Priority Areas

The SCDE has six core areas of focus. These broadly align with national priorities and key areas for SCDE in relation to teacher education and the broader education landscape in Scotland.

The six areas are:

Recruitment and Initial Teacher Education (ITE) Entry
ITE/Early Phase Priorities: Placement, Curriculum and Pedagogy
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Research
Teacher Education as a Continuum
Education and System Reform

Work across these six areas enables SCDE to:

Represent the varied expertise and activity in the sector
Collaborate with partners and stakeholders across education
Engage, lead and contribute to robust research
Inform education policy and practice
Develop a collective voice in teacher education

Recruitment and ITE Entry

Recruitment into the profession is a key priority area for SCDE. We work with colleagues and stakeholders nationally and internationally to develop informed insights into global trends and issues impacting recruitment into the profession. SCDE is represented on the Teacher Workforce Planning and Advisory Group, works closely with the GTCS and is part of the relevant workstreams in the Strategic Board for Teacher Education. We have established a sub-group to focus specifically on the sector wide challenges and opportunities for future recruitment into ITE.

Area lead is Carrie McLennan.

Committees

SCDE have representatives on the following committees:

Strategic Board for Teacher Education (SBTE) Workstream with COSLA - Carrie McLennan
Teacher Workforce Planning Advisory Group (TWPAG) with Scottish Government - Carrie McLennan (Co-Chair)
Scottish Government Teacher Bursaries Advisory Group - Carrie McLennan

Networks and working groups

SCDE have established links with, and representatives on, the following networks and working groups:

ITE Recruitment Group - Catriona Regan and Carrie McLennan

ITE/Early Phase Priorities: Placement Curriculum and Pedagogy

This lead area reflects the wide range of priorities and areas of focus within the initial and early phase career stages for beginning and new teachers. SCDE works with other stakeholders and has a key role in the national student placement system, as well as representation on the Teacher Induction Scheme Oversight Group. We work with Education Scotland as part of our annual process of self-evaluation for ITE, planning and engaging in the Self-evaluation of ITE annual event. Importantly, SCDE has also established a number of sub-groups and networks to bring together colleagues across the sector to develop thinking and practices in core areas (Learning for Sustainability, Numeracy, Languages and Literacy, Digital Literacies). The SCDE has led the development and publication of a number of Frameworks for ITE in these areas.

Area lead is Catriona Macdonald.

Committees

SCDE have representatives on the following committees:

Self-Evaluation of ITE Organising Committee - Dr Jennifer Farrar
Scottish Learning Festival (SLF) - Dr Jennifer Farrar
Student Placement Management Group (SPMG) - Catherine Whitley
Student Placement System (SPS) Sub-group - Catherine Whitley
Teacher Induction Scheme Ongoing Review Group (TISORG) - Catherine Whitley
Joint Strategic Board for Children and Family Health - Tracy Stewart

Networks and working groups

SCDE have established links with, and representatives on, the following networks and working groups:

SCDE: Learning for Sustainability (LfS) Group - Prof Lizzie Rushton
SCDE: Languages Group - Dr Inge Birnie & Dr Francisco Valdera-Gil
SCDE: Maths in ITE Group - Tara Harper
Literacies Group (National Response to Improving Literacy, NRIL) - Louise Barrett
Numeracy Group (National Response to Improving Numeracy, NRIM) - Tara Harper
SCDE: Attainment Challenge - Prof Morag Redford

Relevant Frameworks for ITE

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)

EDI is a cross cutting issue for SCDE and a core priority area. SCDE has identified specific areas of focus, aligned to national priorities and policy. Notable work in this area include the recent launch of the SCDE National Anti-Racism in ITE Framework and establishing the Anti-Racism in ITE Network, co-chaired by SCDE and GTCS. The SCDE Scottish Universities Inclusion Group is very active and has taken a lead role in advancing work in inclusive practices in ITE and recently published the 3rd Framework for Inclusion.

Area lead is Louise Barrett.

Committees

SCDE have representatives on the following committees:

Anti-Racism in Education Programme (AREP) Board - Louise Barrett
AREP Leadership and Professional Learning workstream subgroup - Louise Barrett
AREP Diversity in the Teaching Profession and Education Workforce workstream subgroup - Louise Barrett

Networks and working groups

SCDE have established links with, and representatives on, the following networks and working groups:

SCDE: Scottish Universities Inclusion Group (SUIG) - Louise Barrett
Anti-Racism in ITE (ARITE) Network - Louise Barrett (Co-Chair with GTCS)
Scottish Advisory Group on Behaviour in School (SAGBIS) - Dr Gillean McCluskey
Gender Equality Taskforce in Education and Learning (GETEL) - Dr Heather Earnshaw

Relevant Frameworks for ITE

National ITE Autism Materials:

Autism Course Content Manual

Autism Toolbox Presentation

Research

SCDE member institutions make a significant contribution to educational research which is used to help inform and influence policy and practice in Scottish education, and beyond. SCDE promotes international collaborations and seeks to continue to advance and enhance research in education. SCDE has close links with the Scottish Educational Research Association (SERA) as well as a number of other national and international research Special Interest Groups (SIGs). SCDE is represented on the Scottish Government National Research Advisory Group.

Area Lead is Dr Stephen Day.

Committees

SCDE have representatives on the following committees:

National Advisory Group (NAG) - Dr Stephen Day
Scottish Education Council (Research) - Prof Mark Priestley

Networks and working groups

SCDE have established links with, and representatives on, the following networks and working groups:

Research Reference Group (Academic Reference Group for NAG) - Dr Stephen Day
Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Sustainable School Leadership Project: Scotland Research Advisory Group - Dr Zoè Robertson
Working Group on Scottish Government Plan for School Research - Dr Stephen Day
British Educational Research Association (BERA) Special Interest Group Teacher Preparation and Development (Scotland) - Dr Sarah Anderson
Scottish Educational Research Association (SERA)
SERA Connect
World Educational Research Association (WERA)

Relevant Frameworks for ITE

Measuring Quality in Initial Teacher Education (MQuITE)

Teacher Education as a Continuum

The SCDE recognises the critical importance of teacher education beyond initial qualification and post-probation. We strongly advocate for a coherent, structured and supported continuum for teacher education in Scotland which identifies the different needs for career-long learning and development for teachers, school and system leaders in education. We believe this should include supported and developmental pathways offering varied professional learning opportunities, including a core funded credit-bearing masters level offer. This should enable the development of specialist knowledge and expertise, for example in leadership, mentoring, pedagogy, curriculum, assessment, additional support needs and more.

SCDE is represented on the Strategic Board for Teacher Education and is progressing work in this area through the relevant workstreams. SCDE members also sit on various national groups relating to leadership development and mentoring for school based teacher educators.

Area Lead is Dr Zoè Robertson, with Dr Nicola Carse.

Committees

SCDE have representatives on the following committees:

Strategic Board for Teacher Education (SBTE) (Workstream 3 focus) - Dr Zoè Robertson

Networks and working groups

SCDE have established links with, and representatives on, the following networks and working groups:

Head Teacher Recruitment and Retention Working Group - Dr Zoè Robertson
Into Headship National Design Group - Dr Charlaine Simpson
Into Headship Strategic Oversight Group - Dr Zoè Robertson
Education Scotland Coaching Strategy Working Group

Education and System Reform

Scottish education is in a period of significant reform, with a range of international and national reports, reviews and consultations informing potential future changes in the system. SCDE seeks to play an active role in contributing to Reform and Consultations as appropriate and we maintain a ‘watching brief’ to ensure we can contribute appropriately.

Area Lead is Dr Anna Beck.