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Response to GTC re Full Registration
7 November 2001
Myra Pearson
Depute Registrar (Education)
General Teaching Council for Scotland
Clerwood House
96 Clermison Road
Edinburgh
EH12 6UT
Dear Ms Pearson
The Standard for Full Registration
Many thanks for affording SSBA the opportunity of commenting on the above document.
Members found the document easy to read and understand and would commend the GTC on their presentation.
SSBA recognises the specifics set out in the Standard for Full Registration (SFR) and agrees wholeheartedly with its content.
Continuing professional development is seen by SSBA as crucial in the continuing opportunities available to our teaching professionals whether they are new probationers or teachers of many years standing.
We would support the recognition that teachers need guidance and support to address specific development needs. It is crucial however that local authority arrangements for formal staff development are properly funded and prioritised.
You mention in 2.5 of your document "How Good is our School". As you will already be aware, School Boards are playing an increasing role in the partnership with schools and I would have liked to see some reference to School Boards and how they interact with teachers in the document.
We would wish to respond to the issues for four separate levels:
1. Initial Teacher Education
There should be some modular provision in Initial Teacher Training for awareness of the role of the School Board in the 21st century.
2. Standard for Registration
We suggest that each person on probation should gain practical experience with working with the schools own Board on occasion.
3. Continuous Professional Development
We feel that there must be a place with this scheme for some Chartered teachers to expertise in partnership with parents as part of their general expertise.
4. Scottish Qualification for Headteachers
We have already submitted to the SQH Advisory Committee a paper suggesting the need for development of interpersonal skills with parents for Headteachers. This paper is enclosed for your information.
We are pleased to see at 4.2 – "At the same time, the SFR is the gateway to the profession. It must therefore constitute a standard of capability in relation to teaching in which pupils, parents, the profession itself and the wider community can have confidence. The SFR must be comprehensive enough to be re-assuring for all interested parties and yet realistic and achievable". SSBA would wish to agree with this statement.
The School Board is the gateway to the wider local community and has members from teaching staff, pupils and communities as well as parents in their midst. SSBA would be happy to offer assistant with the production of training materials at any of the four levels mentioned above.
I wish you well with your deliberations.
Yours sincerely
Ann Hill
Chief Executive
SSBA
