Benefits of enhancing skills outlined to school staff

School staff can enhance their professional development by becoming an advanced skills teacher (AST), it has been noted.

According to the Times Educational Supplement Magazine, this role is ideal for "ambitious teachers who love being in the classroom".

Those in teaching jobs who are interested in moving up the career ladder in this way can do so at any stage of their careeer.

Benefits of developing skills through the programme include a higher salary, leadership skill enhancement and the opportunity for more variety in teaching jobs.

Speaking to the news source, AST Pauline Hanningan, who specialises in primary science and design technology, noted that one of the role's highlights is the chance to work with teachers in other schools.

"Outreach is one of the best things about being an AST. It gives you variety, and it's nice to work with adults as well as children," she said.

Once they have passed a national assessment, ASTs spend 80 per cent of their time teaching their own classes and 20 per cent sharing good practice in other schools.




Published On 27/02/2009