Advising, networking and campaigning - what the GTC is doing on your behalf.
Acadamy registration
Our summer issue brought you the GTC campaign for qualified teachers in acadamies to be registered with the GTC, putting them on the same basis as other teachers in the same system. Our campaign was backed by all the teacher trade unions plus parent, governor, church and higher education bodies.
Secretary of state Ruth Kelly announced a change in the policy at the Labour Party conference last term. Judy Moorhouse, Chair of the GTC, said: "I am delighted that this move comes in response to the expressed wish of the acadamies themselves, who have recognised the importance of proffessional registration to safeguard the public interest and want to see their teachers benefiting from the resources offered by the their professional body".
Registration will also give acadamy teachers access to our professional networks and the GTC Teacher Learning Acadamy (TLA). Our networks enable teachers to share the expertise across very different and often challenging settings, and the TLA offers public and professional recognition for teachers' learning, development and improvement work.
At present the change applies only to future academies, but we are working with the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust, and many academies themselves, to encourage registration across the academy sector.
Fulbright scheme
If you are keen to add an international dimension to your teaching, or need to recharge the batteries and find new ways of working, then the Fulbright teacher exchange programme could be for you.
You would swap jobs with a US counterpart for six weeks, the autmn term or a full academic year. You must be a full time teacher, a British or Irish citizen, who has been qualified for at least three years and has worked for at least two years at the institution from which you wish to make the exchange.
To find out more, phone Deborah Gadd on 028 9024 8220 or go to www.britishcouncil.org/learning-fulbright.htm
Two new members
Two new members have joined our Council. They are Paul Bird and Misbah Mann, both deputy heads, Paul at Fifth Avenue primary school in Hull and Misbah at Lathom junior school in Newham.
Council meets
The January meeting of Council was held in London after this magazine went to print, but a record of its discussions is available on our website at www.gtce.org.uk/CouncilMeetings
The next Council meeting will take place in Manchester on Wednesday 29th March.
New in print
Our new leaflet Policy and research gives a snapshot of our work in these inter-related fields. We have sent two copies to every school this term, but for your own copy either download it from our website at www.gtce.org.uk/publications or phone 0870 001 0308.
Challenge forum
We are hosting a major online forum called Challenge homphobia: does every child matter? The forum forms part of Stonewalls Education for all programme, and runs to 30 April, so have your say now at www.gtce.org.uk/ChallengeForum
