The move follows an independent Government-commissioned review of teaching skills by Sally Coates, principal of Burlington Danes Academy in West London.
Ministers considered the previous standards vague and ambiguous and the new standards are intended to be practical and clear about the competencies that all teacher should have.
These standards replace those currently required to achieve qualified teacher status (QTS) and core standards needed to pass induction.
The Government has accepted the Review of Teachers’ Standards’ recommendations from its first report published today.
They include:
- improving the rigor of teaching standards, with a focus on the essential teaching skills needed in the classroom
- a single set of standards for all teachers, reducing the number of standards
- setting a clear expectation that teachers must not undermine fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.
The six standards state that a teacher must: set high expectations which inspire, motivate and challenge pupils; promote good progress and outcomes by pupils; demonstrate good subject and curriculum knowledge; plan and teach well structured lessons; adapt teaching to respond to the strengths and needs of all pupils; and make accurate and productive use of assessment.
Included within the standard for demonstrating good subject and curriculum knowledge is the requirement that teachers who are teaching early reading ‘demonstrate a clear understanding of systematic synthetic phonics’.
Education secretary Michael Gove said, ‘The old standards placed a premium on bland statements and platitudes over practical use for teachers and they had to be improved. Sally and her team have produced a new set of standards with real teeth. They set clear expectations about the skills that every teacher in our schools should demonstrate.
‘They will make a significant improvement to teaching by ensuring teachers can focus on the skills that matter most.’
Greg Wallace, executive principal of the Best Start Federation of schools in Hackney, and a member of the review panel, said, ‘We’ve been using synthetic phonics as our primary ‘learn to read’ strategy for the last decade. Over that period I’ve consistently seen synthetic phonics serve children with a very wide range of needs incredibly well.
‘Given what we know about the effective teaching of reading, the expectation that all primary teachers should know how to use this method expertly is long overdue. I am thrilled to see the use of synthetic phonics enshrined in the new national standards for teachers because all children have the right to be taught to read as early – and as quickly – as possible.’
However, NUT said that the review undermined the teaching profession.
General secretary Christine Blower said, ‘Time and again we see the standard of teaching in this country being undermined by reviews and Government edicts whose sole intent appears to be to come up with yet another new set of criteria on which to judge teachers. The starting point always appears to be that no teacher actually knows what they are doing.
"No one would dispute that some of the key purposes and recommendations of this report, such as teachers needing core skills in managing behaviour, are essential skills and knowledge needed for teaching. The point, however, is that these standards already exist. The teaching profession will not be radically overhauled as a result of their inclusion in the review.’
She added, ‘The numerous points and so-called examples that teachers will have to demonstrate they are working towards gives lie to the fact that the Government wants to streamline the system. This new set of criteria will be yet another set of hoops teachers have to jump through despite the purpose of them being vague and open to interpretation.’
Philip Parkin, general secretary of Voice, the union for education professionals, said,
‘The standards are intended as a minimum professional benchmark for all teachers from NQT upwards and, as such, preclude any sense of development within the profession. We doubt whether all the standards can be reasonably met by a newly qualified teacher or by centrally-employed or supply teachers.
‘Voice is wary of the inclusion of specific teaching methods masquerading as standards, and the implication that managers should also be assessing teachers’ conduct outside school.’
The second phase of the review, starting this month, will look at the standards required for advanced skills teachers and excellent teachers.
