2. The McCrone Agreement and the Importance of CPD
CPD from 1998 to present
The Sutherland Report (1997) on the education and training of teachers made recommendations to improve the quality of CPD for teachers. The report highlighted the lack of a clear agreed framework for the development of Scottish teachers throughout their career. The government initiated a consultation exercise (SOEID, 1998) which might contain "guidance for teachers, schools, and education authorities on the competences, standards and qualifications required in the wide range of teaching and management roles that teachers undertake at different stages in their careers". SEED proposed four standards for teachers as part of a national framework for CPD. These standards would be for:
- initial teacher education;
- full registration;
- the 'expert' teacher and
- the Scottish Qualification for Headship.
The consultation followed the then usual pattern of a series of questions being included with the proposals and an invitation to interested parties to respond by a particular date. Responses to this consultation broadly welcomed the establishment of a framework. CPD was to be regarded as a continuum, offering opportunities for development at every stage of teachers' careers viz. probation, experienced class teacher, promoted posts, specific roles and management. Summarising the consultation, in December 1999, SEED concluded "the responses received are sufficiently encouraging for the Department to proceed towards the development of a national framework of CPD".
The McCrone Report (SEED, 2000) and subsequent Agreement (SEED, 2001) are watersheds in the new arrangements for teacher CPD. A Framework for CPD has emerged since 2001: There are now 4 sets of standards:
- ITE (SOED, 1993; SEED, 2001a)
- Standard for Full Registration
Standard for Full Registrationhttp://www.gtcs.org.uk/gtcs-content/docs/Standard%20for%20Full%20Registration.pdf
- Standard for Chartered Teachers
- Standard for Headship
These standards provide a framework which act as benchmarks for newly qualified teachers leading to a guaranteed paid induction year; provide a gate-keeping function for full registration with GTCS, without which no teacher can be employed; provide financial incentive to become an expert teacher through the Chartered Teacher route; and provide training and preparation for school heads or principals. Additionally McCrone stressed the importance of an entitlement of CPD for teachers and this has heralded a plethora of new developments in EAs, universities and other providers in relation to non-award bearing CPD and different modes of delivery.
The McCrone Agreement can be downloaded below.
Building Capacity, Continuing Professional Development (CPD)