Strategic Board for Teacher Education minutes: September 2025

Attendees and apologies

Orlando Mason, Scottish Government (SG, Chair)

Ben Morley, SG (Secretary)

David Barnett, School Leaders Scotland (SLS)

Emma Bunting, SG (left towards end of item 6)

David Burgess, Education Scotland (ES)

Barbara Coupar, Scottish Catholic Education Service (SCES)

Jonathan Cunningham, Association of Heads and Deputes Scotland (AHDS)

Claire Daverin, SG

Sheena Devlin, Association of Directors of Education in Scotland (ADES)

Angela Felvus, SG

Archie Glen, Community Trade Union

Duncan Lawrie, Teacher

Tara Lillis, NASUWT

Katie Lyle, SG

Suzanne MacLeod, Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA)

Khadija Mohammed, University of West Scotland

Susan Quinn, Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS)

Stuart Robb, SG

Zoe Robertson, Scottish Council of Deans of Education (SCDE)

Seamus Searson, Scottish Secondary Teachers Association (SSTA)

Sarah Sinclair, Scottish Council of Independent Schools (SCIS)

Pauline Stephen, General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS)

Lesley Whelan, ES (left towards end of item 2)

Sandip Mahajan, SG

Apologies:

Stuart Bain, COSLA; Lorraine Davidson, SCIS; Laurence Findlay, Aberdeenshire Council; Anne Keenan, EIS

Items and actions

Note - where directly linking, comments from the online meeting ‘chat’ have been incorporated into the relevant item within the minutes.

Item 1 - welcome and introductions

The Chair welcomed all members and substitutes and noted apologies including Sarah Sinclair who would need to leave early.

Item 2 - minutes from previous meeting

Members agreed the following revisions to the minutes of the previous SBTE meeting held on 23rd June:

• item one (minutes from previous meeting - 30th April) - paragraph six, bullet-point four - include wording that current innovation may not comply with ‘legal requirements’ (prefix reference to GTCS deleted from legal requirements)
• item two (workstream two update) - paragraph six, bullet-point five - new GTCS guidance ‘professional barriers’ changed to ‘professional boundaries’
• item two - Action - Pauline Stephen to bring data from GTCS analysing rate of completion in the Teacher Induction Scheme - should be ‘is developing’ not ‘to bring’
• item three (workstream one - insight session) - paragraph seven, bullet-point seven, sub bullet-point five - ‘computer science’ should read ‘computing science’ (as the existing subject title)
• item three, bullet-point nine, sub bullet-point - [computing science] ‘masters can then be converted to a teaching qualification’ is not technically the case
• item three - paragraph eight - there was some concern about the proposed review of data, in particular, Action 14 - SG officials ‘to review’ possibilities around co-ordination of supply teaching nationally. It would be very difficult to achieve a national supply. The Chair suggested ‘to explore’ as more appropriate and would be the amended wording but not listed as a direct action. He added assurance that this issue was discussed with COSLA
• item four (workstream three - insight session) - paragraph nine, bullet-point one, mentoring between ‘senior teachers’ and early career teachers - change ‘senior teachers’ to ‘experienced teachers’
• item five (Education and Childcare Assurance Board (ECAB)) – paragraph twelve - concerns were re-iterated that not only lack of teacher representation but involving broader stakeholders, as appropriate, was not being incorporated for the ECAB. Judith Tracey, from the ECAB secretariat, attended the previous meeting and was requested to take concerns back to the ECAB. The Chair commented that membership had been considered by the ECAB on 9th September but linked to the Verity House Agreement between SG and COSLA so wasn’t going to change. This was another board so SBTE had no direct influence
• amend the reference to UN International Teaching Panels - to include importance of recruitment and retention (Chair noted the item had been covered under action four but the change was taken on board)

Action 14 - remove (SG officials to review possibilities around co-ordination of supply teaching nationally)

Action 23 - Pauline Stephen to provide secretariat with appropriate wording ref [computing science] ‘masters can then be converted to a teaching qualification’ for a more accurate status. Post-meeting note (appropriate wording: A new undergraduate programme for computing science teachers at the University of Aberdeen has been developed and accredited)

The Chair reported on actions from the previous meeting - see Annex A (Action Tracker - Actions 10-22).

