Chapter 8:

Teaching: Standards, Leadership and a Valued Profession

 
Teaching is a demanding and critically important profession. Teachers and good teaching hold the key to their pupils' success. From now on there will be pressure on teachers to succeed in Wales, matched by support to enable them to do their jobs well plus recognition and appreciation of their skills and dedication.

1  Teachers and headteachers are at the heart of our drive to raise standards. They will be involved, consulted and listened to at every stage in taking forward the policies set out in this White Paper.
 
 
Training new teachers

2  In raising the standards we expect of schools and of pupils, it is right to raise the standards we expect of new teachers. Literacy and numeracy are again of central importance. These priorities must be underpinned by action on initial teacher training if the next generation of teachers is to play its part in achieving a step-change in classroom standards. So a new core curriculum will be introduced setting out in detail the knowledge, understanding and skills which all those training to teach in primary schools must be taught and be able to use in relation to Welsh, English, and mathematics. New course requirements for all courses of initial teacher training and new standards which all trainee teachers in Wales will be expected to reach in order to qualify as teachers - including competence in IT - will be published. These new requirements will apply to all trainees - whether starting new courses or already on courses - from September 1998.

3  We aim to secure, build on, and extend the existing, successful partnerships between schools and higher education institutions in Wales. Effective classroom practice will be placed at the centre of teacher education through the development of 'Mentor Schools' in which trainees are shown how to teach in demonstration lessons. We would welcome views on how this should be taken forward.

4  Every new teacher should have structured support during the first year. This should take account of the development needs identified in initial training, and should set the pace and direction for future professional development. So an induction year will be introduced for newly qualified teachers to consolidate their skills giving every new teacher the right to guided support. In return they will be required to fulfil their professional commitment by continuing to develop their skills in the areas identified during initial training. Additionally there is a case for confirming Qualified Teacher Status after the successful completion of the proposed new induction year. Mentor support would need to be provided during the induction year to ensure the quality of teaching children received. Schools would be expected to provide a planned induction programme for each newly qualified teacher based on guidance from the Teacher Training Agency (TTA) Unit in Wales.

5  Your views would be welcome on:

• what newly qualified teachers should be required to do in their first year to develop their practical skills; and

• the practical arrangements which would be needed for confirming Qualified Teacher Status at the end of a successful induction year.

Professional development
6  We need to ensure that the 28,000 serving teachers in Wales can get high quality training and support throughout their careers. They should receive regular advice on best practice and new skills. The TTA Unit in Wales is working in consultation with practitioners and others to map out a framework for professional development for all teachers. The Unit will assist local authorities and schools to ensure that teachers get the most from the extensive range of training that will be available in the future. Contacts between colleagues can work as well, if not better, than top-down initiatives. We will develop the potential of electronic networks to support schools and teachers in Wales; to put classroom practitioners from different settings in touch with colleagues in Wales, the UK, Europe and beyond; and to exchange training materials. 'Virtual' teacher centre models linked to the University for Industry will also be adapted in ways that make sense for Wales. More generally the TTA Unit will work with other bodies with an interest to make sure that the special needs of the Welsh education system are fully met by the new development framework.

Advanced Skills Teachers
7  Promotion for teachers usually means reducing their time in the classroom. The most experienced teachers may be reluctant to stay in a profession which does not reward their teaching skills. So it is intended that a new career grade of Advanced Skills Teacher should be introduced to reward the best classroom teachers, who have also shown themselves prepared to take on additional roles contributing to their school's performance. We envisage that Advanced Skills Teachers will have a key role to play in raising standards by supporting and mentoring trainee teachers and newly qualified teachers. They could also participate in initial teacher training as associate practitioner-fellows of the higher education institutions in Wales that work in partnership with their schools, and in ways designed to develop the educational research base here.

8  The School Teachers' Review Body (STRB) will be asked to recommend how the Advanced Skills Teacher grade should be introduced. The STRB will consult widely with local authorities, teacher unions and governors' organisations. The STRB will be invited to consider what precise functions Advanced Skills Teachers should carry out; how and where posts for Advanced Skills Teachers should be established; and how Advanced Skills Teachers should be selected. We would welcome views on:

• how Advanced Skills Teachers should be selected;

• what functions they should be expected to carry out;

• whether, and how best, to institute and develop the associate practitioner-fellow concept in Wales?

