Hi,

I can let you know the messages that we, at the National Assessment Agency for ASTs and ETs, are giving to ASTs:

1. The new Professional Standards for Teachers which replace QTS and Core Standards are coming into effect on 1 Sep 2012.

2. The Review Body has recommended that the Standards for Post-Threshold, ET and AST be removed and replaced with the Master Teacher Standard. This has been approved in principle, however the government will now need to consult the Pay Review Body about the implications of this, and no dates or timescales have been agreed or released for this consultation yet. We would suggest that this consultation won't be complete until at least Sep 2012, and any recommendations and proposals coming from it won't come into effect until 2012. We have not had any confirmation from the DfE as regards timings.

3. The Master Teacher Standard is a set of aspirational statements describing the features of an excellent teacher. It is not a set of standards to be reached, and is not recommended to be linked to pay.

4. Although the AST standards are likely to go, the future for the role has not yet been discussed and decided. Whatever the future of the role, there will still be a need for recognised excellent practitioners supporting other teachers. The SLE designation is now also in place, created by Teaching School Alliances, but crucially this post has been designed to sit alongside ASTs - in teaching school alliances SLEs are destined to provide management and leadership peer-support and improvement, while ASTs can provide teaching and learning support and improvement.

5. We are still assessing new ASTs in schools nationwide as their headteachers and LA Co-ordinators continue to support outstanding teachers to be recognised as reaching the highest standards, and use their skills within their own schools and networks. Many LAs have retained their funding for ASTs, and this continues until March 2013. Schools also continue to fund their own ASTs as it is still a good option for retaining great teachers in the school and providing them with career development. Some schools 'sell' or broker the services of their ASTs, rather like a consultant.

Whatever emerges from these changes over the next few years, going through the rigorous external assessment to be recognised as an AST will still stand you in good stead. Headteachers, particularly of Teaching School Alliances, will be looking for the skills you have proven to have as an AST. And don't forget, once you're on the AST payspine, you're likely to have pay protection for 3 years.

If you want to keep up to date with what's happening, please email ASTVoice@babcock.co.uk to join the newsletter mailing list.

Hope that's helpful!