fair and equitable society. Learning for sustainability has been embedded within the suite of Standards to support teachers in actively embracing and promoting principles and practices of sustainability in all aspects of their work.
GTCS recognises that effective leadership depends on the principles of collegiality. All teachers should have opportunities to be leaders. They lead learning for, and with, all learners with whom they engage. They also work with, and support the development of, colleagues and other partners. Different forms of leadership are expressed across the suite of Professional Standards including leadership for learning, teacher leadership and working collegiately to build leadership capacity in others.
Reiterate previous quote TESS (December 2012) GTCS chief executive Anthony Finn says: “What we thought we would put in place is a system which encourages teachers to improve, to keep improving - not to keep proving that they have already acquired qualifications and registration status. So, given that background and the culture we’re trying to develop, to call something reaccreditation seemed to be very negative. Calling it professional update recognises that our primary purpose in moving this forward is to help teachers to improve.”
Link for Framework on Teacher Competence (FTC) http://www.gtcs.org.uk/web/FILES/teacher-regulation/framework-on-teacher-competence.pdf
Local authorities – East Renfrewshire, Perth and Kinross, North Lanarkshire.
20% of staff – teachers with registration years ending in a 7 or a 2, participating in a voluntary basis. Also supply teachers , central staff (so registration years won’t always end in a 7 or 2)
National implementation from 2014 – first 20% of teachers will complete the process. Important that teachers are aware of developments now.
Examples of wider issues – supply teachers, teachers working outwith schools – e.g. local authorities, Education Scotland, Universities
Some examples of recent media headlines – links to the next slide focusing on the issues as we move forward.
Screenshot of the Professional Update website – shows information available for download for use with colleagues
