The new BBC programme, Class Act, marked a change in the way television portrays schools in this country. The new series that has just finished made compelling viewing. It told the story of a small group of new entrants to the profession, focusing on the very moments when their hopes and expectations come face-to-face with the realities of school and children.

All the main characters had tremendous energy and aspiration. The schools they entered are like schools everywhere - demanding and rewarding in equal measure. With these ingredients, the programme-makers largely let the story tell itself. The evidence on the screen was of budding professionals gaining confidence, understanding and skills as the programme progressed.

Of course, it is the children who prove to be the ultimate test that every aspiring teacher has to pass. Every new teacher has to grab their attention, win their confidence and seize their willingness to learn.

The series is timely for the Teacher Training Agency because we are currently consulting on the standards to be expected from new teachers. Advice will be submitted to the Secretary of State in December.

For the past few years, the standards have been enshrined in Circular 498 - a detailed, 138-page document. While it has been a comprehensive guide to high standards, it has never really communicated clearly enough the essence of being a good teacher.

The current circular has been widely accused, for example, of encouraging a tick-list culture whereby hundreds of competencies have to be audited individually. Such an atomistic approach is sure to hide the most important qualities from view.

The new version, out for consultation until November 2, takes a fresh approach. In just 19 pages, it sets out the key capabilities that a teacher should possess.

Firstly, it maintains high expectations. Recent improvements in quality have been hard-won and should not be jeopardised.

But we can be more straightforward about the proposition at the heart of the standards. We want to make sure that every new teacher starts with a good foundation of knowledge and understanding, is able to perform as a highly-skilled practitioner, and will operate within a strong framework of professional values and practice. In total, we identify 56 key capabilities which contribute to this. The newest area is that of professional values and practice, which has been drafted with help from the English General Teaching Council.

We believe that this is a clear message to training providers, schools and prospective teachers such as Lisa, Paula and Richard in Class Act.

By concentrating on these key capabilities, you will be able to sustain the attention, confidence and learning of those in your charge. This is not the same as saying that only school experience matters. Evidence indicates that the success of initial teacher training over the past five years has largely been based on combining the benefits of a broader, educational and training contribution with good school-based tutoring.

We have also produced a draft handbook to help higher education providers and schools that seek further advice. This is not an attempt to introduce backdoor regulation. It is non-statutory guidance and we see it as a repository for ideas and advice. It may be published on the web, so that links can be made to wider resources and case studies.

This is an important time for initial teacher training. In the past five years, a quiet revolution has been going on and you can see the results in many schools - the quality of new entrants to the profession is better than ever. Office for Standards in Education evidence shows that the classroom performance of trainees and newly-qualified teachers is ap-proaching the level of experienced teachers. This is an encouraging, and subversive, effect which can help drive quality up through the whole profession.

This is why it is important for all schools and teacher-training providers to have the chance to comment on our proposals. It is a chance to influence the future development of the profession and further improvements in teaching quality. I hope we can include the views of many of those entering the profession as well.

And what is the real reason that Class Act marks a change in how television portrays schools? Well, it is a refreshing attempt by the programme-makers not to let spin spoil the truth. What they have produced offers genuine and constructive insights into the challenges and rewards of teaching.

The consultation documents are available on the TTA website, www.canteach.gov.uk. Comments can be made via the website or to Ben Scanlon, ITT Team, TTA, Portland House, Stag Place, London SW1E 5TT, or e-mailed to him at scanlonb@teach-tta.gov.uk