Press Release

PAT WELCOMES HMIe REPORT ON IMPLEMENTATION OF A TEACHING PROFESSION FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

09 January 2007

PAT Scotland has welcomed the HMIe report on the implementation of A Teaching Profession for the 21ST Century.

PAT Professional Officer (Scotland) Jim O’Neil said: “We can agree with the Minister and with the report in highlighting some of the positives which have arisen from the original McCrone report.

“Certainly, teachers in Scotland are now paid at a much better level than before 2001 and ‘industrial relations’ have, as a result, been much better.

“The induction scheme for newly trained teachers, whilst not an unqualified success, is an innovation that has led PAT to call for the introduction of similar schemes throughout the UK.

“However, the HMIe report is not without its criticisms of the way some facets of McCrone have been implemented and we could concur with these concerns. 

“We are delighted that the Minister also admits that there are areas which concern him and we acknowledge that he is already doing something about the failing Chartered Teacher scheme. 

“However, there are other areas which give our members equal concern, such as access to CPD, delivery of non-contact time and the deployment of classroom assistants.

“We look forward to a chance of honest dialogue to address the concerns not only of teachers but also the other members of the education team.”