Teachers make the education of their pupils their first concern, and are accountable for achieving the highest possible standards in work and conduct. Teachers act with honesty and integrity; have strong subject knowledge, keep their knowledge and skills as teachers up-to-date and are self-critical; forge positive professional relationships; and work with parents in the best interests of their pupils.

Part one: Teaching

A teacher must:

1 Set high expectations which inspire, motivate and challenge pupils
- establish a safe and stimulating environment for pupils, rooted in mutual respect
- set goals that stretch and challenge pupils of all backgrounds, abilities and dispositions
- demonstrate consistently the positive attitudes, values and behaviour which are expected of pupils.

2 Promote good progress and outcomes by pupils
- be accountable for pupils’ attainment, progress and outcomes
- be aware of pupils’ capabilities and their prior knowledge, and plan teaching to build on these
- guide pupils to reflect on the progress they have made and their emerging needs
- demonstrate knowledge and understanding of how pupils learn and how this impacts on teaching
- encourage pupils to take a responsible and conscientious attitude to their own work and study.

3 Demonstrate good subject and curriculum knowledge
- have a secure knowledge of the relevant subject(s) and curriculum areas, foster and maintain pupils’ interest in the subject, and address misunderstandings
- demonstrate a critical understanding of developments in the subject and curriculum areas, and promote the value of scholarship
- demonstrate an understanding of and take responsibility for promoting high standards of literacy, articulacy and the correct use of standard English, whatever the teacher’s specialist subject
- if teaching early reading, demonstrate a clear understanding of systematic synthetic phonics
- if teaching early mathematics, demonstrate a clear understanding of appropriate teaching strategies.

4 Plan and teach well structured lessons
- impart knowledge and develop understanding through effective use of lesson time
- promote a love of learning and children’s intellectual curiosity
- set homework and plan other out-of-class activities to consolidate and extend the knowledge and understanding pupils have acquired
- reflect systematically on the effectiveness of lessons and approaches to teaching
contribute to the design and provision of an engaging curriculum within the relevant subject area(s).

5 Adapt teaching to respond to the strengths and needs of all pupils
- know when and how to differentiate appropriately, using approaches which enable pupils to be taught effectively
- have a secure understanding of how a range of factors can inhibit pupils’ ability to learn, and how best to overcome these
- demonstrate an awareness of the physical, social and intellectual development of children, and know how to adapt teaching to support pupils’ education at different stages of development
- have a clear understanding of the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs; those of high ability; those with English as an additional language; those with disabilities; and be able to use and evaluate distinctive teaching approaches to engage and support them.

6 Make accurate and productive use of assessment
- know and understand how to assess the relevant subject and curriculum areas, including statutory assessment requirements
- make use of formative and summative assessment to secure pupils’ progress
- use relevant data to monitor progress, set targets, and plan subsequent lessons
- give pupils regular feedback, both orally and through accurate marking, and encourage pupils to respond to the feedback.

7 Manage behaviour effectively to ensure a good and safe learning environment
- have clear rules and routines for behaviour in classrooms, and take responsibility for promoting good and courteous behaviour both in classrooms and around the school, in accordance with the school’s behaviour policy
- have high expectations of behaviour, and establish a framework for discipline with a range of strategies, using praise, sanctions and rewards consistently and fairly
- manage classes effectively, using approaches which are appropriate to pupils’ needs in order to involve and motivate them
- maintain good relationships with pupils, exercise appropriate authority, and act decisively when necessary.

8 Fulfil wider professional responsibilities
- make a positive contribution to the wider life and ethos of the school
- develop effective professional relationships with colleagues, knowing how and when to draw on advice and specialist support
- deploy support staff effectively
- take responsibility for improving teaching through appropriate professional development, responding to advice and feedback from colleagues
- communicate effectively with parents with regard to pupils’ achievements and well-being.

Part two: Personal and professional conduct
A teacher is expected to demonstrate consistently high standards of personal and professional conduct. The following statements define the behaviour and attitudes which set the required standard for conduct throughout a teacher’s career. Teachers uphold public trust in the profession and maintain high standards of ethics and behaviour, within and outside school, by:

- treating pupils with dignity, building relationships rooted in mutual respect, and at all times observing proper boundaries appropriate to a teacher’s professional position
- having regard for the need to safeguard pupils’ well-being, in accordance with statutory provisions
- showing tolerance of and respect for the rights of others
- not undermining fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect, and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs
- ensuring that personal beliefs are not expressed in ways which exploit pupils’ vulnerability or might lead them to break the law.

