Career Development

Learning for life: our education vision

One of Bexley Council's six key aims is promoting education for life. In an increasingly competitive world, it is crucial that young people have the skills, knowledge and confidence to pursue their goals and indulge their interests.

Making our vision reality

Our Education Plan sets out the Council's view of where education should be by 2004. it includes clear details of how we will drive forward progress, enhance results, and challenge schools to achieve continuous academic, vocational, behavioural and attendance improvement.

Our schools have set the following targets:

• 85% of children leaving Primary school will have achieved level 4 at Key Stage 2. This would mean some schools achieving percentages in the high nineties.
• 96% of 16 year olds will leave Secondary school with five qualifications. This is a real challenge, particularly for our ambitious non-selective schools.

Empowering learning.

Yet our vision is far broader than merely enhancing results. We wish to change the way in which people teach - and learn. Our vision is of pupils shaping their own learning, with teachers becoming facilitators and coaches, and e-learning becoming an everyday way of life. In this way, we believe we can foster a passion for learning, and significantly increase educational take-up among 17 and 18 year olds.

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Career development courses

Ongoing professional development is central to the education agenda here at Bexley. We encourage teachers to attend local and national courses to increase their own skills, and of course their worth to their pupils.

Continuous professional development.

During your teaching career in Bexley, you will have opportunities to gain further professional qualifications, including the Advanced Certificate in Professional Studies. You can also benefit from a wide range of courses supplementing local and national initiatives, all offering excellent opportunities for networking.

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Chartered London Teacher Status

Chartered London Teacher status (CLT) is designed to recognise and reward the skills and expertise of London teachers. It was set-up through the London Challenge strategy.

CLT status will:

• Celebrate the quality of professional practice and commitment to continuing professional development by London teachers
• Recognise the distinctive challenges and opportunities of teaching in London
• Be part of, not additional to, a teacher's day-to-day work and integrated with performance management arrangements
• Carry with it the award of a £1,000 lump sum on achievement of CLT status
• Offer scope to combine with further professional development activities and accreditation
• Build on best professional practice, including observation of others and teachers sharing experience

Find out more at www.clt.ac.uk

The London Challenge

The London Challenge is a partnership between all those who seek more for London's young people. Just as London is determined to be a world leader in other areas, so, through a unified effort, London can be established as a leader in education, a world class city for learning and creativity.

The challenge strategy was launched by the Prime Minister on 12th May 2003 and has three crucial components:

• Transforming key London boroughs - Islington, Hackney, Haringey, Southwark and Lambeth
• Providing support for those schools on the frontline of breaking the link between disadvantage and low attainment
• Providing a better deal for London students, teachers, leaders and schools

To find out more about the challenge, or to download the stategy document and executive summary, visit www.londonchallenge.gov.uk.