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Scottish Teacher Education Scottish Teacher Education CommitteeCommittee

Inclusion ConferenceInclusion Conference

University of DundeeUniversity of Dundee27 April 200927 April 2009

What can teacher education itself What can teacher education itself do to encourage inclusion?do to encourage inclusion?

Tom HamiltonTom HamiltonDirector of Educational PolicyDirector of Educational Policy

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GTCS RoleGTCS Role Registration of teachersRegistration of teachers Accreditation of Initial Teacher Accreditation of Initial Teacher

EducationEducation The Teacher Induction SchemeThe Teacher Induction Scheme The Standard for Initial Teacher The Standard for Initial Teacher

Education Education The Standard for Full RegistrationThe Standard for Full Registration An advocate for the teaching An advocate for the teaching

professionprofession

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Accreditation of Accreditation of Programmes of Initial Programmes of Initial

Teacher Education: Policy Teacher Education: Policy StatementStatement

The Council requires that courses and The Council requires that courses and programmes will embrace diversity and programmes will embrace diversity and promote the equal opportunities promote the equal opportunities requirements laid down by statuterequirements laid down by statute

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Teacher Induction SchemeTeacher Induction Scheme

Disability question on registration Disability question on registration formform

Follow-up detailsFollow-up details Information passed to local Information passed to local

authority for actionauthority for action

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The StandardsThe Standards SITESITE

The information describes the level of performance expected of The information describes the level of performance expected of student teachers who successfully complete a programme student teachers who successfully complete a programme leading to the award of a Teaching Qualification (Primary leading to the award of a Teaching Qualification (Primary Education), or a Teaching Qualification (Secondary Education). Education), or a Teaching Qualification (Secondary Education). Programmes of Initial Teacher Education should enable student Programmes of Initial Teacher Education should enable student teachers to achieve an appropriate threshold level of teachers to achieve an appropriate threshold level of performance (with such adjustments as may be required under performance (with such adjustments as may be required under the Disability Discrimination Act) in relation to each of the the Disability Discrimination Act) in relation to each of the elements of the Standard.elements of the Standard.

   SFRSFR

The SFR implicitly assumes that the overall expectations of the The SFR implicitly assumes that the overall expectations of the ITE Standard will be maintained and improved as newly qualified ITE Standard will be maintained and improved as newly qualified teachers gain in experience, and that the SFR will then be teachers gain in experience, and that the SFR will then be maintained by teachers throughout their careers (with such maintained by teachers throughout their careers (with such adjustments as may be required under the Disability adjustments as may be required under the Disability Discrimination Act).Discrimination Act).

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Disability Rights CommissionDisability Rights CommissionMaintaining Standards: Promoting Maintaining Standards: Promoting

Equality, September 07Equality, September 07

Professional regulation within nursing, Professional regulation within nursing, teaching and social work and disabled teaching and social work and disabled people’s access to these professionspeople’s access to these professions

England, Scotland and WalesEngland, Scotland and Wales

GTCS:GTCS: Written evidenceWritten evidence

Oral evidenceOral evidence

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DRC Recommendations DRC Recommendations

48 in total48 in total

Carry out or commission research on the provision Carry out or commission research on the provision of reasonable adjustments for students (during of reasonable adjustments for students (during university based training and work placements) and university based training and work placements) and pull together information about good practice.pull together information about good practice.

Issue guidance to help higher education institutions Issue guidance to help higher education institutions to make adjustments to enable disabled people to to make adjustments to enable disabled people to meet the competence standards.meet the competence standards.

Actively promote entry of disabled people into the Actively promote entry of disabled people into the professions, for example through websites, literature, professions, for example through websites, literature, advertising, promotional events and through careers advertising, promotional events and through careers services. services.