Teachers must have proper and professional regard for the ethos, policies and practices of the school in which they teach, and maintain high standards in their own attendance and punctuality.
Teachers must have an understanding of, and always act within, the statutory frameworks which set out their professional duties and responsibilities.

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Fiona Millar (Charitable status for private schools: the judges say politicians must decide 10 January 2012) likens the charitable status debate to the plot of Downton Abbey.  It is her views on this issue and on the place of the independent sector in our national education system which, embellished by fanciful flourishes, derive from the last century.

In relation to ISC’s judicial review of the Charity Commission’s public benefit guidance, Fiona Millar trivialises our concerns, the Commission’s errors and the eventual outcome of the proceedings.  The Charities Act 2006 required the Commission to issue guidance “to promote awareness and understanding of the public benefit requirement” applicable to all charities.  ISC sought judicial review of the guidance because we felt that the Commission had crossed the line between promoting understanding and enforcing a particular view of the law – a view which we believed to be incorrect.

If we “didn’t like the guidance”, as Fiona Millar characterises our opposition, we had good reason: it was wrong.  As long ago as 2008 we warned the Commission that its approach placed it on a collision course with all charities that have no option but to recover the costs of their service provision by levying charges.  With so many charities affected by legal uncertainty, we urged the Commission as their regulator to give proper consideration to final guidance with a view to bridging differences of opinion and reaching the broadest possible consensus.  We offered to do whatever we could to work with the Commission to reach that consensus: that offer fell on deaf ears.

The Commission reaped the rewards of its lack of engagement last month: our judicial review was upheld.  It’s not just “sections” of the guidance that must be rewritten: the Tribunal ruled that the entirety of the Commission’s guidance on fee-charging would be quashed if the Commission didn’t withdraw it.  The guidance, said the Tribunal, was both wrong and obscure.

Fiona Millar uses her column to trumpet the views of an anti-independent school pressure group without disclosing her membership of that organisation (is it really independent schools that have “the media firmly on board”?)  In reality, ERG’s intervention in the proceedings was irrelevant: “the material comes nowhere near” to establishing their proposition, is how the judges referred to it; no more than a manifesto reflecting strongly held beliefs – of those who wrote it.

It is no surprise that an ERG member would like this debate restarted by Ed Miliband.  But the real story is the polar opposite of Fiona Millar’s desire for a politician to “challenge the role” our sector plays in the national education system.

Independent schools have all the freedoms that the Government is championing via its free schools and academies policies.  Each school also has the freedom to shape its participation in the national education system.  It’s a freedom independent schools are exercising with flair and impact in the twenty-first century.

Whether it’s hosting joint lessons with local schools; or seconding staff to neighbouring schools; or holding open sports’ coaching sessions; or providing work experience for disengaged 14-16 year olds; or lending minibuses to local Scout groups; or giving careers’ advice to 18 year olds and preparing them for A-levels; or running collaborative workshops for everything from creative writing and singing to science experiments; or supporting CCF groups in local academies: the list is endless, and it’s one that all independent schools subscribe to each year.  And this is even before one looks to Government-sponsored efforts such as Extended Schools Consortia, Independent State School Partnerships and Teaching Schools.

This is the real, unwritten story as 2012 opens: independent schools exercising their freedom to participate as an integral part of our national education system.

Charitable status for private schools: the judges say politicians must decide - The Guardian

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One conundrum remains, however. Who funds any SEN provision these children? In theory, statements of SEN are available to these children but in practice there can be difficulties identifying the responsible local authority. Forces families can be very mobile, staying only a matter of months or one or two years in each location. Usually (for non-forces families) the child’s home LA is responsible for funding SEN provision but confusion can arise as to whether this is this the LA where the parents are currently stationed (if  in the UK), or where the parents own a home or, if the child is in boarding school, where the parents last resided if both abroad? (The Belonging Regulations are, of course, notoriously opaque.)

