As the sector body responsible for the training and development of the children’s workforce in schools in England, we play a central role in supporting the workforce to help children meet the five outcomes of the Every Child Matters agenda. The Children’s Plan further sets out the Government’s ambitions for children and young people in terms of their well-being and attainment and the TDA plays a critical role in achieving these ambitions.
As our sponsor department, the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) identifies our priorities for the year ahead in the annual remit letter. The development of a new qualification for teachers: the masters in teaching and learning is a significant responsibility that will help us raise the quality and status of teaching. But other key themes have emerged and we will work closely with the DCSF, other government departments, local authorities and other partners to ensure:
- High quality teaching and learning in every classroom
- Ongoing workforce reform in schools to secure effective staff deployment that addresses local needs
- Cooperation between, and integration of, schools and other children’s services
- Support for the development and roll out of extended schools
- Training and development opportunities for support staff
- An increase in the number and quality of science, technology, engineering and maths teachers
- Support for special educational needs and disability training for the workforce
This is a challenging agenda but our commitment to workforce development and reform will help schools improve well being and standards for all children and young people and their families.
View more tdaNews for May 2008