Support for teachers
9  Teaching assistants work with teachers to ensure pupils learn. Under the overall direction of teachers they work with pupils both inside and outside the classroom, in small groups or on a one to one basis. In primary and nursery schools, there may be classroom assistants, nursery nurses or special needs assistants: in secondary schools, there may be foreign language assistants, music assistants or special needs assistants. At present many teaching assistants have little or no training for the work they do. We will consult with local and other authorities about the development of a programme of courses and qualifications for all teaching assistants which take account of their individual knowledge, skills and role in the school.

10  Support in the form of visiting speakers such as police officers, explorers, religious leaders; presentations from Health Promotion Wales, and from the library service; and coaching by sports people, have long been used successfully by schools. The Urdd also plays a highly important role in helping schools develop skills in and understanding of the culture of Wales. Additionally, business people from industry, commerce and the service sectors have also been attached to schools, bringing in new knowledge and skills and adding different and fresh perspectives. Some firms like Ford and British Steel have played a particularly important role in providing direct support for curriculum innovation in Wales, especially in relation to vocational qualifications and courses. Employers have also provided teachers with placement opportunities to upgrade their skills and understanding of industry. All such developments are to be encouraged. We would welcome views on:

• how teaching assistants and associates should be used in schools;

• what further steps might be taken to engage more people from local communities to help schools raise standards?

School leadership
11  The quality of Heads and their senior staff makes the difference between the success or failure of a school. Heads in particular are in the front line, leading the drive to raise standards. Legislation to be introduced later in 1997 will provide that, in future, all those appointed to school headship for the first time should hold a professional headship qualification. This will demonstrate that they have the necessary abilities to lead and motivate pupils and to manage a school. We expect that the National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH) will form the basis of the new mandatory qualification. We would welcome views on:

• the skills and competencies which should be covered by any mandatory headship qualification, and whether there are specific skill requirements in Wales (for example in bi-lingual settings);

• the extent to which the NPQH fulfils these requirements;

• the timetable for introducing the mandatory requirements in Wales;

• whether any special steps should be taken in Wales to ensure that Heads of small primary schools and Welsh-medium schools have proper opportunities to take the qualification?

12  There may also be a case for developing a 'fast-track' route to headship for teachers who demonstrate a talent and flair for school leadership early in their careers. This might involve using a combination of OHMCI, headteacher and/or local authority recommendation, and self-assessment, to select potential fast-track leaders. They could be offered opportunities to take the NPQH earlier than would normally be the case. This process would ensure that they received the training and challenges that would enable them, if they continued to succeed, to move rapidly into leadership positions in schools. We would welcome views on:

• is there a case for a fast-track route to headship?

13  Newly appointed Heads often require special support to develop their skills and help them to fulfil their new responsibilities and to benchmark their schools against international standards of excellence. That could involve opportunities to see at first hand examples of the best that is being achieved in education and training internationally - not least by involving them in investment missions. The Welsh Office will task the TTA Unit in Wales to consult on, and bring forward proposals for, leadership and management training for new Heads, specifically designed to meet the needs of school leadership in Wales. We would welcome views on:

• what form any training or development should take;

• whether any extra burdens are placed on new Heads in Wales compared to their colleagues in England, eg in bilingual settings?

14  The Welsh Office and the TTA Unit in Wales, together with the associated Advisory Group, will consider carefully the case for developing new headship qualifications for serving Heads - possibly based on the NPQH standards. They will also consider additional training for effective Heads and programmes designed to meet the development needs of less effective Heads as identified by headteacher appraisal arrangements. We would welcome views on:

• the priorities for the training and development of serving headteachers in Wales.

15  We know that most headteachers do a very effective job. Some are outstanding. We feel that the Heads of those schools which are highly successful, identified through OHMCI reports, could make a major contribution to the improvement of the education system in Wales. We also want to publicise the excellent work done in many schools across Wales and make sure that good teachers get the public recognition they deserve. Without adding to their burdens, we shall ask the Heads of these schools to act as mentors, spreading best practice and supporting similar schools which perform less well. Stronger partnerships with business leaders can also strengthen the management skills of headteachers.