In one case, the needs of a boy from a service family were assessed while the family were in England prior to being posted abroad. His mother was in the armed forces. Their local authority provided a statement, but when the mother returned to England after a tour of duty, she relocated within the UK and the new authority refused to accept responsibility for the statement. This is a fairly common experience for all families with a statemented child. The forces family, however, were then posted abroad again before long and the situation became even more complicated. Eventually there had to be arbitration between authorities. This was an unusual case some time ago, and we would not wish to suggest that there is an endemic problem, as there are other systems in place (see later) but the case illustrates a legal difficulty caused by moves, an issue which particularly affects service families.

The experience of independent schools making SEN provision for service children is mixed. Some find that LAs readily grant a statement of SEN to children of service families in the knowledge that the MoD will ultimately fund the SEN provision. In other cases, the funding of provision has been shared between an LA and the MoD, perhaps the MoD funding a boarding school place and the LA topping-up for the SEN provision. The parents might also bear part of the cost of the boarding placement.

The observation of the ISC SEN expert group is that the needs children from service families rarely warrant a statement of SEN (in-line with the population at large), and service personnel can rely on the MoD’s Children’s Education Advisory Service to fund provision to meet special educational needs.

In this regard a new problem has emerged. Since April 2011, all applications for CEAS support for SEN must be accompanied by a report by an educational psychologist accredited by Dyslexia Action. As far as we can tell, this is whether or not their learning difficulty falls under the “dyslexia” umbrella.  This gives rise to several concerns, apart from the obvious inappropriateness of dyslexia assessments in some cases:

• Children have to be taken to a DA centre for assessment and are not assessed in their school environment;
• The arrangement cuts across longstanding working arrangements between schools and psychologists who work with pupils in school;
• It cuts across existing arrangements for continuity of advice during phase transfer;
• Psychologists are already required to be registered with HPC (Health Professions Council). The MoD’s requirement is not “joined-up” with Department of Health quality measures or the DfE’s SEN Code of Practice;
• Schools find the reports can be formulaic and unhelpful.

On the other hand, we understand that the MoD arrived at this policy because they believe:

• the DA reports provide impartiality, and provide a more reliable benchmark for the MoD;
• service families can receive independent advice and have the benefit of a free consultation before embarking on a full assessment;
• the reports identify a strategy for withdrawing support once the child is working independently;
• costs are consistent, and
• assessments can be carried out at a time to suit parents, including holidays;
• the MoD is reassured that DA assessments are scrutinised and monitored for quality and consistency.

The Minister’s October statement assured service families that “There will be no changes in our provisions for special educational needs or day school allowances.” While this was intended in a positive way, ISC’s SEN Expert Group would encourage the MoD to reconsider its assessment policy and return to accepting reports from all properly qualified, HPC registered educational psychologists.

Schools of the ISC associations who wish to know more can find a copy of our exchange of letters in the Member zone of the ISC website, or email legal@isc.co.uk.

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The Independent Schools Council 2011 annual census documented over 24,500 non-British pupils in ISC schools from countries like Hong Kong, Russia, Japan, and the Middle East. The independent sector offers a wealth of opportunities for students with English as a second language with Cambridgeshire, amongst other counties, leading the way.

Independent schools cater for all types of students with International Schools, schools with International Study centres and those employing EFL/ESL professionals particularly successful at providing the support required for pupils from outside the UK. Mainstream independent schools in Cambridgeshire also educate pupils from outside the UK giving them a solid British education. There are a number of schools up and down the country with International study centres offering intensive English courses that, once completed, will allow the student to fully integrate with the rest of the school gaining valuable GCSE, IB, and/or A-level qualifications.

British education is envied the world over so it’s no wonder that thousands of students choose to spend time in the independent sector. Independent schools offer a wealth of opportunities for international students with the various curriculums on offer being one big selling point. Students have the option of studying for IB, IGCSE, A-Levels or the Pre-U choosing an education that fits their specific needs. With a plethora of options for those wishing to learn English and study at a British school it only stands to reason that the independent sector is continuing to attract healthy numbers of students from outside the UK.

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Independent schools are not obligated to teach the national curriculum so can choose the best way to teach their students and therefore have the option to teach ‘around’ the subject. Teachers can use this to their advantage and tailor each lesson to the abilities and personalities of the students in their class. While independent schools teach to the same core exam curriculum at senior level they are afforded a certain element of flexibility. Every child is different and independent schools give parents a unique opportunity to pick the school that fits their child’s style of learning. While some independent schools will help the academically gifted achieve their ultimate goal of an Oxbridge education others cater for those with special educational needs, music ability and sporting skill.

