27. Mr. John M. Taylorasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the measures he is taking to improve professional standards in the teaching service.
§ Sir Keith JosephThe Government's policies were set out in the March 1983 White Paper "Teaching Quality." They include improvements in initial and in-service teacher training, measures to promote a better match between qualifications and the needs of schools, and the development of appraisal of teachers' performance.
Action to improve initial teacher training has been taken through the issue of rigorous criteria for the assessment of courses and the establishment of the Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education to review all existing courses against the criteria. A scheme of Government grants to local education authorities to stimulate in-service teacher training in designated national priority areas has been introduced. Future arrangements for in-service training are currently under review in the light of recommendations from the Advisory Committee on the Supply and Education of Teachers. A research project has been commissioned to explore the approaches to performance appraisal, and resources are available for 1985–86 through education support grants to finance further research and development work by selected local education authorities.