Secondary teachers ‘must be at heart’ of education reforms in Scotland

Secondary academics “must be at the heart” of the Scottish Government’s training reforms, a union chief is to say.

Catherine Nicol, president of the Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Affiliation (SSTA), will tackle delegates at the union’s 77th Once-a-year Congress in Crieff on Friday.

Nicol is set to accept the hardships confronted by secondary college lecturers for the duration of the coronavirus pandemic – in the course of which once-a-year exams were being cancelled and total courses and 12 months teams ended up sent property due to infection or minimal personnel figures.

A report from the Organisation for Financial Co-operation and Enhancement (OECD) into Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence prompted the determination for the country’s tests board, the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), to be scrapped.

Education and learning Scotland, the national entire body tasked with improving upon the high quality of the country’s education program, is also set to have its inspection powers stripped subsequent a report from academic Professor Ken Muir.

The adjustments are because of to occur into impact in 2024.

“The pretty nature of instruction is in problem,” Nicol is expected to say. “Incorporation of vocational classes is identified as for.

“When curriculum modify requires area, there is an opportunity to develop course written content that would help the assortment of in a natural way happening proof that can be made use of to guidance expert judgments on progress and stage of attainment.

“Factors such as the architecture of the college day, the composition of the tutorial yr, and things to do unrelated to immediate training of coursework have to be taken into account.”

The operating ailments of teachers are the understanding problems for younger men and women, which Nicol will say “cannot be overstated”.

Nicol will say the new independent inspectorate “must instil a good quality assurance lifestyle that is based mostly on supervision in the supportive feeling of the word”.

Having said that, she will accept that “many in the profession will not be certain that classes have been learned”.

“Teachers should push for total inclusion in decision-building processes,” she will tell delegates, including that an emphasis on supporting teachers in purchase to fulfil main duties will be “vital”.

The union will “stand prepared to just take action” if the future fork out supply to its academics is not “enough to retain our typical of living”, she will say.

“The marketing campaign for a 10% pay back improve in 2022-23 has begun,” delegates will be told, with Nicol referring to the past fork out present as “derisory and considerably down below what we would have chosen to accept”.

The congress will run on Friday and Saturday.