Professional Standards For Teachers: Why Sit Still in Your Career?
Professional Standards For Teachers: Why Sit Still in Your Career?
Professional Standards For Teachers: Why Sit Still in Your Career?
14 Core
22 Post Threshold
26 Excellent Teacher
1
Introduction
Professional Standards for Teachers
in England from September 20071
2
understanding and skills in that context. There are no of professional standards will provide a backdrop to
new criteria for pay progression for teachers paid on discussions about how a teacher’s performance should
the upper pay scale in the 2006 School Teachers’ Pay be viewed in relation to their current career stage and
and Conditions Document. the career stage they are approaching. The relevant
standards should be looked at as a whole in order
7. The standards will support teachers in identifying to help teachers identify areas of strength and areas
their professional development needs. Where teachers for further professional development. For example, a
wish to progress to the next career stage, the next level teacher who aspires to become an AST will need to
of the framework provides a reference point for all reflect on and discuss how they might plan their future
teachers when considering future development. Whilst development so they can work towards becoming an
not all teachers will necessarily want to move to the AST, and performance management would provide
next career stage, the standards will also support evidence for the teacher’s future application.
teachers in identifying ways to broaden and deepen
their expertise within their current career stages. 10. All qualified teachers in maintained schools and
non-maintained special schools are required to be
8. All teachers should have a professional responsibility registered with the GTCE. To maintain registration
to be engaged in effective, sustained and relevant they must uphold the GTCE’s Code of Conduct and
professional development throughout their careers Practice for Registered Teachers.
and all teachers should have a contractual entitlement
to effective, sustained and relevant professional 11. The recommendation for the award of qualified
development throughout their careers. There should teacher status and registration with the GTCE is made
be a continuum of expectations about the level by an accredited Initial Teacher Training (ITT) provider
of engagement in professional development that following an assessment which shows that all of the
provides clarity and appropriate differentiation QTS standards have been met. The Newly Qualified
for each career stage. The expectations about the Teacher (NQT) may then begin the induction period.
contribution teachers make to the development of NQTs will not be required to meet fully the core
others should take account of their levels of skills, standards until the end of their induction period.
expertise and experience, their role within the school, The core standards underpin all the subsequent
and reflect their use of up-to-date subject knowledge standards and, where there is no progression at
and pedagogy.2 subsequent career stages, are valid at all points
of teachers’ careers within both their immediate
9. In all these cases, performance management is the workplace and the wider professional context in
key process. Performance management provides the which they work. Each set of standards builds on
context for regular discussions about teachers’ career the previous set, so that a teacher being considered for
aspirations and their future development, within or the threshold would need to satisfy the post-threshold
beyond their current career stage. The framework standards (P) and meet the core standards (C);
2
Extract from the Rewards and Incentives Group’s (RIG) evidence (Section 9 ‘The New Teacher Professionalism’)
to the School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) on 25 May 2005.
3
“Core standards underpin all
the standards and are valid at all
points of a teacher’s career”
a teacher aspiring to become an Excellent Teacher workplaces and draw on the experience they
would need to satisfy the standards that are specific gain elsewhere to improve practice in their own
to that status (E) and meet the preceding standards and other schools.
(C and P); and a teacher aspiring to become an AST
would need to satisfy the standards that are specific to 13. All the standards are underpinned by the five
that status (A) as well as meet the preceding standards key outcomes for children and young people
(C, P and E) – although they can apply for an AST identified in Every Child Matters and the six areas
post before going through the threshold. In practice, of the Common Core of skills and knowledge for the
the standards relating to the excellence of their own children’s workforce. The work of practising teachers
teaching are common to ASTs and Excellent Teachers; should be informed by an awareness, appropriate
the three additional AST standards are focused on their to their level of experience and responsibility, of
ability to carry out their work with other schools and legislation concerning the development and well-being
on their leadership role. of children and young people expressed in the Children
Act 2004, the Disability Discrimination Acts 1995 and
12. The framework of standards is progressive, 2005 and relevant associated guidance, the special
reflecting the progression expected of teachers as educational needs provisions in the Education Act
their professional attributes, knowledge, understanding 1996 and the associated Special Educational Needs:
and skills develop and they demonstrate increasing Code of Practice (DfES 2001), the Race Relations Act
effectiveness in their roles. Post Threshold Teachers are 1976 as amended by the Race Relations (Amendment)
able to act as role models for teaching and learning, Act 2000, and the guidance Safeguarding Children in
make a distinctive contribution to raising standards Education (DfES 0027 2004).
