Examination of Witnesses (Questions 740-741)
MS MIRIAM
ROSEN, MS
EILEEN VISSER,
MR DAVID
CURTIS, MS
JOAN BAXTER
AND MR
RALPH TABBERER
8 MARCH 2006
Q740 Chairman: Briefly.
Mr Curtis: We highlighted the
professional development issues when we took on our new extended
CPD remit from the Government just a year ago when the Department
asked the Agency to contribute more in policy and support in the
CPD area. We have been looking at the standards that have been
used for teachers at different stages in their careers. We are
currently in consultation on these standards, but it is our intention
to endeavour to strengthen expectations at different stages in
the career of teachers so that we are reinforcing much more. The
assessment skills, the diagnostics, the early assessment, the
interventions, the ability to apply these regimes are something
that are part of the progression of every teacher if they want
to go up to "senior" teacher and "excellent"
teacher status. It is very important that the Committee keeps
an eye on those standards as a further potential lever for putting
over the message that this is something we need to get stronger.
At the moment we accept that professional development in this
area is patchy and does need serious attention.
Q741 Jeff Ennis: A very quick supplementary
to the point that Dave has just raised in terms of the collaboration
between maintained schools (that is both mainstream and specialist
schools) and independent sector specialist schools. Are we building
up more opportunities for in-service training between the independent
sector and the maintained sector and is it important that we do
that—the National Autistic Society schools and that sort
of thing?
Mr Tabberer: It
is important that we do it. There is some but you will not be
satisfied with the level. One of the good things that is happening
though at the moment is there is a very high level of discussion,
negotiation and consultation going on between different bodies.
It is being handled very well. It is not the normal exchange of
lobbies and defence. Everybody is ready to step up and work together
on this. I do not think you are going to find that people are
inventing barriers to fall over.
Chairman: I am afraid we are going to
have to stop there. We could have asked you lots more questions.
You have been wonderful added value to the Committee's inquiry.
I wish we could go on longer but we want everybody to appear before
the Committee and I do not want John Bangs and the teachers' unions
to stage a walk-out because they are not getting enough time!
I very much wanted to ask you whether you were worried about SENCOs
increasingly not being trained teachers but perhaps you could
write me a note about that.
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