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GTC England Disabled Teachers GTC England Disabled Teachers Task ForceTask Force

EHRCEHRC

Various interest groups (eg BATOD)Various interest groups (eg BATOD)

Department for Children, Schools Department for Children, Schools and Familiesand Families

Training and Development Agency Training and Development Agency for Schools for Schools

GTCS observer statusGTCS observer status

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GTCS response to GTCS response to Maintaining Standards: Maintaining Standards:

Promoting EqualityPromoting Equality Discussions with:Discussions with:

UniversitiesUniversities

Teacher UnionsTeacher Unions

GovernmentGovernment

ADESADES

Scottish Social Services CouncilScottish Social Services Council

Support organisations such as SKILLSupport organisations such as SKILL

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Summary of Disability Issues: Summary of Disability Issues: UniversitiesUniversities

Disabilities mentioned: Epilepsy, ME, Dyslexia, Mental Disabilities mentioned: Epilepsy, ME, Dyslexia, Mental health issues, stress, self-harming, ADHD, sensory issues health issues, stress, self-harming, ADHD, sensory issues such as sight and hearing, mobility, intermittent such as sight and hearing, mobility, intermittent difficultiesdifficulties

Dyslexia. X2 (A bigger issue on PGDE than on BEd in one Dyslexia. X2 (A bigger issue on PGDE than on BEd in one institution)institution)

Dyslexia – expertise within the universities but concerns Dyslexia – expertise within the universities but concerns about attitudes/approaches in some schools and from about attitudes/approaches in some schools and from some teachers. X2some teachers. X2

Worries elsewhere about academic staff attitudes.Worries elsewhere about academic staff attitudes.

Mental health issues – a growing area of concern. X5 Risk Mental health issues – a growing area of concern. X5 Risk assessment – how do you take hard decisions and say no assessment – how do you take hard decisions and say no to students? Children’s interests/safety paramount.to students? Children’s interests/safety paramount.

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More complex needs increasing in general student body More complex needs increasing in general student body but fairly straightforward in Education.but fairly straightforward in Education.

Sensory difficulties – expertise in system to support Sensory difficulties – expertise in system to support students. Eg Deaf PE teacher.students. Eg Deaf PE teacher.

Blind Maths teacher – with support assistant.Blind Maths teacher – with support assistant.

Students stopping taking prescription drugs – Ritalin. Students stopping taking prescription drugs – Ritalin.

Mobility issues in some faculties and some schools still Mobility issues in some faculties and some schools still a problem.a problem.

Effect of stress on students? University programmes Effect of stress on students? University programmes and school experience placements.and school experience placements.

Self-harming? Self-harming?

Summary of Disability Issues: Summary of Disability Issues: UniversitiesUniversities

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Problems in encouraging people with disabilities to apply Problems in encouraging people with disabilities to apply for ITE.for ITE.

Disclosure – how do you encourage people to disclose? Disclosure – how do you encourage people to disclose? X5X5

Letter of application should offer further opportunity to Letter of application should offer further opportunity to disclose.disclose.

As part of application interview candidates explicitly As part of application interview candidates explicitly asked about disability.asked about disability.

Give repeated opportunities to disclose.Give repeated opportunities to disclose.

Timing of disclosure? Effect on provision of support and Timing of disclosure? Effect on provision of support and adjustment.adjustment.

Recognise dangers of bias?Recognise dangers of bias?

Summary of Disability Issues: Summary of Disability Issues: UniversitiesUniversities

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Informing schools of students with disabilities? Informing schools of students with disabilities?

Presumption in one university is that for those students with Presumption in one university is that for those students with declared disabilities the university will inform the schools. declared disabilities the university will inform the schools. Students then discuss needs when they arrive at schools. Students then discuss needs when they arrive at schools.

Student responsibility to inform school. X2Student responsibility to inform school. X2

Place of risk assessments, particularly for placements. X2 Who Place of risk assessments, particularly for placements. X2 Who carries them out? University or schools? carries them out? University or schools?

Problems with finding retrieval placements for any student, Problems with finding retrieval placements for any student, exacerbated when it is a disabled student. (eg of blind exacerbated when it is a disabled student. (eg of blind student)student)

Access to placements particularly in rural areas and/or where Access to placements particularly in rural areas and/or where public transport is needed.public transport is needed.

Reasonable adjustments in workload? Particular issue on Reasonable adjustments in workload? Particular issue on school experience.school experience.

Summary of Disability Issues: Summary of Disability Issues: UniversitiesUniversities

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Need for Education Authorities to know their Need for Education Authorities to know their responsibilities.responsibilities.

Some schools and LA s better prepared than others for Some schools and LA s better prepared than others for disabled students. X3disabled students. X3

Schools prepared for disabled pupils but less accepting Schools prepared for disabled pupils but less accepting of disabled students/teachers X2of disabled students/teachers X2

Advice on funding is needed.Advice on funding is needed.