across the school, continue to develop their expertise
post threshold and provide regular coaching and 14. The professional standards must operate in the
mentoring to less experienced teachers. Excellent context of teachers’ legal rights and contractual
Teachers provide an exemplary model to others entitlements.
through their professional expertise, have a leading
role in raising standards by supporting improvements 15. Nothing in the professional standards militates
in teaching practice and support and help their against teachers taking lawful industrial action.
colleagues to improve their effectiveness and to
address their development needs through highly
effective coaching and mentoring. ASTs provide models
of excellent and innovative teaching and use their skills
to enhance teaching and learning by undertaking and
leading school improvement activities and continuing
professional development (CPD) for other teachers.
They carry out developmental work across a range of
4
Note on the terminology used in the standards
• The term ‘learners’ is used instead of ‘children and • The terms ‘lessons’ or ‘sequences of lessons’ are used
young people’ when learning per se is the main focus to cover teaching and learning activities wherever
of the standard. It refers to all children and young they take place, whatever their nature and length, and
people including those with particular needs, for however they might be organised, and are applicable
example, those with special educational needs, looked to all educational phases and contexts.
after children, those for whom English is an additional
language, those who are not reaching their potential • Where the phrase ‘parents and carers’ is used,
or those who are gifted and talented. it is understood that the term ‘parents’ includes
both mothers and fathers.
• The term ‘colleagues’ is used for all those
professionals with whom a teacher might work. • The term ‘well-being’ refers to the rights of children
It encompasses teaching colleagues, the wider and young people (as set out and consulted upon in
workforce within an educational establishment, and the Every Child Matters: Green Paper and subsequently
also those from outside with whom teachers may be set out in the Children Act 2004), in relation to:
expected to have professional working relationships,
for example early years and health professionals and • physical and mental health and emotional
colleagues working in children’s services. well-being
• protection from harm and neglect
• The term ‘classroom’ is used to encompass all the • education, training and recreation
settings within and beyond the workplace where • the contribution made by them to society
teaching and learning take place. • social and economic well-being.
• The term ‘workplace’ refers to the range of • The term ‘personalised learning’ means maintaining
educational establishments, contexts and settings a focus on individual progress, in order to maximise
(both in and outside the classroom) where teaching all learners’ capacity to learn, achieve and participate.
takes place. This means supporting and challenging each learner
to achieve national standards and gain the skills they
• The term ‘subjects/curriculum areas’ is used to cover need to thrive and succeed throughout their lives.
all forms of organised learning experienced across ‘Personalising learning’ is not about individual lesson
the curriculum. For example, areas of learning in the plans or individualisation (where learners are taught
foundation stage, broad areas of curricular experience separately or largely through a one-to-one approach).
and learning through play in the early years,
thematically structured work in the primary phase,
single subjects, vocational subjects and cross-curricular
work in the 14–19 phase.
5
Qualified Teacher Status
Those recommended
for the award of QTS (Q)
should meet the
following standards.
6
Professional attributes
Those recommended for the award of QTS should:
Frameworks
(a) Be aware of the professional duties of teachers and the statutory
Q3 framework within which they work.
(b) Be aware of the policies and practices of the workplace and share
in collective responsibility for their implementation.
Recognise and respect the contribution that colleagues, parents and carers
Q5 can make to the development and well-being of children and young
people, and to raising their levels of attainment.