The expedited technological developments that we have all seen in the past couple of years have not gone unnoticed in schools and what was once seen as a distraction in the classroom is starting to be embraced by schools keen to equip students with transferable life skills. Once upon a time a student might be chastised for ‘Google-ing’ a word on their iphone in a History lesson but teachers might now take the opportunity to use this as a tool to further engage their students with the curriculum. The teacher might use the search results as a way of talking the class through the sources available in the Google search result and how to identify primary, secondary and unreliable sources.

The Independent Schools Council’s own ICT Expert Group has blogged on the issue and explains how teachers can use the video function on their student’s Smartphone to upload science experiments straight to youtube using the school’s own wireless network. Effective teacher lead learning is no longer confined to the classroom as the online communities that are being created can aid with questions students might have outside of the typical school day. Pupils could even be encouraged by their teacher to comment on the Youtube video of that day’s lesson as part of their homework assignment. Some independent schools encourage their teachers to create Facebook ‘groups’ for classes in order to answer any questions pupils might have about coursework or the lesson that day. Technology is becoming more integrated in our everyday lives and the same is certainly true of the classroom.

The increased presence of technology including ICT in independent schools has not just benefitted the academic high flyers with learning support departments embracing the use of multimedia and various software packages to help those with dyslexia, dyspraxia and other special educational needs. Kingsley School in Devon is a prime example of one of the 100s of independent schools up and down the country that have felt the benefits of using technology to help those who need extra support with writing or reading. Their learning support unit is typical of many independent schools with modern Mac computers and skilled teaching staff working with students in order to help them gain the necessary skills to help to access the curriculum.

Independent schools are embracing the advancements in technology and curricula and doing their best to enable their students to participate successfully in life after school, whether it is at university or in employment. So why not sign up for an open day and see for yourself?

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Many students opt to work abroad during their gap year studying for a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) qualification before jetting off to countries like China and North Korea. Not only does the experience promote responsibility and self reliance it also equips youngsters with transferable skills that can be used in many aspects of life back home. Classroom management, lesson planning and adapting to an entirely new culture are just some of the aspects of teaching English abroad that students will need to succeed in. This option also allows for independent travel during school holidays and companies like i-to-i and GAPYEAR.com have interactive blogs detailing the adventures of these teachers.

Another option is to volunteer abroad or in the UK for charities that make a tangible difference to the lives of others. Students are encouraged to use their individual skills and talents to affect change. Students who might be applying for a university place to study journalism might find themselves in a community project in India writing promotional material educating on the plight of Orphans or those with disabilities. A experience like this will not only be fulfilling on a personal level but will give valuable experiences that are likely to benefit a CV. Universities and employers are looking for anything that makes a candidate stand out and a year in India writing for a local newspaper will do just that!

However, with university places on many courses becoming even more sought after many students opt to take a year out to work and retake examinations in order to maximise their chance of getting into their preferred institution. Students may decide to work part time or take a temporary job to fund their ‘year off’ whilst attending college in order to boost their exam grades. Once again this approach might give them the edge on other candidates later in life with previous work experience being a major plus on any graduates CV.

Nowadays there are plenty of options open to those finishing school and the internet has a fantastic number of sites dedicated to helping youngsters find the route that best suits them. So whether it is teaching English in Nepal; building a medical centre in Peru; or studying for another A-Level back at home; there are plenty of valuable and worthwhile opportunities to be had!

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The examinations boards have even started to include conservation topics as part of the biology curriculum and green energy examples as part of the maths and physics papers. Green initiatives aren’t just dominating exam papers with schools now encouraging green after school clubs, conservation expeditions, as well as guest speakers to come into schools and address pupils on sustainability and environmental issues.

King’s College, Taunton, is one such school at the forefront of this green revolution with students, teachers and non-teaching staff all coming together as part of a wider initiative to educate each other on sustainability. The scheme has proved so popular that it has become an integral part of the schools ethos prompting waste and recycling initiatives including an ‘anti-food waste program’ encouraging the school community to ‘’Take what you Eat and Eat What You Take’.

