TRAINING AND
DEVELOPMENT AGENCY FOR SCHOOLS News Release issued by The
Government News Network on 25 April 2007
A plan to help
improve the training and development available to school teachers
and contribute to raising school standards in England is published
today by the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA).
The new national strategy for serving teachers' Continuing
Professional Development (CPD) will ensure that effective, high
quality training is available in the areas that need it most.
Schools will be able to make better, more informed decisions about
the training in which they invest.
The strategy has been drawn up for the Secretary of State of
Education and Skills and, together with revised performance
management arrangements and professional standards for teachers,
is part of the Government's package of initiatives to support
school improvement.
The strategy follows a review of gaps in current CPD provision
and sets out three main national priorities for the years 2007-2010:
* Pedagogy, including more support on behaviour management,
updating subject knowledge and supporting changes in the curriculum;
* Personalisation, including greater awareness of equality and
diversity issues, and supporting pupils with special education
needs (SEN) and disability; and
* People, including working with support staff and frontline
professionals in schools, and more help for current and aspiring
school leaders.
The TDA will work closely with social partners on the Rewards and
Incentives Group (RIG) to publish guidance to support new teacher
professionalism, including measuring the impact of CPD. It will
also pilot a database of CPD provision available.
School Standards Minister Jim Knight said:
"Our goal must be to ensure that CPD makes a positive
difference to teachers' and children's lives - that it
changes behaviour and improves professional practice, contributing
to the delivery of these overarching priorities, and that teachers
take responsibility for their professional development.
"I expect the TDA to embed sustained CPD practice in all
schools, and look forward to this new strategy being a key element
in our drive to make new professionalism a reality."
TDA Chief Executive Graham Holley said:
"We want to make CPD work for schools and for teachers. That
means ensuring high quality CPD is available in the national
priority areas and giving schools the tools to see what difference
CPD really makes in their school.
"CPD is a key part of the new professionalism for teachers
and is a critical driver of school improvement. Now, for the first
time, we have a clear strategy and framework which may help
schools and teachers make much more informed choices about their development."
The strategy document "Continuing Professional Development:
A strategy for teachers" is published by the TDA at: http://www.tda.gov.uk/about/planspoliciesreports/policies/cpd.aspx
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Notes for editors
The Secretary of State for Education and Skills asked the TDA to
bring coherence to the occupation and professional standards
throughout the school workforce; provide clear, high quality
guidance to schools on CPD and give leadership to local
authorities; monitor the quality and coverage of CPD and help
shape national CPD strategy and priorities; and coordinate
specific CPD programmes where appropriate.
The national priorities for teachers' CPD were identified
through consultation with the TDA's National Reference Group
for teachers' professional development, comprising members
from Government bodies, teachers associations and unions, higher
education institutions and other key partners. The overarching
strategy and national priorities were agreed with the Rewards and
Incentives Group (RIG).
In accepting the TDA's advice of a strategy for CPD, Schools
Minister Jim Knight set out three priorities areas to help
teachers for the coming year:
* Special education needs and disability;
* Curriculum reform, including implications of the secondary
curriculum review; and
* Subject knowledge and pedagogy in English, mathematic and
science, including enabling teachers to personalise teaching and
improve progression.
The new teacher standards should be used as a backdrop to
performance management discussions from September 2007.
The Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) was
established under the Education Act 2005. Its responsibilities
relate to England only.
The TDA's principal aim is to secure an effective school
workforce that raises educational standards, provides every child
with the opportunity to develop their potential and thereby
improve children's life chances.
Teaching enquiries
People interested in becoming a teacher should visit http://www.teach.gov.uk <http://www.teach.gov.uk/>
or contact the Teaching Information Line (tel: 0845 6000 991 - 992
for Welsh speakers; minicom: 01245 454343).
General TDA enquiries: 0870 4960 123