Teacher training
Initial Teacher Education (ITE) is available at eight universities (including the Open University) across Scotland. For more information about training to become a teacher see Interested in becoming a teacher?
Review of Initial Teacher Education
A review of ITE was carried out in 2004/05. It identified four areas for action:
- widening access to teacher training courses
- reviewing the competencies and values required by newly-qualified teachers
- improving relationships between Higher Education Institutions, local authorities and other stakeholders
- measuring accountability.
Full details can be found in the review group report.
In his response to the report, the previous Minister for Education set a series of challenges to all the relevant stakeholders to review their own policies to enhance and update ITE provision. Ministers were provided with a progress report in June 2006 which gave details of the challenges and the progress made.
Student Placement Scheme
As Scotland continues to train more teachers to achieve the commitment to reduce class-sizes, more state schools have to be prepared to provide student teachers with valuable school experience that help prepare them for life in the classroom.
Because it is has been more challenging for schools to accomodate the large numbers involved, arrangements for finding school placements have been reviewed and improved.
The Government-funded Student Placement Scheme was established in May 2004 and, due to the financial support provided, local authorities now have a student placement co-ordinator in place to manage placements more effectively. The Government has also provided funding to Glasgow University to support the implementation and ongoing development of Practicum, a computer-based system which records the capacity of schools to take student teachers and matches these to university requirements.
National Strategy Group-Student Placements
The National Strategy Group covering student placements was established in February 2006 and comprises members from the universities which provide teacher training courses, local authority representatives, HMIE, SCIS, SCED, GTCS, the various teacher unions and the Scottish Government. The main aims of the Group are to maintain a strategic overview of student placements in Scotland, to work closely with all the relevant stakeholders and to ensure consistency of national practice. Details about the Group and the progress made during its first year can be viewed here. A working group has also been established to take forward and action proposals from the Strategy Group.
Teacher induction scheme
The Teacher Induction Scheme is a national induction programme for newly qualified, Scottish trained teachers, which has gained international recognition. It guarantees a one-year teaching post in a Scottish local authority, with teachers being allocated to one of five local authorities of their choosing. Teachers on the programme have a maximum class commitment time equal to 70% that of a full-time teacher, with the rest of the time devoted to their professional development. All have access to the services of an experienced teacher as a mentor.
By the end of their one-year induction, teachers should be ready to gain full registration with the General Teaching Council for Scotland.
More information is available in this leaflet.