The school’s chaplains, along with students, have begun to grow organic vegetables in raised flower beds in the school grounds and they have even taken in some ex-battery chickens!

King’s College, like many independent schools in the UK, has luscious grounds with the space needed to house various biodiversity projects. In conjunction with the Biology department and the importance placed on biodiversity in the curriculum the school has allocated an area of GRANIK – an area where the grass is allowed to grow longer to encourage a wider variety of animals and plants.

Schools all over the UK have begun to invest time and money into green projects and it’s only a matter of time before we all reap the rewards of the hard work of students and teachers alike.

So why not come and see for yourself, school Open Days are a great opportunity to sample an independent education. View more information on School Open Days and independent schools in Cambridgeshire.

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The Telegraph’s findings, obtained via a Freedom of Information request, also showed that the most successful maintained school, Hills Road Sixth Form College in Cambridge, represents 4% of total Oxford admissions from state schools. The school’s record is surpassed by only three independent schools.

Considering the push for Oxbridge to increase their maintained sector intake – and indeed the amount of media attention generated when Oxford did so this year – revelations such as these underscore the importance of recognising the granularity of both the maintained and the independent sectors. Placing a quota on independent sector intake risks swapping round one set of schools for another: such a measure hardly achieves the target of broadening the application pool as much as possible.

Instead of focussing so narrowly on independent versus maintained sector admissions numbers, surely it would be more sensible to place greater emphasis on encouraging pupils from underrepresented schools to apply to the UK’s best universities. The Russell Group’s statement earlier this year that an ill-considered selection of subjects studied at school could hurt an applicant’s chances of receiving an offer highlighted how important it is for a pupil to receive good guidance when selecting GCSE and A-Level courses.

While the lack of information may generally contribute to low application levels, direct bias can also lead to underrepresentation in some quarters: the Sutton Trust found that only half of teachers surveyed in 2007 would encourage their brightest pupils to apply to Oxbridge. In the Telegraph’s report, a comment from a former pupil at one of the most successful maintained schools in the study points up the benefits of a more positive attitude: ‘My school had a culture that Oxford was something to aspire to and the fact that you go to a comprehensive shouldn’t put you off.’

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ISC’s Job Zone is open to all types of jobseekers from Newly Qualified Teachers; teachers from state schools; to experienced individuals looking to change profession.

The number of jobseekers visiting the ISC Job Zone is expected to remain strong thanks to ISC affiliated schools adding new jobs frequently. The service is free for all jobseekers and is updated on a daily basis. Jobseekers are encouraged to keep checking back regularly to find their ideal job.

The Easter holidays is the key time to search and apply as school staff usually have to give a term’s notice; applying now will help secure a position in the new school year. A range of teaching and non-teaching jobs are posted by ISC affiliated schools onto the Job Zone; you can specify your job search to find a suitable role that matches your search criteria.

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Public school education has evolved into a diverse sector filled with many different types of schools catering for very different pupils. The academically gifted student can easily find a school place in order to challenge him or her to achieve their very best and gain admission to their university of choice with an international student equally able to find a place at a school offering short course GCSEs alongside an intensive English as a Foreign Language course.

Public schools also provide superb support for those with special educational needs with last year’s census (2010) identifying 56,930 pupils at ISC schools as having special educational needs (SEN) ranging from dyslexia to multi-sensory impairment. The expertise in the sector is recognised worldwide and the sector’s innovative approach to teaching is consistently shown at ISC’s annual SEN conference. Each year speakers come from all over the world to share best practice with public school SENCo’s and teachers.

A wealth of teaching expertise and favourable pupil:teacher ratios mean that children benefit from small class sizes and a tailor made education allowing parents to effectively choose the school that best fits with their child’s style of learning. The image of an impersonal one-size-fits-all public school education is a thing of the past with teachers being empowered to use new technologies in order to make the learning process both relevant and interesting. IT is one area where the sector has not only invested heavily in but, over time, has learnt to use effectively in many facets of school life.

The outdated public school image of cold dormitories with stern matrons parading the corridors is a thing of the past with millions being spent on updating boarding accommodation offering students modern, clean and multi-purpose living and study space.

Why not visit a public school today, you might find yourself pleasantly surprised?

Liam Butler

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