Liberal Democrat Manifesto Commitment to Support the Teaching Profession

Today Liberal Democrat Education Secretary David Laws has announced plans to support the set-up of a new, independent, professional body - a College of Teaching - to represent and champion high standards in the teaching profession.

The UK already has world-class teachers, who are driving up standards in our schools and helping prepare every child, regardless of their background, for life in modern Britain. But the Liberal Democrats are committed to helping teachers improve even further.

This ties in with the Liberal Democrat 2015 manifesto commitment to a "parental guarantee" - so that every parent can be confident that their child will be taught a core curriculum by a properly qualified teacher.

The creation of the College of Teachers, led and owned by teachers themselves without interference from the government, will help to achieve that vision and ensure teachers continue to be recognised as valued professionals, bolster the professional status of teaching, and support the profession to grow and learn.

Commenting on the announcement, Lib Dem Education Minister David Laws said:

"Ensuring we have excellent teachers in every classroom inspiring pupils to achieve their full potential is key to building a stronger economy and a fairer society.

"Teachers are the single most important resource in our schools. Teaching should and must be on an equal footing with other high status professions like law and medicine.

"We already have world-class teachers doing amazing work up and down the country. But we want to support them further. We will raise the status of teaching by supporting a new College of Teaching and ensuring teachers have access to high-quality development programmes throughout their careers, backed up by rigorous evidence and evaluation."