How to Apply

Introduction

The report of the Chartered Teacher Review Group and its recommendations were fully endorsed by the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning.

One of the recommendations stated that,

'To be eligible to embark on the Chartered Teacher (CT) scheme a teacher must be at the at the top of the main grade pay scale, be fully registered with the GTCS and have maintained a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) portfolio, which itself must include robust, validated evidence of good classroom practice.'

It went on to add that, 'The GTCS will issue guidelines on the construction of a portfolio.'

In response to this recommendation the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) has included within the application for entry to the Chartered Teacher Programme a requirement that the teacher demonstrates and evidences their professional knowledge and ability related to the Standard for Full Registration (SFR) and their capacity to move beyond this to the Standard for Chartered Teacher (SCT).

Crucial to this process is the Professional Review and Development (PRD) process where teachers can discuss their progress related to the Standard for Full Registration and their suitability for the Chartered Teacher Programme. Also for discussion will be the professional learning and development required to support them either to prepare for entry to the CT programme or to apply and begin a course of study leading to the award of Chartered Teacher.

The new application form for entry to the Chartered Teacher Programme from the GTCS requires the support from the reviewer to be recorded on the form. Not only should this enhance the status of Chartered Teachers within the profession but also confirm that these teachers are supported professionally through PRD as they embark on the CT programme.

Within the current eligibility criteria for Chartered Teacher is the requirement that the teacher has maintained a CPD portfolio. The GTCS is in agreement with the review group that this remains important and that greater clarity and rigour should be applied to this good practice

The GTCS is therefore providing the following guidelines on the construction of the portfolio.

The Purpose of the Continuing Professional Development Portfolio within the Professional Review and Development Discussion

As part of the Government publication:

• Professional Review and Development, (December 2003)

advice has already been provided for Teachers in Scotland on the development of a CPD Portfolio and the intention of what follows is to supplement that information giving a specific focus for those wishing to embark on the Chartered Teacher Programme.

A professional portfolio is a place where a teacher will reflect on professional practice, identify learning and development needs required to support and improve professional practice and plan further professional development.

The particular purposes of the portfolio for prospective Chartered Teachers are:

• To demonstrate and evaluate the teacher's practice in teaching and learning related to attaining and maintaining satisfactory professional competence against the SFR.
• To record and evidence the teacher's own professional development and practice related to SFR.
• To reflect on and critically analyse recent Professional Learning and Development and its impact on learners, through providing successful teaching and learning.
• To embed meaningfully and systematically the Professional Standards within the teacher's CPD.
• To encourage the teacher to identify, monitor and evaluate progress towards their own learning objectives and, within the Professional Standards framework, actively consider knowledge and evidence relating to an appropriate level of preparation to commence working towards attaining the Standard for Chartered Teacher.
• To identify and plan next steps for the teacher's future professional development related to the Professional Standards and, through agreement with the reviewer, the support required to enable this progress.

To summarise, the Portfolio will be a central focus for discussion within the teacher's Professional Review and Development. It is expected that a teacher would demonstrate, through a process of self evaluation, critical analysis and evidence of impact, his/her progress related to the SFR and then consider readiness for moving towards the Standard for Chartered Teacher together with the support that will be required from the line manager.

The Portfolio will include the evidence to substantiate the progress of the teacher and that he/she is suitably prepared and supported to begin a Chartered teacher Programme.

Relevant advice on the possible content and format of a Portfolio has already been provided in the Professional Review and Development publication mentioned above and prospective Chartered Teachers should also refer to it.

It is not expected that the teacher would submit the portfolio to the GTCS but rather that this evidence be agreed and signed off by the reviewer and retained by the teacher. A template is attached which can be used as a resource to guide and support the PRD discussions. This template records the teacher's progress within the Standard for Full Registration, readiness for the CT standard and confirms the support agreed between the teacher and the reviewer. There is no necessity to complete or send this template to the GTCS. It is simply a resource to be used if found to be helpful for the teacher and reviewer within the PRD process.

• Download the Guidelines to support the Application for Entry to the CT Programme (MS Word)
• Download the Support Guide for PRD Discussions (MS Word)