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Keynote: Reflecting on major changes for the profession
By Anthony Finn, Chief Executive, GTC Scotland
Some very important issues abound in the education world that give us cause for careful thought at present.
Teachers will be aware that the former Senior Chief Inspector of Education, Graham Donaldson, has been asked by Government to undertake a wide-ranging review of Teacher Education in Scotland. He will look at all aspects of teacher education from qualification to retirement and his findings, which he will present to the Cabinet Secretary by the end of the year, could be very significant for the profession.
GTC Scotland will, of course, engage with the Review Group but it would be helpful if teachers also took time to contribute their ideas. Graham Donaldson has called for evidence by 31 May.
It is appropriate that the main focus of this edition of Teaching Scotland should be on preparation for Curriculum for Excellence (CfE), the most significant curriculum change in decades. As we know, the Cabinet Secretary recently accepted the advice of the CfE Management Board that the implementation of the programme should proceed next year. Although many schools have made excellent progress in developing plans which build on current good practice while taking account of the key principles of CfE, it is clear that some anxiety remains about elements of the programme.
Of course, it is hoped that this anxiety may be relieved by the forthcoming availability of new information and resources, including a National Assessment Resource offering exemplification of assessment standards. GTC Scotland can use Teaching Scotland to offer support to teachers on the development of CfE, including discussion of professional issues and the highlighting of examples of good practice. Schools or authorities which are happy to share information about their work on CfE are therefore encouraged to contact our Editor. We have also been asked by teachers for guidance on the implications of CfE for subject teaching and we have recently posted some preliminary advice about this on our website.
Last but not least, there are big challenges ahead for GTC Scotland and we have been looking carefully at the tasks which we need to complete before new powers are granted to us by Government. This is part of the process of working towards a fully independent GTC Scotland which we expect to complete towards the end of the year.
Our commitment is to ensure that we deliver a new Council which speaks up for teaching, recognises the quality of our teachers, promotes their professionalism and seeks to improve the opportunities they have to maintain and improve standards. In these difficult financial times, we must also be careful to keep costs under control and, above all, to remain in touch with the thinking of the profession. Consequently, we aim to take account of your views as we move forward; and we will be taking every opportunity to listen to teachers, trade unions, educational stakeholders and other partners before we make any significant changes to current practice.
In short, our Council members will continue to work in consensus with those who make up the teaching profession in Scotland.