1. The proposed implementation timescale; will teachers across Wales have the necessary time and resources to be able to genuinely match the descriptors of the new Standards by September 2018?

Schools should begin to work to these standards as soon as possible, because the ambition of the standards to support the growth of all education professionals is right and in the best interests of learners.  

It is not beyond the capacity of schools and the education system to begin to implement the standards from September 2018, but schools will need considerable support in the short, medium and longer terms to use the standards successfully, as this is a time of significant change in education in Wales. However, the quality of support from regional consortia, for example in relation to leadership development, has in the past been variable.  

In particular, it will be a considerable challenge to ensure that all schools use the standards equally well.  We do not have a strong record of ensuring that all schools use previous leadership standards successfully and consistently.  In our publication ‘Statutory use of leadership standards in the performance management of headteachers’ (Estyn, November 2015), we said that ‘a very few appraising panels use the leadership standards effectively to evaluate the performance of the headteacher.’

The wording of many of the standard indicators presents challenges for professionals to interpret them consistently.  Performance that is considered to match a descriptor in one setting might not do so in another.  There is a danger that schools may develop their own checklists of what the standards mean because of this lack of clarity. In addition, we need to recognise that while the roll out for these standards will be in 2018, the new curriculum to which they refer will not be statutory until 2021/2022.  It is key that the standards are seen to support reform and not become an additional task that limits schools from engaging with curriculum reform. 

In summary, the effectiveness and consistency of schools in using the new standards will depend on the quality of support and guidance from Welsh Government and from the regional consortia, particularly for headteachers.

Schools have the capacity to begin to consider the five overall standards as a basis to evaluate and improve professional performance, but it is difficult to guarantee that all schools will be in a position to genuinely match the descriptors by September 2018.  It is likely to take some time for there to be equally effective measures across Wales to ensure compliance with using the new standards and to evaluate whether schools use the standards well.  

2. Is there, or is there likely to be, enough support and training available to help teachers transition to the new standards?

It is difficult for Estyn to answer this question as we do not know about any proposed training or development plans.  However, as stated earlier, schools have not always engaged effectively with previous professional standards, and the capacity of regional consortia to support and train school teachers and leaders is variable and may not be consistent across Wales.

3. Whether you envision any additional resource pressures on your work as a result of the new standards?

We do not envisage any significant additional resource pressures on Estyn as a result of the new standards.  

There will be some training requirements for all of Her Majesty’s Inspectors.  For example, all inspectors will need to be familiar with the new standards and their implications for professionals working in education.  

We will allocate resources and professional expertise to evaluating the introduction and effectiveness of the new professional standards.  We will continue to inspect the impact of teachers’ and leaders’ professional development in school inspections.  This will include taking account of the use of any new professional standards.  Inspectors will consider how well schools use professional standards to support professional growth, for example under inspection area 5, leadership and management.