The College of Teaching

In January, the Chartered College of Teaching – the new teacher-led professional body for teachers – opened its doors to members. Prior to its launch, the College hosted a series of focus groups with teachers representing the diverse range of educational settings including early years, primary, middle, secondary, pupil referral units, independent, special schools and further education. The aim of these focus group sessions was to identify teachers’ views on what the College could do for the teaching profession and how it can make a difference to teaching and learning.

The key issues highlighted covered teacher professionalism, access to high-quality research, credibility and sustainability and the sharing of classroom practice. Supporting teachers’ CPD is central to the College. This aligns with the Department for Education’s Standards for Teachers’ Professional Development (2016), which set out the expectations for keeping knowledge and skills up-to-date, and emphasises the importance of reflection and understanding for increasing the effectiveness of teaching and learning.