GTCS Council Elections
SSTA is supporting the nominations of Catherine Nicol and Kevin Campbell in the GTCS Council elections. The SSTA is encouraging members to vote for these candidates.
 
SNCT Career Pathways
The SNCT working has established three working groups to take forward the recommendations from the ‘Career Pathways Report’. The working groups have all met and are undertaking detailed work.
 
The three groups are:

• New post of Lead Teacher to introduce a new career path for teachers in specialist roles in curricular, pedagogical and policy delivery.
• Career pathways for Headteachers within and beyond Headship including new opportunities in system leadership.
• A national model for Sabbaticals for all teachers including Headteachers.

The working groups are due to report in the summer of 2020 for implementation in 2021.

Review of Senior Phase
The Scottish Government has agreed to conduct a review of senior phase following concerns from the Holyrood Education and Skills Committee regarding reduction in subject choice at S4. The Government is commissioning the OECD and establishing an Education Practioners Group to conduct a review of the Senior Phase. The Education Practioners Group is to be chaired by Tony McDaid (South Lanarkshire)  and published in August 2020.

Mental Health in Schools
In November the Scottish Government announced an agreement with COSLA on the detailed allocation of £60 million over four years for professional counselling services. This will be available to all secondary school pupils who require it by September 2020.

Any counselling services currently delivered by qualified and registered counsellors through Pupil Equity or Scottish Attainment funding will continue, enabling local authorities to reallocate those funds to other priorities to close the attainment gap. 
SSTA Professional Learning (SUL)

The SSTA has a range of professional courses taking place this term. The courses Follow the link to reserve your place

• Understanding Autism
  Aberdeen (3 February 2020)
  Dundee (4 February 2020)
   
•  Understanding Dementia
  Glasgow (6 February 2020)
   
• Understanding Mental Health
  Inverness (18 February 2020)
  Aberdeen (24 February 2020)