Item 3 - Workstream 2 - Promoting Teaching as a Valued Career - Update (and Teachers and Teaching in Scotland: A Semiotic Study)

Angela Felvus reported that funding had been approved for a new teacher recruitment campaign which would be appropriately targeted where there was identified need. Background and preparatory work would now be undertaken with external agencies to ensure the first run of the campaign would commence in January 2026.

Members then discussed the item, including the following points:

• Pauline Stephen reported that the GTCS had just published its annual Registration Report: Data and Insight (April 2024 - March 2025). GTCS was required to make recommendations (on teacher supply) to Scottish Ministers and had sent the report to the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, education spokespeople and partners. The content was relevant to promoting teaching, including recruitment
• There were five headline recommendations (more detail in the report)

            1. focus on teacher retention.

            2. increase teacher mobility

            3. hold firm on high teacher standards

            4. understand our system’s nuanced requirements and where the gaps are

            5. deeply consider system structures

• Pauline Stephen noted some other highlights
  • decline in registrations is steeper than decline in registrants
  • individuals completing  ITE qualification but not provisionally registering
  • potential pattern of individuals leaving the Register earlier than expected, some within 2-5 years of registration, which was of significant concern
  • reasons for leaving including unable to secure a job and work-related pressures and stress
• She felt any campaign needed to be nuanced and not risk encouraging people towards a profession where jobs might be in short supply
  • supporting and promoting retention was paramount
  • campaign focus needed to be data-driven and targeted around geographic areas and subjects where vacancies existed
  • members supported a nuanced campaign recognising that this is first and foremost a recruitment campaign but, where possible, noting that retention is an issue
  • members noted that any marketing campaign should give balanced information to give an accurate picture of teaching. The experience of minority groups and their relationship with teaching as a profession should be considered to drive uptake.  The marketing campaign could also target opportunities for out-of-work teachers

• employment figures should be considered when developing student intake targets. Members referred to linking data between Initial Teacher Education (ITE) and Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) / other ‘hard to fill’ subjects for analysis
• SG officials advised that the campaign would be focussing on appropriately targeted recruitment where there was need
  • members were provided with assurance that the campaign development was being scrutinised carefully with awareness of ‘hard to fill’ subjects and will promote remote and rural opportunities and aim to increase diversity

Teachers and Teaching in Scotland: A Semiotic Study

Claire Daverin presented the findings of a Semiotic Study which looked at cultural influences affecting people’s thinking in relation to teachers and the profession, e.g. stereotypes putting off applicants but also positive role models. The study had supported the campaign development in terms of being incisive and targeted.

She explained that:

• the research stemmed from the Joint ITE Recruitment and Admissions Group recognising decline in course applicants
• the methodology used was quite different to standard research - symbols’ with an ‘outside-in’ looking approach.  But, the findings did complement parallel quantitative research undertaken by Red Brick
• the ‘outside in’ meant looking at, and understanding, influence of people’s school experiences as well as perceptions from home and public life. Some influences such as mainstream and social media  were negative enough to rule out interest in teaching. Conversely other influences could positively  generate interest
• four research steps were used to lead to findings - identifying signs, codes and social structures leading to insights
• a host of research activity was pursued including effects of TV, academia and international benchmarking to help decipher ‘fact from fiction’, e.g. often mixed stories (‘messages’) and evocative phrases such as ‘war zones’ (classrooms). Negative headlines had an accumulative impact such as teachers being under extreme pressure
• there were positive stories and activities such as comradeship between teachers but these tended to be over-shadowed
• some poor parental behaviour, e.g. parents challenging teachers in unacceptable manner had grown since covid
• perceptions could include teaching being easy or the extreme of endless work, and that teachers only appeared in classrooms and during exams and then vanished not existing in the community which was a negative picture
  • it was useful for children (and others) to appreciate that teachers did a lot more unseen work, were people, had outside lives and had multiple roles (e.g. ‘guardian’ of children and ‘social worker’) which was a more positive picture
  • role models and views of children were important
  • children’s feedback that they valued friendship and support of a teacher more than academically clever teachers

• in terms of promoting attractiveness of the profession, in addition to common rewards, notable benefits and job satisfaction included uniqueness of being able to support and influence so many young people’s lives in a positive, sustainable way to help them achieve their potential
• but there was an expectation that teachers should always be putting everyone first at their own expense
• in essence, barrier and opportunities broadly amounted to tackling negative messages and promoting the positives
• seven recommendations were made

