The Professional Principles are drawn from research and evidence and have been developed in consultation with the teaching profession. They differ from the Teachers’ Standards, which outline a minimum standard that teachers are required to uphold. Instead, the Professional Principles intend to define an aspirational standard that all teachers – and school leaders – can strive to achieve, aligned to both their current role and future career goals.

The Chartered Teacher Professional Principles build on teachers’ early career experiences and support ongoing professional learning and development for classroom teachers at all levels of experience, who are aspiring to the highest standards of practice.

The Chartered Teacher (Mentor) Professional Principles crossover with the Chartered Teacher Professional Principles to provide an alternative pathway for teachers who take on mentoring roles, enabling them to focus on developing both high-quality teaching and high-quality mentoring practice.

The Chartered Teacher (Leadership) Professional Principles build on the Chartered Teacher and Chartered Teacher Mentor Professional Principles, to support leaders’ ongoing development, with a focus on context-focused, evidence-informed leadership and school development.

Each set of Professional Principles is divided into three categories:

• Professional Knowledge: These principles define the knowledge and understanding that an effective teacher, mentor, or school leader, is expected to hold, relevant to their role. This typically includes knowledge around teaching and learning, curriculum, and assessment for example.
• Professional Practice: These principles aim to articulate the specific practices that teachers, mentors, or school leaders might enact in order to be effective in their role. These are typically skills that individuals develop and hone over time.
• Professional Behaviours: The Professional Behaviours reflect the key aspects of professionalism which transcend any individual role; they aim to capture the behaviours that all teachers might endeavour to maintain and strengthen throughout their career. As such, the Professional Behaviours are replicated across each of the three pathways. They include critically evaluating and reflecting on practice; engaging in relevant, career-long professional learning; exhibiting collegiality; demonstrating high standards; and engaging critically with research and evidence.

It is important to note that the Professional Principles are intended to be applied with flexibility; they should not be seen as an exhaustive list and they are likely to look different for different teachers working in different phases, specialisms and settings. Each Professional Principle is exemplified by a series of sub-principles which attempt to capture some of the underpinning nuance and detail; however, not all of these sub-principles will be relevant to all teachers in all contexts.

Using the Professional Framework for professional development planning

As the Professional Principles draw from the evidence base around teacher, mentor and leadership effectiveness, they have the potential to act as a valuable guide for professional learning and driver for individual development when used as part of an iterative and supportive, developmental process.

When planning for professional learning and development, individuals will typically begin by undertaking a self-review against the set of Professional Principles that are relevant to their current role. The purpose of this is to prompt reflection; to evaluate existing strengths and bring to the fore any potential areas for development. Where an individual is seeking to progress into a new role (such as a classroom teacher aspiring to a mentoring or leadership role) they may also refer to the Professional Principles relevant to that role as an additional point of reference. To support with this activity, printable self-review templates for each of the Chartered Teacher pathways are included in the appendices of this framework.

When reflecting on and identifying goals for professional learning and development, individuals should consider the outcomes of their self-review against the Professional Principles alongside individual needs and contextual factors. This is to ensure that any goals set are purposeful, meaningful and have a clear intended impact.

Helpful questions to consider when evaluating potential professional learning goals could include:

• How does this align with existing individual / team / whole-school priorities?
• How will this impact on practice?
• How does this help to meet the needs of pupils?
• What challenges might this help me overcome?

With clear professional learning and development goals in mind, individuals can then seek out appropriate CPD opportunities that enable them to achieve these goals. This should form part of an iterative, sustained process, with opportunities for individuals to undertake CPD, apply ideas into their practice, reflect on the progress they have made towards their goals, and review and amend, or set new goals as and when appropriate.

Bringing coherence to teacher professional learning and development

Using the Professional Principles in a sustained way, as described here, means that the Professional Framework can provide an anchor for professional development throughout an individual’s career. Those leading CPD within school can make links to relevant principles where appropriate, whilst explicitly identifying where external CPD aligns with the Professional Principles can help individuals to understand and recognise how broader CPD experiences fit within their own career development pathway. With teachers increasingly engaging in CPD from a range of sources and providers, this helps to bring coherence to individual professional learning and development. Additionally, the Professional Principles support progression from the Early Career Framework, and also align with new NPQs, meaning they complement the DfE’s ‘golden thread’ that underpins the support, training and development offered to teachers as part of recent national reforms.

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