Annex
A
QTS Standards
S1: Professional values and practice
To gain QTS, trainees must show that they understand and
uphold the principles of the General Teaching Council for Wales’s ‘Statement of
Professional Values and Practice’ by demonstrating all of the following:
S1.1 They understand
the diverse learning needs of learners and endeavour to provide the best
possible education for them to maximise their potential, whatever their
individual aspirations, personal circumstances or cultural, linguistic,
religious and ethnic backgrounds.
S1.2 They demonstrate
the professionalism to ensure that relationships with learners are built on
mutual trust and respect and to recognise that this will help maximise their
learning potential.
S1.3 They demonstrate
combinations of professional characteristics which aim to motivate and inspire learners
and secure their intellectual and personal development.
S1.4 They recognise
the importance of communicating information and expectations clearly and sensitively
to parents and guardians and of fostering positive relationships between home
and school.
S1.5 They endeavour to
promote the place of the school within the wider community.
S1.6 They recognise
and understand the contribution provided by and needed from support staff and
other professionals in the learning process.
S1.7 They are able to
contribute to the wider development of the school and profession and are aware
of the importance of maintaining up-to-date professional knowledge,
understanding and skills and are able to reflect on their own practice. They
recognise their own needs and take responsibility for their continuing
professional development.
S1.8 They are aware
of, and work within, the statutory frameworks relating to teachers’ responsibilities.
S2: Knowledge and understanding
To gain QTS, trainees must demonstrate all of the
following:
S2.1 They have a secure knowledge and understanding of the
subject(s)
they are trained to teach. For those
qualifying to teach at Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4 and post-16 levels this
knowledge and understanding should be at a standard equivalent to degree
level. In relation to specific phases,
this includes:
(a)
for the Foundation Phase, that they:
(i)
know and understand the Framework for
Children’s Learning for 3 to 7-year-olds in Wales;
(ii) know
and understand the seven areas of learning that form the Foundation Phase
curriculum, which are: Personal and Social Development, Well Being and Cultural
Diversity; Language, Literacy and Communication Skills; Mathematical
Development; Welsh Language Development; Knowledge and Understanding of the
World; Physical Development; Creative Development;
(iii) make
good use of any guidance produced or approved by the Welsh Assembly Government
to support the development of the seven areas of learning and the child
development profile; and
(iv)
know and understand the most recent national
guidance on developing thinking, communication, ICT and number skills, for
example that set out in the Skills Framework for 3 to 19-year-olds in Wales;
(b) for Key Stage 2, that they:
(i)
know and understand the National Curriculum for
mathematics, science, and English, and, for those on ITT courses run through
the medium of Welsh, Welsh (as a first language);
(ii) have
sufficient understanding of a range of work across the following subjects
-
history
-
geography
-
information and
communication technology (ICT)
-
art and design
-
design and technology
-
music
-
physical education
-
Welsh as a second
language
-
personal and social
education (PSE)
-
religious education
to be able to teach them
in the age range for which they are trained, with advice from an experienced
colleague where necessary;
(iii) know
and understand the most recent national guidance on developing thinking,
communication, ICT and number skills, for example that set out in the Skills
Framework for 3 to 19-year-olds in Wales; and
(iv) are
familiar with the principles of the guidance material in Raising Standards:
Transition from Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 3;
(c) for Key Stage 3, that:
(i)
they know and understand the relevant National
Curriculum Programme(s) of Study and the most recent national guidance on developing
thinking, communication, ICT and number skills, for example that set out in the
Skills Framework for 3 to 19-year-olds in Wales; and
(ii) if
they are qualifying to teach one or more of the core subjects, they are
familiar with the principles of Aiming for Excellence in Key Stage 3 and
with the subsequent guidance materials Raising Standards in Literacy and
Numeracy; Raising Standards in Information and Communication Technology;
and Raising Standards: Transition from Key Stage 2 to Key Stage3;
(d) for Key Stage 4 and post-16, that:
(i)
if their courses cover Key Stage 4, they know and understand the relevant National
Curriculum Programme(s) of Study;
(ii) they are aware of the collaborative local curriculum
providing choice and progression through the 14-19 phase in school, college and
work-based settings;
(iii) they are aware that Learning Pathways include
programmes from the local curriculum, the statutory National Curriculum
requirements at Key Stage 4, the Learning Core and wider experiences;
(iv) they know and understand the most recent national
guidance on developing thinking, communication, ICT and number skills, for
example that set out in the Skills Framework for 3 to 19-year-olds in Wales;
(v) they are familiar with the National Qualifications Frameworks;
(vi) they know the progression within and from their own
subject and the range of qualifications to which their subject contributes; and
(vii) they understand how courses are combined in learners’
curricula.
