CPD for SEN

We’re working on new materials to help the professional development of teachers who work in the field of special educational needs. Look out for more information in next term’s magazine.

Council meets

The autumn term meeting of Council will be held in The Centennial Centre, Birmingham on Wednesday 3 October. The spring term meeting is scheduled for London on 22 January 2008.

Look out for your new magazine

We’ve been talking to teachers about what you want from Teaching: the GTC magazine. You’ve told us that you would like something more direct, with shorter articles, clearer signposting and more imaginative use of design and photography. So we’re planning that now, and will launch a radically different publication next term. And the first thing we will do after it’s sent out is talk to teachers again to find out what you think.

Setting the standard

A new set of professionalstandards for teachers came into force at the start of September.

The standards set out the professional attributes, knowledge and understanding and skills expected at each stage of a teacher’s career. The Government sees the new standards as part of a package of support for teacher professionalism. Other elements include revised performance management arrangements and a new national strategy for supporting teachers’ continuing professional development.

Welcoming the new standards, GTC Chief Executive, Keith Bartley, says: 'We believe the new professional standards framework can help teachers to think about their professional development. It can enable them to access and participate in sustained continuing professional development (CPD) too.'

'The standards framework should, therefore, contribute to improving the quality of learning for all teachers, children and young people.'

The new standards are available online at:
www.tda.gov.uk/standards

Just published

For the complete guide to the GTC’s role and remit, see the 2007 edition of What we do. With a Crystal Mark award from the Plain English Campaign, the guide clearly sets out the GTC’s main fields of work and how we operate.

Also new from the GTC is the Profile of the teaching profession – a mine of statistics from the GTC Register – and a summary of our Equality and diversity scheme.

All are available from the teacher enquiry service on 0870 001 0308 or by download from the publications section of our website:
www.gtce.org.uk/publications

New duty for schools

September saw the start of a new duty on schools to promote community cohesion.

From now onwards, Ofsted will include schools’ contributions to promoting community cohesion as part of their inspections. Government guidance on the new duty defines what it is; why it’s important; how it can be carried out by and within schools; and how community cohesion links to the Every Child Matters agenda.

To see the guidance, go to the website of the Department for Children, Schools and Families on:
www.dcsf.gov.uk