Tomorrow, the first cohort of teachers will be awarded chartered status from the Chartered College of Teaching in a graduation ceremony at City of London School for Girls.
Chartered status will be awarded to 98 teachers who have undertaken a 14-month programme of learning and assessments at the Chartered College - the teachers’ professional body that opened in 2017.
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Chartered status is intended to demonstrate each teacher’s excellent knowledge and practice, as well as their commitment to ongoing professional development. Graduates of the college will also be able to use the post-nominal title “CTeach” after their names.
The graduates have worked across all key stages and have ten years’ of classroom experience on average.
Further education teachers will also receive chartered status, with 52 FE teachers from the Education and Training Foundation attaining a CTeach after achieving Advanced Teacher Status (ATS).
The FE teachers - who achieved ATS through membership body the Society for Education and Training - have worked in a variety of settings, including FE colleges, sixth form colleges, prisons and adult community education.
Dame Alison Peacock, the college’s chief executive, said the first cohort were “pioneers for a new trailblazing opportunity for generations of teachers.”
“Design and accreditation of our CTeach programme has been a major part of our collective endeavour to rebuild the professional status of teaching. These teachers take with them into their school confidence born out of rigorous study and a commitment to share this knowledge in the spirit of collaboration,” she said.
“Congratulations to all that have achieved this prestigious qualification, your success will help to make an alternative high-status future a reality for other teaching professionals.”
David Russell, chief executive of the Education and Training Foundation, said: “On behalf of everyone at the Education and Training Foundation, I would like to congratulate all of those graduating today. To become a chartered teacher is an immense accomplishment and proves that they are amongst the very best in the profession.”
However, doubts have been raised about the Chartered College’s future. Last month, Tes revealed that it is still reliant on the Department of Education for 40 per cent of its funding, just nine months before Dame Alison claimed it would be fully self-sufficient.
Tes reported that some individuals within the DfE felt the college had not yet proved itself. One source with knowledge of discussions in the department said that killing off the college would be a “brave decision” but was not impossible.
The college has just months to increase its membership from 26,000 to meet its target of 40,000. To hit the target, the college would need to increase its rate of recruitment by 1,400 per cent compared to the previous nine months.
