This Chapter
By reading this chapter you will develop your understanding of the following.
- The implementation of the Teachers' Standards and implications for classroom practice for trainees and NQTs.
- Providing evidence against the Teachers' Standards, for trainees and NQTs.
- Continuing professional development and further study.
- Moving into management and leadership roles.
Introduction
Significant changes in education took place after the formation of the new Coalition Government in the UK in May 2010. The first report of the independent review of teachers' standards: QTS and core standards (DfE, 2011b) was followed by the publication of the White Paper The importance of teaching (DfE, 2010). All teachers completing their training on or after 1 September 2012 should be assessed against the Teachers' Standards. The revised standards, which replaced the former Core Standards, also apply to newly qualified teachers (NQTs). Therefore, these standards apply to teachers at the point of entry to the profession and also to experienced practitioners, providing consistency in the approach taken to judge teacher performance at various levels. These standards offer an overarching platform for the coherent approach to Initial Teacher Education (ITE), induction and continuing professional development (CPD) that the profession aspires to.
The Standards Review Group, who were tasked with formulating the standards, were careful not to place unreasonable expectations on teachers who may have been qualified for a significant period of time, and aimed to reflect the ātimelessā values of teaching (DfE, 2011a, para 3.26).
Mindful of the trust and professionalism of teachers demanded by society, in its preamble the standards state the following.
Teachers make the education of their pupils their first concern, and are accountable for achieving the highest possible standards in work and conduct. Teachers act with honesty and integrity; have strong subject knowledge, keep their knowledge and skills as teachers up-to-date and are self-critical; forge positive professional relationships; and work with parents in the best interests of their pupils.
(DfE, 2012, p7)
Ofsted (2012) considers the extent to which the Teachers' Standards are being met when assessing the quality of teaching in schools. The Education Act 2011 claimed to help teachers raise standards to improve underperformance and strengthen the ways teachers are held accountable for their actions (Department for Education, 2011a, b). There is a clear expectation in both the National Curriculum (DfE, 2013) and in the Teachers' Standards (DfE, 2012) that teachers should have the highest expectations of all learners. This involves setting children challenging ambitious targets that take account of prior assessment.
The Teachers' Standards were intended to raise the bar for effective learning and teaching, and provide a benchmark of the minimum requirement for assessing trainees and teachers. However, the standards also stipulate the expected progress to be demonstrated by teachers relating to the depth and breadth of knowledge required during the various stages of their careers. Informed by the evidence gathered in the Carter Review (DfE, 2015), in July 2016 the DfE produced the Framework of Core Content for initial teacher training (ITT), a document that is applicable to all types of ITT providers (schools and universities), regardless of the nature of their courses and their delivery method. The fundamental aim of the framework of core content is to ensure that ITE programmes enable trainees to meet the Teachers' Standards in full at the level appropriate to the end of a period of initial teacher training (DfE, 2016c, para 1.3).
An Introduction to Key Statements from the Teachers' Standards Document
Below are some key statements from the Teachers' Standards document (DfE, 2012) that set out clearly the requirements that are needed from teacher trainees, NQTs and experienced teachers.
The standards apply to the vast majority of teachers regardless of their career stage
The Teachers' Standards apply to: trainees working towards QTS; all teachers completing their statutory induction period; and those covered by the new performance appraisal arrangements (para 3, p2).
The standards need to be applied as appropriate to the role and context within which a trainee or teacher is practising
Providers of initial teacher training (ITT) should assess trainees against the standards in a way that is consistent with what could reasonably be expected of a trainee teacher prior to the award of QTS (para 6, p3).
The standards are presented as separate headings, numbered from 1 to 8 in Part One, each of which is accompanied by a number of bulleted subheadings
The bullets, which are an integral part of the standards, are designed to amplify the scope of each heading.
The bulleted subheadings should not be interpreted as separate standards in their own right, but should be used by those assessing trainees and teachers to track progress against the standard, to determine areas where additional development might need to be observed, or to identify areas where a trainee or teacher is already demonstrating excellent practice relevant to that standard (para 13, p4).
The standards define the minimum level of practice expected of trainees and teachers from the point of being awarded QTS (para 5, p2).
Following the period of induction, the standards continue to define the level of practice at which all qualified teachers are expected to perform (para 9, p3).
The standards have been designed to set out a basic framework within which all teachers should operate from the point of initial qualification. Appropriate self-evaluation, reflection and professional development activity is critical to improving teachers' practice at all career stages. The standards set out clearly the key areas in which a teacher should be able to assess his or her own practice, and receive feedback from colleagues. As their careers progress, teachers will be expected to extend the depth and breadth of knowledge, skill and understanding that they demonstrate in meeting the standards, as is judged to be appropriate to the role they are fulfilling and the context in which they are working (para 14, p4).
The key statements above are geared towards tracking progress against the standards, identifying best practice and areas for further development. Research by Goodwyn (2012) has shown that the standards are complex and interrelated. From a positive perspective, the standards enable teachers to demonstrate their capabilities and values. However, a more negative perspective might focus on performativity and surveillance.
