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Five-year licences for teachers Teachers face five-year licensing
(20 minutes later)
Teachers in England will need licences to practise which would have to be renewed every five years, under government plans.Teachers in England will need licences to practise which would have to be renewed every five years, under government plans.
The idea, to weed out weak teachers, is among plans in an education White Paper that will form the basis of new laws.The idea, to weed out weak teachers, is among plans in an education White Paper that will form the basis of new laws.
These would also give children a right to personalised tuition if they falter in their learning.These would also give children a right to personalised tuition if they falter in their learning.
There will also be "report cards" summarising schools' performances - an American idea, like renewable licences.There will also be "report cards" summarising schools' performances - an American idea, like renewable licences.
The package of measures was announced by the Children's Secretary Ed Balls as he published a White Paper entitled Your Child, Your Schools, Our Future: Building a 21st Century Schools System.The package of measures was announced by the Children's Secretary Ed Balls as he published a White Paper entitled Your Child, Your Schools, Our Future: Building a 21st Century Schools System.
'Not a problem''Not a problem'
The renewable licence will be introduced for newly-qualified teachers from next year. The renewable licence will be introduced from September 2010 for newly-qualified teachers and those who have been out of the classroom for some time.
WHITE PAPER: KEY POINTS Licence to teachTougher home-school agreementsSchool report cardsAccredited school groupsNew progress check in Year 7
To remain licensed, teachers will have to demonstrate that they have "up-to-date skills and learning to be effective in the classroom".To remain licensed, teachers will have to demonstrate that they have "up-to-date skills and learning to be effective in the classroom".
Mr Balls said: "This is not a problem we are addressing, although it may be that we will discover some teachers who do not make the grade and some who aren't re-licensed." The assessments would be carried out by head teachers in conjunction with the General Teaching Council for Teachers, with which all teachers already have to register.
Mr Balls told reporters: "This is not a problem we are addressing, although it may be that we will discover some teachers who do not make the grade and some who aren't re-licensed."
The general secretary of the NASUWT teaching union, Chris Keates, said licensing could give qualified teacher status "the long overdue recognition that it is a high status qualification" like those in medicine and law.The general secretary of the NASUWT teaching union, Chris Keates, said licensing could give qualified teacher status "the long overdue recognition that it is a high status qualification" like those in medicine and law.
"As for the five-year 'MOT', it is already NASUWT policy that head teachers who do not have regular contact with the classroom have to renew their qualified teacher status every five years."As for the five-year 'MOT', it is already NASUWT policy that head teachers who do not have regular contact with the classroom have to renew their qualified teacher status every five years.
"The priority for the first phase of the rollout of the licence should be those who have been out of touch with the classroom for some time.""The priority for the first phase of the rollout of the licence should be those who have been out of touch with the classroom for some time."
School 'brands'School 'brands'
It also calls for high performing schools and education providers to take over their less successful neighbours, creating chains of schools with a shared "brand" identity.It also calls for high performing schools and education providers to take over their less successful neighbours, creating chains of schools with a shared "brand" identity.
There will be a list of successful schools and organisations accredited to set up such chains - which would mean groups of primary and secondary schools with similar uniforms and brand names under a single executive head teacher.There will be a list of successful schools and organisations accredited to set up such chains - which would mean groups of primary and secondary schools with similar uniforms and brand names under a single executive head teacher.
The report cards for schools are seen as a future alternative to school league tables as a way for parents to judge schools.The report cards for schools are seen as a future alternative to school league tables as a way for parents to judge schools.
In a move that will dismay head teachers, the cards will bear a single overall grade.In a move that will dismay head teachers, the cards will bear a single overall grade.
They will rate schools in the context of their social intake and on measures of behaviour and attendance, as well as on test results.They will rate schools in the context of their social intake and on measures of behaviour and attendance, as well as on test results.
There will also be plans to allow parents of unruly pupils to be taken to court by schools.There will also be plans to allow parents of unruly pupils to be taken to court by schools.
This will support existing home-school agreements, which set out what is expected of parents and their children in the education system.This will support existing home-school agreements, which set out what is expected of parents and their children in the education system.
There will also be guarantees for pupils and parents over what schools provide, in areas such as access to individual tuition, a weekly quota of sports lessons and education and training places for 16-year-olds.There will also be guarantees for pupils and parents over what schools provide, in areas such as access to individual tuition, a weekly quota of sports lessons and education and training places for 16-year-olds.
The idea of renewable licences for teachers and supply teachers is the most radical proposal, and the one which had not been trailed in advance in some form.The idea of renewable licences for teachers and supply teachers is the most radical proposal, and the one which had not been trailed in advance in some form.
It is the way teachers and "substitutes" are regulated in the United States, though as with most things in the US school system the requirements vary from state to state.It is the way teachers and "substitutes" are regulated in the United States, though as with most things in the US school system the requirements vary from state to state.
Mr Balls visited New York and New Jersey last March, primarily to see how report cards were being used to grade schools.Mr Balls visited New York and New Jersey last March, primarily to see how report cards were being used to grade schools.