Select committee evidence
published:18 Jun 2009
The GTC was called to give evidence to two inquiries being run by the Children, Schools and Families select committee, on accountability and on teacher training.
Accountability
Though it’s important that a major public service such as education is called to account, ‘true accountability should do more,’ GTC Chief Executive Keith Bartley told the accountability inquiry. ‘It should support improvements in practice, and it should give parents and pupils a very clear account of how chools and teachers support children's learning.’
This in turn means that a more sustained process of dialogue and external support and challenge is needed. Keith called for space for teachers and head teachers so they can give a more meaningful account of their work to children, parents and the community and thus ‘strengthen professional accountability for teaching and learning, and serve the public interest very directly.’
He pointed out that ‘schools that are the most effective in engaging parents with what their children are learning, and know how that learning can be supported, are the schools in which parents have the clearest understanding of what is going on in the school.’
Teacher training
The teacher training inquiry deals with both initial teacher education (ITE) and continuing professional development (CPD).
We are worried that there is not enough continuity and coherence between ITE, induction and early career professional expertise, so we want to see reconsideration of the structure, organisation, curriculum and time available for initial teacher training and induction.
Evidence shows that the most effective CPD is personalised, relevant, sustained and supported – such as the enquiry-led model exemplified by the Teacher Learning Academy, which links teacher learning directly with pupil learning. (See page 14 for more about evaluation of the TLA).
And we believe that both ITE and CPD should address teacher learning in relation to special education needs and promoting equality.
Giving evidence, GTC Director of Policy Sarah Stephens said: ‘We have historically fought shy of trying to connect teacher learning and children and young people's learning.
‘It seems that we now need to move into a position where [teachers can] identify the impact of their learning on their teaching [and] on children and young people's learning.’