7
Personal professional development
(a) Reflect on and improve their practice, and take responsibility for
Q7 identifying and meeting their developing professional needs.
(b) Identify priorities for their early professional development in
the context of induction.
Act upon advice and feedback and be open to coaching and mentoring.
Q9
8
Know a range of approaches to assessment, including the importance of
Q12 formative assessment.
Know how to use skills in literacy, numeracy and ICT to support their
Q17 teaching and wider professional activities.
9
Achievement and diversity
Understand how children and young people develop and that the progress
Q18 and well-being of learners are affected by a range of developmental,
social, religious, ethnic, cultural and linguistic influences.
Know how to make effective personalised provision for those they teach,
Q19 including those for whom English is an additional language or who have
special educational needs or disabilities, and how to take practical account
of diversity and promote equality and inclusion in their teaching.
Professional skills
Those recommended for the award of QTS should:
Planning
Plan for progression across the age and ability range for which they are
Q22 trained, designing effective learning sequences within lessons and across
series of lessons and demonstrating secure subject/curriculum knowledge.
10
Design opportunities for learners to develop their literacy, numeracy
Q23 and ICT skills.
Teaching
Teach lessons and sequences of lessons across the age and ability range
Q25 for which they are trained in which they:
(a) use a range of teaching strategies and resources, including e-learning,
taking practical account of diversity and promoting equality and
inclusion
(b) build on prior knowledge, develop concepts and processes, enable
learners to apply new knowledge, understanding and skills and meet
learning objectives
(c) adapt their language to suit the learners they teach, introducing
new ideas and concepts clearly, and using explanations, questions,
discussions and plenaries effectively
(d) demonstrate the ability to manage the learning of individuals,
groups and whole classes, modifying their teaching to suit the
stage of the lesson.
11
Provide timely, accurate and constructive feedback on learners’
Q27 attainment, progress and areas for development.
Learning environment
Establish a purposeful and safe learning environment conducive
Q30 to learning and identify opportunities for learners to learn in
out-of-school contexts.
12
13
Core
14
Professional attributes
All teachers should:
Hold positive values and attitudes and adopt high standards of behaviour
C2 in their professional role.
Frameworks
Maintain an up-to-date knowledge and understanding of the professional
C3 duties of teachers and the statutory framework within which they work,
and contribute to the development, implementation and evaluation of
the policies and practice of their workplace, including those designed to
promote equality of opportunity.
15
Personal professional development
Evaluate their performance and be committed to improving their practice
C7 through appropriate professional development.
Act upon advice and feedback and be open to coaching and mentoring.
C9
16
Know how to use reports and other sources of external information
C14 related to assessment in order to provide learners with accurate and
constructive feedback on their strengths, weaknesses, attainment, progress
and areas for development, including action plans for improvement.
Know how to make effective personalised provision for those they teach,
C19 including those for whom English is an additional language or who have
special educational needs or disabilities, and how to take practical account
of diversity and promote equality and inclusion in their teaching.
17
Know when to draw on the expertise of colleagues, such as those
C21 with responsibility for the safeguarding of children and young people
and special educational needs and disabilities, and to refer to sources
of information, advice and support from external agencies.
C23
Know the local arrangements concerning the safeguarding of children
and young people.
C24
Know how to identify potential child abuse or neglect and follow
safeguarding procedures.
Know how to identify and support children and young people whose
C25 progress, development or well-being is affected by changes or difficulties
in their personal circumstances, and when to refer them to colleagues
for specialist support.
Professional skills
All teachers should:
Planning
Plan for progression across the age and ability range they teach, designing
C26 effective learning sequences within lessons and across series of lessons
informed by secure subject/curriculum knowledge.
18
Design opportunities for learners to develop their literacy, numeracy,
C27 ICT and thinking and learning skills appropriate within their phase
and context.
