PAGE: 1 REPORT TO: CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE S SERVICES COMMITTEE ON 7 OCTOBER 2015 SUBJECT: BY: LEADERSHIP AND MASTERS LEVEL LEARNING FOR TEACHERS CORPORATE DIRECTOR (EDUCATION AND SOCIAL CARE) 1. REASON FOR REPORT 1.1 To inform the Committee of the new qualification for Headship from the Scottish College for Educational Leadership (SCEL) and opportunities for Masters level learning. 1.2 This report is submitted to Committee in terms of Section III C (1) of the Council's Scheme of Administration relating to exercising the functions of the Council as Education Authority. 2. RECOMMENDATION 2.1 The Committee is asked to: (i) consider and note the contents of this report for the new qualification for Headship and opportunities for Masters level learning 3. BACKGROUND 3.1 Following the Teaching Scotland s Future report by Graham Donaldson in 2010 the Scottish Government announced its intention to make it a requirement for all teachers appointed to their first Head Teacher post from session 2018/19 to hold the Into Headship qualification. This is a new headship preparation programme. SCEL now hold the responsibility for educational leadership across Scotland and for developing the new qualification. The new qualification is about preparing for, and supporting the transition into headship and was launched in September 2015. It is the intention of the Scottish Government that the post of head teacher will require a Masters degree in due course (180 credits). The number of credit points are a way of showing how much time it takes, on average, to complete a qualification or learning programme within the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF). 3.2 The Into Headship programme will form the middle module of a suite of programmes for the development of educational leadership in Scotland. It is
PAGE: 2 proposed that an Extended Induction programme will be developed in 2016 and a middle leadership programme will be developed during 2017. All programmes will be developed in consultation with Local Authorities and universities as well as SCEL. All programmes accrue 60 credits which will build towards the 180 credits required for headship. 3.3 Recruitment to the Into Headship programme in Moray was completed in July with four applicants being put forward and accepted for inclusion in the programme. 3.4 From April 2015 new applications for the Scottish Qualification for Headship and the Flexible Route to Headship (FRH) programmes became unavailable from universities and Education Scotland respectively. Teachers who successfully complete either of these programmes will have demonstrated that they have met the Standard for Headship. The Scottish Government has made it clear that there will be no requirement for teachers who hold the Standard to undertake the new qualification. Nor will there be a requirement for graduates from the FRH programme to have completed a Masters qualification. 3.5 The Scottish Government has recently announced further investment to support an increase in opportunities for teachers to undertake professional learning at (SCQF) level 11 (Master Level). The SCQF Level Descriptors describe in broad terms what learners should be able to do or demonstrate at a particular level). These funds will be released to universities based on the number of teachers in the university partnerships with Local Authorities. A bid by both Aberdeen University and University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) (our partnership universities) are being prepared for submission in August/September 2015. 3.6 The funds can only be allocated to tackle national priority areas, one of which is the middle leadership programme previously mentioned in paragraph 3.2. Other areas chosen by Moray are: Early phase research mentors; developing primary teachers skills in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics subjects. These have been identified as priorities to reflect the recommendations contained in the Teaching Scotland s Future report (2010) and will contribute to both national and local priorities. 4. SUMMARY OF IMPLICATIONS (a) Moray 2023: A Plan for the Future/Service Plan The contents of this report relate to Moray 2023 priority 3. (b) Policy and Legal Moray Framework for Professional Development and Educational Leadership 2014. Framework for Leadership Development 2015 (SCEL).
PAGE: 3 (c) Financial implications Into Headship programme - For the initial year the government is funding 2/3 of the cost of the programme with 1/3 to be paid by the participant. As leadership is a core priority for the authority the decision was made to pay the participant contribution centrally for the first year from the existing Professional Development budget. The cost for this 60 credit module is 3000 per candidate which has been set nationally. Information received from the Scottish Government indicates that this will become a 3 way split between the government, local authority and participant in the following years. The authority is therefore committed to paying 1000 per candidate in this and future years. In addition participants will be required to attend events provided by SCEL throughout Scotland as part of the programme and will therefore require travel and subsistence, which would be met from the existing Professional Development budget, although it is anticipated that the majority of delivery will be online. Master level learning The funding from Scottish Government is for the initial year only. Depending on which university and which programme is followed each 60 credit module would cost approximately 550 per module. In the initial year this would involve a financial commitment by the authority of between 50 and 100 per participant (numbers will be restricted to a maximum of between 3 and 10 participants depending on the programme). The financial commitment for the authority in future years is likely to be 1/3 of 550, assuming the 3 way split recommended by the Scottish Government and that university fees remain the same. The maximum anticipated cost to the authority will be 6000 per year. This will be met from the Professional Development budget. (d) Risk Implications Non-participation in the Into Headship programme would mean there were fewer staff suitably qualified within the authority able to apply for head teacher posts. There is the potential for a reduction in the number of qualified head teachers compounding the current recruitment situation.the authority would be unable to fill Head Teacher posts. The authority would be unable to develop teachers within the authority as recommended in the Teaching Scotland's Future report. There is also the potential for staff leaving the authority to pursue masters level learning in other authorities leading to a reduction in staff recruitment. The quality of teaching staff, and in particular promoted staff could fall.
PAGE: 4 (e) Staffing Implications The authority is required to provide a local authority coordinator who will be responsible for liaising with SCEL and developing the programmes with universities as well as coordinating and supporting coaches, Head Teacher mentors and participants through local networks. This falls within the current remit of an officer in Education and Social Care. The authority is required to provide a coach for each participant with the expectation that at least three meetings will be held during the programme and a Field Assessor to evaluate the project. A Headteacher Mentor with a participant on the programme will have specific tasks and responsibilities in supporting the participant. This represents significant, but as yet unquantifiable, time commitments for existing authority staff (central staff and head teachers). Training for head teachers and Local Authority coordinators will be provided by SCEL. (f) Property There are no property issues arising from this report. (g) Equalities Although the authority has sponsored participants in the initial year this is not sustainable as there is likely to be a financial commitment required from the authority by SCEL if government recommendations are followed. Therefore, candidates may need to be able to self finance participation in the programme. (h) Consultations The Corporate Director (Education and Social Care); Senior Officers in Education and Social Care; Deborah Brands, Principal Accountant; Margaret Forrest, Legal Services Manager (Litigation and Licensing); Katrina McGillivray, Senior Human Resources Adviser; Don Toonen, Equal Opportunities Officer; and Caroline Howie, Committee Services Officer have been consulted on this report and agree with the sections of the report relating to their areas of responsibility. 5. CONCLUSION 5.1 The Committee is invited to consider and note the contents of this report for the new qualification for Headship and opportunities for Masters
PAGE: 5 level learning, with particular regard to staffing, financial and risk implications. Author of Report: Background Papers: Ref: Janet Cornall, Education Support Officer