There are four strands to the professional learning programme provided by the Authority to ensure that Probationer Teachers can examine core, specific and additional skills which will enable them to achieve the Standards for Full Registration (SFR).

The programme takes account of the advice provided by the General Teaching Council of Scotland (GTCS) and should support coverage of the three areas of the SFR.

Strand 1A core programme of experiences provided by the Authority. Attendance at these sessions is compulsory. See Appendix 1.

Strand 2East Renfrewshire Council (ERC) and the University of Glasgow have been funded by the Scottish Government to provide a professional enquiry course aimed at supporting and developing masters level learning during the induction year. This course has a targeted audience and participation is voluntary. See Appendix 2 for more details.

Strand 3A small scale professional enquiry task organised by the Authority which is directly related to aspects of the SFR. This professional development and learning opportunity aims to support the probationer develop skills in using research, enquiry and reflection and integrate them into their daily practice. Participation in this strand is compulsory. See Appendix 3 for more details. Probationers who participate in theprofessional enquiry masters course referred to in Strand 2 above do not require to undertake this task.

Strand 4This strand will be completed in school by the probationer with support from the school supporter and will be based on self-evaluation. Over the course of the year this strand will have several elements:

a)Evaluations and target setting at regular intervals during which the probationer and supporter will evaluate progress against agreed targets. Initial targets will be based on self-evaluation using the GTCS documentation and the probationer’s Initial Teacher Education (ITE) profile. Subsequent evaluation will be based on the targets set and the SFR.

b)The two self-evaluation periods for the GTCS profile:

August to DecemberInterim Profile

January to JuneFinal Profile.

In order to ensure that progress is satisfactory throughout the year it is advisable that self-evaluation with the supporter should take place in August, October, December, April and June.

c)Specific in-school experiences organised by the supporter in response to development needs identified in the professional development action plan and from self-evaluation.

d)Specific personal experiences in response to identified and agreed development needs.

Strand 1

The following core professional learning opportunities take place on a Tuesday and Thursday from August 2015 – March 2016. The times of thesesessions are as follows:

Morning session: 9.30am – 12.30pm

Afternoon session: 1.30pm – 4.30pm.

Attendance at these sessions is compulsory.

Please note:

  • Thursday sessions are a repeat of Tuesday sessions and afternoon sessions are a repeat of the morning sessions.
  • Therefore, there are four opportunities to experience each session.
  • All sessions feature in the professional learning catalogue and attendance should be registered electronically.

Date

/ Course Title / Venue
Tues 25 Aug 2015 / Promoting Positive Relationships / Williamwood HS
Thurs 27 Aug 2015 / Promoting Positive Relationships / Williamwood HS
Tues 8 Sept 2015 / Formative Assessment / Eastwood HS
Thurs 10 Sept 2015 / Formative Assessment / Eastwood HS
Tues 6 Oct 2015 / Child Protection / St Luke’s HS
Thurs 8 Oct 2015 / Child Protection / St Luke’s HS
Tues 3 Nov 2015 / Meeting Learners Needs / Williamwood HS
Thurs 5 Nov 2015 / Meeting Learners Needs / Williamwood HS
Tues 8 Dec 2015 / Health & Wellbeing / Williamwood HS
Thurs 10 Dec 2015 / Health & Wellbeing / Williamwood HS
Tues 5 Jan 2016 / Interview Skills / Williamwood HS
Thurs 7 Jan 2016 / Interview Skills / Williamwood HS
Tues 1 March 2016 / National Qualifications (Secondary) / Williamwood HS

Strand 2

Professional Enquiry Masters Course

Rationale

This session East Renfrewshire Council (ERC) and the University of Glasgow have been funded by the Scottish Government to provide a course aimed at supporting and developing masters level learning during the induction year.

Target Audience

The course is targeted at probationer teachers who have no masters credits on graduating from University. Participation in this course is voluntary.

Probationer teachers who successfully complete the course will acquire 40 credits towards a masters level qualification. For teachers working towards a full masters degree in the future, this course is part of and provides automatic entry onto a choice of two masters programmes at the University of Glasgow.

Professional Enquiry Masters Course Design

The course is designed to support the work of the induction year and as an entry to masters level study.

The course has a blended design with the provision of masters level tuition and professional learning support within the ERC probationer teacher induction programme.

The content of the course will include:

–Masters level tuition and professional learning support delivered by the University of Glasgow;

–University of Glasgow provision of assessment support; and

–University of Glasgow provision of supervision for individual development projects.

