An ongoing process of learning before, during and after they qualify

Published on Friday 20 November 2009 21:46

PRIMARY &#149 Primary teachers can qualify through three different courses. &#149 A four-year Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree course is offered at six Scottish universities.

&#149 A joint four-year course in Professional Education (Primary) with additional specialisms is offered by Stirling University.

&#149 Those with a degree and Highers in both English and maths can study a one-year Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) course.

SECONDARY

&#149 Students with a degree in the subject they want to teach can enter secondary teaching via a one-year PGDE teaching course.

&#149 Techniques for handing difficult children and indisciplined classes are included, however, as in primary there is no compulsory element for dealing with children with learning difficulties, such as dyslexia, or other conditions, such as attention deficit disorder or autism.

&#149 Those without a degree can take a combined course that usually lasts for four years and consists of a main subject, the study of education and some school experience.

&#149 Those without a degree who want to teach physical education, music or technological education will need to take a separate, four-year Bachelor of Education (BEd) course in those subjects.

OTHER

&#149 Once qualified, all teachers must undergo a year in the classroom and must pass this "probation year" before becoming a full teacher.

&#149 After gaining experience, teachers can opt to become Chartered Teachers. They must pay for the qualification themselves, but successful candidates are rewarded with a pay rise. This option was originally created as a way of encouraging the best teachers to remain in the classroom, rather than seek promotion toward the headteacher's office.

&#149 Another qualification – the Standard for Headship – must be completed before teachers can take the top job in a school.

&#149 Continued Professional Development, or CPD, is often what your child's teacher will be doing on in-service days. This provides a valuable opportunity for teachers to be updated on specialist knowledge or receive training on the new Curriculum for Excellence. The education secretary, Fiona Hyslop, has created more in-service days to allow for this.