Teaching
Teach challenging, well-organised lessons and sequences of lessons across
C29 the age and ability range they teach in which they:
(a) use an appropriate range of teaching strategies and resources,
including e-learning, which meet learners’ needs and take practical
account of diversity and promote equality and inclusion
(b) build on the prior knowledge and attainment of those they teach
in order that learners meet learning objectives and make sustained
progress
(c) develop concepts and processes which enable learners to apply
new knowledge, understanding and skills
(d) adapt their language to suit the learners they teach, introducing
new ideas and concepts clearly, and using explanations, questions,
discussions and plenaries effectively
(e) manage the learning of individuals, groups and whole classes
effectively, modifying their teaching appropriately to suit the stage
of the lesson and the needs of the learners.
19
Assessing, monitoring and giving feedback
Make effective use of an appropriate range of observation,
C31 assessment, monitoring and recording strategies as a basis for
setting challenging learning objectives and monitoring learners’
progress and levels of attainment.
Support and guide learners so that they can reflect on their learning,
C33 identify the progress they have made, set positive targets for
improvement and become successful independent learners.
Learning environment
(a) Establish a purposeful and safe learning environment which complies
C37 with current legal requirements, national policies and guidance on
the safeguarding and well-being of children and young people so
that learners feel secure and sufficiently confident to make an active
contribution to learning and to the school.
(b) Make use of the local arrangements concerning the safeguarding of
children and young people.
(c) Identify and use opportunities to personalise and extend learning
through out-of-school contexts where possible making links between
in-school learning and learning in out-of-school contexts.
20
(a) Manage learners’ behaviour constructively by establishing and
C38 maintaining a clear and positive framework for discipline, in line
with the school’s behaviour policy.
(b) Use a range of behaviour management techniques and strategies,
adapting them as necessary to promote the self-control and
independence of learners.
Promote learners’ self-control, independence and cooperation through
C39 developing their social, emotional and behavioural skills.
21
Post Threshold
22
Professional attributes
Post Threshold Teachers should:
Frameworks
Contribute significantly, where appropriate, to implementing workplace
P1 policies and practice and to promoting collective responsibility for their
implementation.
23
Health and well-being
Have sufficient depth of knowledge and experience to be able to give
P6 advice on the development and well-being of children and young people.
Professional skills
Post Threshold Teachers should:
Planning
Be flexible, creative and adept at designing learning sequences
P7 within lessons and across lessons that are effective and consistently
well-matched to learning objectives and the needs of learners and
which integrate recent developments, including those relating to
subject/curriculum knowledge.
Teaching
Have teaching skills which lead to learners achieving well relative to
P8 their prior attainment, making progress as good as, or better than, similar
learners nationally.
24
25
Excellent Teacher
26
Professional attributes
Excellent Teachers should:
Frameworks
Be willing to take a leading role in developing workplace policies
E1 and practice and in promoting collective responsibility for their
implementation.
27
Achievement and diversity
Have an extensive knowledge on matters concerning equality,
E6 inclusion and diversity in teaching.
Professional skills
Excellent Teachers should:
Planning
(a) Take a lead in planning collaboratively with colleagues in order to
E7 promote effective practice.
(b) Identify and explore links within and between subjects/curriculum
areas in their planning.
Teaching
Have teaching skills which lead to excellent results and outcomes.
E8
Demonstrate excellent and innovative pedagogical practice.
E9
28
Reviewing teaching and learning
Use local and national statistical data and other information,
E12 in order to provide:
(a) a comparative baseline for evaluating learners’ progress
and attainment
(b) a means of judging the effectiveness of their teaching, and
(c) a basis for improving teaching and learning.
29
Advanced Skills Teacher
30
Professional attributes
Advanced Skills Teachers should:
Frameworks
Be willing to take on a strategic leadership role in developing workplace
A1 policies and practice and in promoting collective responsibility for their
implementation in their own and other workplaces.
Professional skills
Advanced Skills Teachers should:
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