S2.2 They know and understand the National Curriculum
aims and guidelines; in particular:
(i)
they know and understand the requirements and
entitlements set out in the Including all
Learners statement that appears at the beginning of each National Curriculum
subject order and framework;
(ii) they
know and understand the values, aims and purposes and the general teaching
requirements set out in Making the most of learning – implementing the
revised curriculum, the Skills Framework for 3 to 19-year-olds in Wales
and Skills across the curriculum;
(iii) as
relevant to the age range they are trained to teach, they understand that, in
Wales, learners aged 7-14 should be given opportunities, where appropriate, to
develop and apply their knowledge and understanding of the cultural, economic,
environmental, historical and linguistic characteristics of Wales (the
Curriculum Cymreig) and learners aged 14-19 should have opportunities for
active engagement in understanding the political, social, economic and cultural
aspects of Wales as part of the world as a whole (Wales, Europe and the World);
(iv) as
relevant to the age range they are trained to teach they are familiar with the Personal
and Social Education Framework for 7 to 19-year-olds in Wales, Careers
and the world of work: a framework for 11 to 19-year-olds in Wales and the locally
agreed syllabus for religious education;
(v) they
are familiar with the most recent national guidance on education for sustainable
development and global citizenship.
S2.3 They are aware of
expectations, typical curricula and teaching arrangements in the Key Stages or
phases before and after the ones they are trained to teach.
S2.4 They understand
how learners’ physical, intellectual, linguistic, social, cultural and
emotional development can affect their learning.
S2.5 They know how to
use ICT effectively, both to teach their subject and to support their wider
professional role.
S2.6 They understand
their responsibilities under the SEN Code of Practice for Wales and know how to seek advice from specialists
on less common types of special educational needs.
S2.7 They know a range
of strategies to promote good behaviour and establish a purposeful learning
environment.
S3: Teaching
S3.1 Planning, expectations and targets
To gain QTS, trainees must demonstrate all of the
following:
S3.1.1 They set challenging teaching and learning objectives which
are relevant to all learners in their classes.
They base these on their knowledge of:
(a) the learners;
(b) evidence of their past and current achievement;
(c) the expected standards for learners of the relevant age
range; and
(d) the range and content of work relevant to learners in that
age range.
S3.1.2 They use these
teaching and learning objectives to plan lessons, and sequences of lessons,
showing how they will assess learners’ knowledge, skills and understanding. They take account of and support learners’ varying
needs so that all those they teach can make good progress.
S3.1.3 They select and
prepare resources, and plan for their safe and effective organisation, taking
account of learners’ interests and their language and cultural backgrounds,
with the help of support staff where appropriate.
S3.1.4 They take part
in, and contribute to, teaching teams, as appropriate to the school. Where applicable, they plan for the
deployment of additional adults who support learning in children and young people.
S3.1.5 As relevant to
the age range they are trained to teach, they are able to plan opportunities
for those they teach to learn in out-of-school contexts, such as school visits,
museums, theatres, field-work and employment-based settings, with the help of
other staff where appropriate.
S3.2 Monitoring and assessment
To gain QTS, trainees must demonstrate all of the
following:
S3.2.1 They make
appropriate use of a range of monitoring and assessment strategies to evaluate learners’
progress towards planned learning objectives, and use this information to
improve their own planning and teaching.
S3.2.2 They monitor
and assess as they teach, giving immediate and constructive feedback to support
learners as they progress. They involve learners
in reflecting on, evaluating and improving their own performance.
S3.2.3 They are able
to assess learners’ progress accurately using, as relevant, the Foundation
Phase Outcomes, National Curriculum level descriptions, National Curriculum
outcomes, criteria from national qualifications, the requirements of awarding
bodies or
objectives from the relevant guidance.
They may have guidance from an experienced teacher where appropriate.
S3.2.4 They identify
and support more able and talented learners, those who are working below
age-related expectations, those who are failing to achieve their potential in
learning, and those who experience behavioural, emotional and social difficulties. They may have guidance from an experienced
teacher where appropriate.
S3.2.5 With the help
of an experienced teacher, they can identify the levels of attainment of those
learning English or Welsh where this is the language in which they are
being taught and is different from the
language or form of language of their home. They begin to analyse the language demands
and learning activities in order to provide cognitive challenge as well as
language support.
S3.2.6 They record learners’
progress and achievements systematically to provide evidence of the range of
their work, progress and attainment over time.
They use this to help learners review their own progress and to inform
planning.
