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Teachers' Standards: overview and career progression

Read our summary of the Teachers' Standards, and find out how they relate to career stage expectations and progression.

Last reviewed on 27 January 2025
School types: All•School phases: All•Ref: 5343
Contents
  1. Who the standards apply to
  2. What the standards cover
  3. The standards don't cover career stage expectations
  4. How to use the standards in appraisals

This article is based on the current Teachers' Standards for schools in England.

Who the standards apply to

The Teachers' Standards must apply to:

  • Most teachers in maintained schools, including headteachers (this is set out in legislation)
  • Teachers completing their early career teacher (ECT) induction
  • Trainees working towards qualified teacher status (QTS)

They don't have to apply to:

  • Teachers in academies (unless your funding agreement says otherwise)
  • Teachers with qualified teacher learning and skills (QTLS) status

However, the standards may be used for these teachers if you wish.

Part 2 of the standards, which relate to conduct, will apply to any teacher being assessed for cases of serious misconduct.

Teachers in Wales use different standards 

The Teachers' Standards are divided into 3