1. continue amplifying positive stories
2. tackle blanket messages
3. close gap between reality and perceptions
4. capitalise on the zeitgeist
5. show the difference they make daily
6. challenge the expected
7. tackle negative stereotypes

Members welcomed the study and findings. Some comments were made and responses received including:

• whether there was scope for a nuanced approach covering differences in the profession etc. that set realistic expectations
  • members were advised that 1) the profession needed to be portrayed positively, such as a social asset and 2) more emotive material needed to be targeted with specific messages and digital communications would help  including targeting towards specific groups such as undergraduates
• JIRAG’s Red Brick research findings had captured similar messages  and tie-in between different pieces of work was useful such as the Sustainable School Project which included similar leadership messaging
• although this was primarily a recruitment campaign, retention messaging was paramount. Good to highlight ‘moral’ value of teaching but needs to be accompanied with realism that teaching is complex work and should be recognised as such
• important to more broadly promote teaching as a real vocation and career - workstream three was looking at this longer view
• consideration needed to be given to the range of people circulating inaccurate messaging, e.g. right-wing groups
• there were positive and realistic messages (including international quotes about Scottish education) that could be promoted, such as the role of education , high professional standards of Scottish education underpinned by GTCS’ work, diversity of people. Messaging needed to be clear and encourage people
• challenging stereotypes (or promoting positives) was important for increasing diversity within the profession, e.g. perceptions that some communities still only wanted their families to study the ‘professions’ (medicine, dentistry etc.). At a recent event with over 220 ethnic minority aspiring students, there was a lot of enthusiasm but also concerns  so perceptions needed to be considered
• SG officials re-iterated the study reflected cultural and societal influences but there was a narrative required that portrayed more realism
• there were various stages within the overall campaign including working with creative and design agencies, direct marketing (large database) etc
  • the international research perspective provided some useful insights for consideration as the development work continued
  • other digital actions included consideration of the Teach in Scotland website etc
  • range of research and testing prior to launch of the campaign
  • some local targeting might be possible, but this was essentially a national campaign and messaging would reflect this

Action 24: Secretariat, on behalf of Pauline Stephen, to send members GTCS’ annual Registration Report: Data and Insight (April 2024 - March 2025)

(Document at Registration Report: Data and Insight (2025)).

Item 4 - Workstream 1 - Workforce Planning: Update and International Recruitment & Retention Research

The Chair advised that a written update on the Workstream (WS) 1 (Workforce Planning) activity would be circulated.

David Burgess reported on a recent International Recruitment and Retention Research conference that he had attended. His report included:

• the conference was an opportunity to understand common issues and share best practice
• feedback on international experiences and perspectives with challenges, novel policy approaches and impact of decisions with lessons to be learnt
• Netherlands
  • issues included low professional pride/status, poor working conditions, economic competition, struggle to get staff, burnout, stress
  • policy included incentives to attract/retain teachers such as housing support, links between courses and employment but poor decision-making such as lower entry standards and ‘quick fixes’ which lacked professionalism and proved counter-productive, e.g. higher dropout rate (up to 40% leave in first three years)

• Portugal
  • issues included negative public image , poor working conditions, aging workforce (shortfall of 34,000 by 2030) and ‘quick fix’ failures
  • policy included incentives for teachers and better links between courses and employment
• Australia
  • issues included lower interest in teacher education, limited central data for planning and ‘fast-track’ entry seen as unprofessional
  • policy included better teacher education, promoting the profession

• Ireland
  • high public trust but retention issues
• Summary - common lessons (important to understand what’s been tried internationally, what perceived solutions had unintended consequences and main recommendations
  • establish quality data supporting workforce planning especially aging workforces
  • avoid quick fixes which can be counter-productive and tarnish the profession
  • strong links between teacher education (schools and universities) and recruitment
  • tackle negative image of teaching, promote the profession - change public perceptions
  • recruitment (areas of demand match targeted supply) and retention (good working conditions) both important
  • consider incentives such as housing support, identify emerging opportunities.

