Scottish teacher training to be reviewed

The review will look at in-service courses for teachers

The head of the schools inspectorate is to oversee a full-scale review of teacher training in Scotland.

The review by Graham Donaldson will cover the full spectrum of teacher development from initial training through to in-service development.

The Scottish government, which instigated the review, said training needed to change because of the new curriculum in schools.

Mr Donaldson is about to retire from his post in charge of inspectors.

He will begin the review in January and report to ministers by next autumn.

Earlier this week HMI released a report indicating that since the McCrone agreement on teachers' pay and conditions, in 2001, standards had not improved significantly.

It said staff did not have enough access to good in-service development courses.

Education Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: "We know that as we continue to implement Curriculum for Excellence, the demands on teachers will change.

"That is why I believe that the time is right for a wide-ranging review that takes a fundamental look at our system of teacher education.

"It is time to work out what is good, where the strengths are and where improvements and modernisations can be made."