The Scottish Government is set to axe the 'Superteacher' scheme set up a decade ago to improve teaching standards.

The chartered teacher scheme was designed to give teachers who had reached the top of their salary scale and did not want to go into management an incentive to improve their skills by becoming a 'Superteacher', rather than "treading water" until retirement, the Herald Scotland reports.

The axing of the scheme, has received a negative response from the teaching unions.

"The vast majority of chartered teachers are also excellent classroom practitioners," Ann Ballinger, General Secretary of the Scottish Secondary Teachers Association (SSTA) stated. "Their expertise, enhanced during their study, benefits both colleagues and pupils, while retaining the expert teacher in the classroom. Removing the option of becoming a chartered teacher greatly restricts the opportunities for career development, which have already been hugely reduced by cuts to the number of promoted posts."

The Superteacher scheme was originally set up in 2001, as a part of the McCrone deal on pay and conditions targeted at improving teacher professionalism. In May 2011, 1,216 teachers attained the status, with a further 2,800 on the programme.

Recommendations from the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) originally stated that the 'Superteacher' scheme should be scrapped last year. The subsequent McCormac report, chaired by Professor Gerry McCormac, Principal of Stirling University backed the call, stating: "The widely held view is that the existing cohort of chartered teachers does not singularly represent the best teachers in Scotland."

Ronnie Smith, General Secretary of the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS), said "killing off" the scheme would "punch a hole" in the career structure for teachers.

He commented: "Stopping the chartered teacher scheme would demotivate many good, experienced teachers who would see their opportunity to continue to enhance their teaching practice removed."

A Scottish Government Spokesman said: "The Cabinet Secretary has committed to discussing the recommendations of the McCormac Review with education partners before taking decisions on next steps.These discussions are ongoing and Mr Russell intends to make a statement to the Scottish Parliament on the matter in early February."

For more information on the McCormac review, try these links:

• McCormac review recommends more teacher flexibility
• Scottish schools could be left behind, says Professor McCormac
• McCormac review to recomend teacher shake-up

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