At the heart of the course is a reflective and structured approach to learning through undertaking a project aimed at developing an aspect of practice or responding to a development need identified by school or faculty / department self-evaluation and improvement planning with benefits to pupils a central goal. Projects must be agreed with the Head Teacher or Supporter / Principal Teacher of the Department / Faculty.

An initial information meeting will take place on Tuesday 18 August 2015 in Williamwood HS from

2 – 3pm.

Teacher self-evaluation and the collection of evidence will be integral to all project designs. Undertaking this course will support probationer teachers towards confidence and capacity in improvement focused enquiry. Evidence of individual teacher impact will require to be collated and benefits to pupils arising from the teacher’s improvement project will also be reviewed.

Assessment for the Professional Enquiry Masters Course

The assessment for this course is designed in three parts. Probationer teachers must successfully submit:

1.A Development Project Report and Summary Report (90% of course grade);

2.One Reflective Study Task (10% of course grade); and

3.A Reflective Journal (Pass/Fail).

Learning Outcome / Assessment Evidence
Engage with the complexities of action research approaches. /
  • Development Project
  • Reflective Study Task

Undertake an enquiry based approach to aspects of professional practice. /
  • Development Project

Reflect on their development as an early career teacher. /
  • Development Project
  • Reflective Journal

Discuss the nature of critical reflection. /
  • Reflective Study Task
  • Reflective Journal

Articulate a secure understanding of the Standard for Full Registration. /
  • Reflective Journal

In addition to the assessment elements above probationer teachers must achieve the Standard for Full Registration before being eligible for the 40 credits from this course.

How to Apply

Probationer teachers interested in participating in the course should discuss their participation with their Supporter / Principal Teacher of Department / Faculty and attend the information meeting on Tuesday 18 August 2015from 2-3pm in Williamwood HS.

The application form attached should be completed and submitted by the probationer teacher to Maureen Sneddon, Quality Improvement Officer, at by Tuesday 1September 2015. Both the probationer teacher and the Head Teacher should sign and date the application form.

Professional Enquiry Masters Course for Probationer Teachers

Application Form

Name
School / Stage / Subject
Give 3 reasons why you wish to participate in the Professional Enquiry Masters Course (no more than 150 words).

Name of Probationer:Date:
Head Teacher:Date:

Strand 3
ERC Small Scale Professional Enquiry
Rationale
This session probationer teacherswill carry out a small-scale professional enquiry / action research task which is of interest and of value to them, their school and their professional development and learning. The task is directly related to aspects of the SFR.
This professional development and learning opportunity aims to support the probationer develop skills in using research, enquiry and reflection and integrate them into their daily practice. In addition, it will help to develop the knowledge, skills, dispositions and understanding required to become the kind of teacher who is able to question, challenge, understand and demonstrate their professional values
Participation in this strand is compulsory. Probationers who participate in theprofessional enquiry masters coursedo not require to undertake this task.
What is Professional Enquiry?
Professional enquiry is the process whereby a reflective teacher evaluates the impact on their pupils’ learning or any change to or development in their own classroom practice.
Professional enquiry encompasses:
  • Identifying a need or focus for change;
  • Examining relevant classroom based evidence
  • Researching the topic / focus
  • Planning and implementing change; and
  • Gathering evidence in order to monitor and evaluate impact.

The Focus for the ERC Professional Enquiry

The focus should be identified from:

  • A target specified in the probationer’s Professional Development Action Plan agreed in December;
  • A development need identified in the key strengths and areas for development in the action plan;
  • An aspect of practice identified as a result of an observed lesson; or
  • An area which has been introduced in a professional learning session at school, cluster or authority level.

Professional enquiry provides a structure to allow the types of reflective conversations / dialogue that the probationer will have with their supporter in relation to their classroom practice.

The enquiry should have a manageable focus, such as:

  • An aspect of literacy or numeracy across learning / in the context of the broad general education;
  • The impact of the design principles on the curriculum;
  • Pupil voice in an area of the curriculum.

The ERC Professional Enquiry Period

The professional enquiry implementation period should be approximately 4-6 weeks.

An initial information session regarding the ERC professional enquiry task will take place in November 2015, date and venue to be confirmed.

Outline of the ERC Professional Enquiry Task

Report Structure

The professional enquiry report should be no more than 3 pages of A4 with diagrams and photographs if appropriate.

The report should be written using the headings:

  • Professional Enquiry Title
  • Author
  • Objectives
  • Methodology
  • Implementation
  • Evaluation and Impact
  • Next Steps.

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