Action 25 - Ben Morley (secretariat) to send members a written update on Workstream 1 (Workforce Planning) progress

Action 26 - David Burgess to share, via secretariat, slides from the international recruitment and retention research conference

Item 5 - Workstream 3 - Update

Pauline Stephen, for the workstream leads, gave a brief update on progress made which covered a range of priorities including:

• ‘what good induction looks like?’ is central to the development of  phase two of the proposed teacher education and development framework. An early paper on this will be brought to the next board meeting. It was noted that SG has some associated work such as a review of the teacher induction scheme
• noting that due to transitional changes taking place at Education Scotland, some phase four work is paused - mentoring support from experienced teachers for new teachers

Item 6 - GTCS Review of Initial Teacher Education (ITE) provider accreditation and evaluation

Pauline Stephen explained the purpose, approach and scope of GTCS’ review of ITE provider accreditation and evaluation including:

Background

• recognising that the process places trust in Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) to recommend individuals for registration following ITE. Accreditation is the process for determining the suitability of qualification to do this, to say that an individual has met a standard that leads to registration
• this trust is mirrored in the induction year where  employers (schools / local authorities) make a similar assessment with respect to full registration
• there are currently 46 active ITE courses (25 undergraduate and 21 Post Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) programmes) across 11 providers
• historically, the GTCS process has focused on ‘inputs’, i.e. a higher education provider’s plans for a programme
• however, review proposals were shifting the balance to look at the effectiveness of outputs
  • what programmes were delivering in line with what had been accredited

• the new approach introduces ongoing assurance mechanisms and a process for ensuring the management of any concerns about individual programmes
• the new approach also aims to be more risk-based and proportionate, targeting intervention where it is needed. Proposed changes have been developed following engagement with partners, particularly HEIs and following piloting of approaches
• consultation on proposals was a legal requirement and would take place in January 2026
• findings from the consultation will be considered by GTCS’ council prior to any approved change
• more widely work is in development to consider national evaluation of ITE provision following a change to previous SCDE and Education Scotland arrangements

Members made some points including:

• effective performance and outcomes through both ITE and the Teacher Induction Scheme (TIS) were important
• joining up data was important for  a picture of what it means to be a teacher etc
• but, whilst Teacher Induction Scheme (TIS) data could be analysed this was much harder for the alternative ‘flexible route’
• data covered different stages from provisional to full registration as a teacher as well as removal of registration following a Fitness to Teach process. It would be some time before comprehensive and reliable data was available
• increasing diversity was an important success measure and support from the Diversity in the Teaching Profession and Education Workforce Sub-Group might be available, e.g.  data concerning protected characteristics

Any other business (AOB)

The earlier discussion on the forthcoming national recruitment campaign and associated semiotics study was reviewed.

Members were informed that two roundtables were in the pipeline (teacher recruitment and associated issues; and ITE planning processes) and the Teacher Workforce Planning Advisory Group (TWPAG) would meet in the next month or so to discuss annual modelling and consider advisory recommendations on ITE targets etc. Consideration would be given to the scope and remit of TWPAG.

Sheena Devlin offered to share with SG, recruitment and retention data from the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland.

There was a need to return to earlier discussions in relation to shared definitions, e.g. there needed to be clarity over the definition of a ‘vacancy’ as local authorities appeared to have different interpretations.

No other business was raised by Members.

Action 27 - Sheena Devlin offered to share with SG, recruitment and retention data from the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland

Dates of next meetings

Tuesday 3rd February, 14.00-16.00  (online) - this meeting replaced 11th December and 12th March meetings.

Thursday 18th June, 9:30 - 11:30 June (in person)

Annex A - Action Tracker - 25 September 2025

Action 1 - Secretariat to update the minutes from 26 September 2024 meeting and publish on SG website

Update - completed

Lead - Secretariat (Sec)

Action 2 - Workstream 2 - University of Edinburgh leading work across SCDE to gather data on issues, barriers and what attracts applicants to teaching. Report on this work to be shared with SBTE, when it is finalised    

Update - completed

Lead - Sec

Action 3 - SG to undertake a review of the Teach in Scotland website and update as required

Ongoing - this work was paused and is being considered again

Lead - Sec

Action 4 - Secretariat to set up an ‘insights session’ to provide an opportunity to make sense of the data presented at SBTE and gain insights into what it means. Session to be held soon, invite open to all SBTE members, and opportunity for members to contribute additional data in advance

Update - completed - this was an item in Sept meeting (agenda item 3)         

Lead - Sec

Action 5 - SLS to share with the Secretariat, a report of survey regarding shortage subjects when it is finalised

Update - completed - shared and discussed (agenda item 3)

Lead - SLS

Action 6 - members to provide written feedback to the Secretariat, on the Workstream 3 paper and the priorities     