Support assistants - who funds them? X2Support assistants - who funds them? X2

Summary of Disability Issues: Summary of Disability Issues: UniversitiesUniversities

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Links between central university services/provision and Links between central university services/provision and academic staff in departments?academic staff in departments?

Sharing of info across staff? Across campuses? Sharing of info across staff? Across campuses?

Universities building in consideration/audit of Universities building in consideration/audit of ‘teachability’ to programme reviews.‘teachability’ to programme reviews.

Named points of contact/support are necessary and Named points of contact/support are necessary and helpful.helpful.

Making use of university counselling systems.Making use of university counselling systems.

Use of ICT to support students’ growing expertise.Use of ICT to support students’ growing expertise.

Feedback info from TIS on people who have coped with Feedback info from TIS on people who have coped with ITE but struggled with TIS?ITE but struggled with TIS?

Summary of Disability Issues: Summary of Disability Issues: UniversitiesUniversities

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Universities with a written task as part of the interview Universities with a written task as part of the interview process – fairness?process – fairness?

Issue of disability card being played to mask poor Issue of disability card being played to mask poor performance as a teacher.performance as a teacher.

Intermittent conditions – genuine or being played on?Intermittent conditions – genuine or being played on?

Effect of part time placements (as reasonable Effect of part time placements (as reasonable adjustment) on timetable of course?adjustment) on timetable of course?

Summary of Disability Issues: Summary of Disability Issues: UniversitiesUniversities

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Different levels of expertise in universities.Different levels of expertise in universities.

Lack of forewarning to schools of students with Lack of forewarning to schools of students with disabilities.disabilities.

Clear expectation that it’s universities’ responsibility to Clear expectation that it’s universities’ responsibility to risk assess and inform schools.risk assess and inform schools.

Lack of knowledge in universities about sources of Lack of knowledge in universities about sources of funding for support.funding for support.

Need to encourage students/new teachers to recognise Need to encourage students/new teachers to recognise professional responsibility to disclose particularly professional responsibility to disclose particularly disabilities that affect the likelihood of meeting (or not disabilities that affect the likelihood of meeting (or not meeting) the Standards.meeting) the Standards.

Summary of Disability Issues: Summary of Disability Issues: Other stakeholders: Government, Other stakeholders: Government,

ADES, Teacher UnionsADES, Teacher Unions

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Willingness on all sides to support/publicise possibility Willingness on all sides to support/publicise possibility of disabled students coming into ITE, as part of general of disabled students coming into ITE, as part of general recruitment campaigns.recruitment campaigns.

Teachers developing disabilities – some good support Teachers developing disabilities – some good support practice, some less than good support practice.practice, some less than good support practice.

Concerns on supporting, monitoring and tracking new Concerns on supporting, monitoring and tracking new teachers with mental health issues within the Probation teachers with mental health issues within the Probation Alternative Route particularly where there may be child Alternative Route particularly where there may be child protection issues.protection issues.

Summary of Disability Issues: Summary of Disability Issues: Other stakeholders: Other stakeholders:

Government, ADES, Teacher Government, ADES, Teacher UnionsUnions

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Working with SSSC on a joint publication – ITE and student Working with SSSC on a joint publication – ITE and student social workerssocial workers

Competence standards Competence standards

Clarity of requirements: who does notify a school receiving a Clarity of requirements: who does notify a school receiving a student with a disability?student with a disability?

Clarity of support mechanisms availableClarity of support mechanisms available

Funding:Funding: Disabled Student AllowanceDisabled Student Allowance

Hardship FundsHardship Funds

Access to Work FundingAccess to Work Funding

Advice on what constitutes ‘reasonable adjustment’Advice on what constitutes ‘reasonable adjustment’

Case studies, positive and negativeCase studies, positive and negative

Publicity to attract applications for ITE from people with Publicity to attract applications for ITE from people with disabilitiesdisabilities

Next StepsNext Steps

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Feedback?Feedback?

In person todayIn person today

By phone: 0131 314 6000By phone: 0131 314 6000

E-mail: E-mail: tom.hamilton@gtcs.org.uk