S3.2.7 They are able
to use records as a basis for reporting on learners’ attainment and progress
orally and in writing, concisely, informatively and accurately for parents,
carers, other professionals and learners.
S3.3 Teaching and class management
To gain QTS, trainees must demonstrate all of the
following:
S3.3.1 They have high
expectations of learners and build successful relationships, centred on
teaching and learning. They establish a
purposeful learning environment where diversity is valued and where learners feel
secure and confident.
S3.3.2 They can teach the required or expected skills, knowledge,
and understanding relevant to the curriculum for learners in the age range for
which they are trained, and as relevant to the age range they are trained to
teach make appropriate use of the Curriculum Cymreig for learners aged
7-14 and Wales, Europe and the World for learners aged 14-19. In relation to
specific phases:
(a) those
qualifying to teach Foundation Phase children teach competently and
independently the seven areas of learning that form the Foundation Phase
curriculum and which are covered in the Framework for Children’s Learning
for 3 to 7-year-olds in Wales;
(b) those qualifying to
teach learners in Key Stage 2 teach the core subjects – mathematics, science,
English, and, for those on ITT courses run through the medium of Welsh, Welsh
(as a first language) – competently and independently. They also teach a range of work across the
following subjects:
-
history
-
geography
-
information and
communication technology (ICT)
-
art and design
-
design and technology
-
music
-
physical education
-
Welsh as a second
language
independently, with advice from
an experienced colleague where appropriate. All those qualifying to teach a
subject at Key Stage 2 must be able to use the skills and learning covered in
the Skills Framework for 3 to 19-year-olds in Wales in their teaching, as appropriate;
(c)
those qualifying to teach Key Stage 3
learners teach their specialist subject(s) competently and independently using
the National Curriculum programmes of study for Key Stage 3 and the relevant
guidance. Those qualifying to teach the
core subjects or ICT at Key Stage 3 use the relevant frameworks, methods and
expectations set out in the Aiming for Excellence in Key Stage 3
guidance. All those qualifying to teach
a subject at Key Stage 3 must be able to use the skills and learning covered in
the Skills Framework for 3 to 19-year-olds in Wales in their teaching, as appropriate to their specialist subject;
(d) those qualifying
to teach Key Stage 4 and post-16 learners teach their specialist subject(s)
competently and independently using, as relevant to the subject and age range,
the National Curriculum programmes of study and related schemes of work,
or programmes specified for national qualifications
(this could include work-related learning).
They also provide opportunities for learners to develop the skills and
learning covered in the Skills Framework for 3 to 19-year-olds in
Wales in their teaching, as appropriate to their
specialist subject.
S3.3.3 They teach clearly structured lessons or sequences of work
which interest and motivate learners and which:
(a) make learning objectives clear to learners;
(b) employ interactive teaching methods and collaborative group
work; and
(c)
promote active and
independent learning that enables learners to think for themselves, and to plan
and manage their own learning.
S3.3.4 They
differentiate their teaching to meet the needs of learners, including the more
able and talented, and those with special educational needs. They may have guidance from an experienced
teacher where appropriate.
S3.3.5 They are able
to support those learning English or Welsh where this is the language in
which they are being taught and is different
from the language or form of language of their home,
with the help of an experienced teacher where appropriate.
S3.3.6 They take
account of the varying interests, experiences and achievements of all those
they teach to help learners make good progress.
S3.3.7 They organise
and manage teaching and learning time effectively.
S3.3.8 They organise
and manage the physical teaching space, tools, materials, texts and other
resources safely and effectively with the help of support staff where
appropriate.
S3.3.9 They set high
expectations for learners’ behaviour and establish a clear framework for
classroom discipline to anticipate and manage learners’ behaviour
constructively, and promote self-control and independence.
S3.3.10 They use ICT
effectively in their teaching.
S3.3.11 They can take
responsibility for teaching a class or classes over a sustained and substantial
period of time. They are able to teach
across the age and ability range for which they are trained.
S3.3.12 They can
provide homework and other out-of-class work which consolidates and extends
work carried out in the class and encourages learners to progress independently.
S3.3.13 They work
collaboratively with specialist teachers and other colleagues and, with the
help of an experienced teacher as appropriate, manage the work of teaching
assistants or other adults to enhance the learning of those they teach.
S3.3.14 They recognise
and respond effectively to social inclusion and equal opportunities issues as
they arise in the classroom, including by challenging stereotyped views, and by
challenging bullying or harassment, following relevant policies and procedures.
S3.3.15 They take appropriate opportunities to teach
education for sustainable development and global citizenship in all relevant
aspects of their teaching.