Update - completed

Lead - members

Action 7 - Workstream 3 leads to reflect on feedback. Consider next steps, identify leads for priorities, look to publish Framework and share with other key education strategy / reform boards and groups

Update - ongoing - progress email with proposal paper on Graduate Teacher Pathway sent to members 8 Dec for feedback and discussion at SBTE meeting on 3 February 2026). Sec. to share Framework etc. with other boards and groups         

Lead - Pauline Stephen, David Burgess, Lesley Whelan, Zoe Robertson

Action 8 - Education, Childcare and Assurance Board (ECAB) to be included on agenda for next SBTE meeting

Update - completed

Lead - Sec

Action 9 - future SBTE meetings to allow enough time for a full discussion on all agenda items. Secretariat to issue a doodle poll for an in-person or hybrid meeting before school summer holidays       

Update - completed - the timings of future meetings have been expanded     

Lead - Sec

Action 10 - discuss building a link between marketing work and the ITE antiracism network

Update - completed

Lead - Catriona Regan, Emma Bunting

Action 11 - semiotic research item done by Katie Lyle and Clare Devlin at a future meeting

Update - completed - agenda item three on 25 September agenda        

Lead - Katie Lyle, Clare Devlin

Action 12 - Pauline Stephen to bring data from GTCS analysing rate of completion in the Teacher Induction Scheme   

Update - N/A - removed as an action (see correction above, GTCS ‘developing’ data

Lead - Pauline Stephen

Action 13 - share a report from United Nations Teaching Panels which involves a roadmap for improving the value and standing of the teaching profession

Update - completed

Lead - Catriona Regan

Action 14 - review possibilities around co-ordination of supply teaching nationally

Update - removed as an action (SG officials may still ‘explore’)

Lead - Sec

Action 15 - develop a shared definitions document for inclusion in a data map of the workforce planning process.       

Update - ongoing     

Lead - Sec

Action 16 - Workstream 3 leads to develop a next steps document for Workstream 3 and share this with the SBTE membership

Update - completed - a priority plan was created - and updated version circulated (for info) with 3 February 2026 papers      

Lead - Pauline Stephen, David Burgess, Lesley Whelan, Zoe Robertson

Action 17 - provide secretariat support for the task and finish group looking at supporting teacher mentors

Update - ongoing (group not commenced yet)

Lead - Sec

Action 18 - review and share the timeline for Education Reform with SBTE members

Update - complete - supporting documents - Supporting documents - Curriculum, Qualifications and Assessment Reform: progress to date and next steps - gov.scot.

Lead - Sec

Action 19 - consider what additional work can be done to emphasise value of improving mentor support for teachers

Update - ongoing - this may be assumed within Workstream 3 activities

Lead - Sec

Action 20 - share the minute of the final Scottish Education Council (SEC) meeting

Update - completed

Lead - Sec

Action 21 - take concerns raised by the group regarding membership, transparency and SEC disbandment to the next Education and Childcare Assurance Board (ECAB) meeting

Update - completed - see above, discussed at 16 September 2025 ECAB meeting in line with SG/COSLA Verity House Agreement, no changes to membership

Lead - Judith Tracey (ECAB Sec)

Action 22 - secure dates in the diary for the next twelve months of SBTE meetings 

Update - completed

Lead - Sec

Action 23 - provide the secretariat with appropriate wording ref [computing science] ‘masters can then be converted to a teaching qualification’ for a more accurate status

Update - completed - appropriate wording: A new undergraduate programme for computing science teachers at the University of Aberdeen  has been developed and accredited    

Lead - Pauline Stephen

Action 24 - send members GTCS’ annual Registration Report: Data and Insight (April 2024 - March 2025)      

Update - completed (embedded within minutes of 25 September 2025 meeting and at Document > Registration Report: Data and Insight (2025)).

Lead - Sec

Action 25 - send Members a written update on Workstream 1 (Workforce Planning) progress.   

Update - completed (sent 15 October)   

Lead - Ben Morley (sec)

Action 26 - share slides from the international recruitment and retention research conference     

Update - completed (closed) - hasn’t proved possible to get the slides from the relevant university but verbal update at the SBTE meeting reflected the content of the slides - closed

Lead - David Burgess

Action 27 - share with SG, recruitment and retention data from the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland  

Update - ongoing - work done via ADES Resources Network and being shared with SG for potential mutual work including information sharing. Kevin Funnell (chair of the network) and Stuart Robb liaising

Lead - Sheena Devlin