What do the professional standards mean for teachers and school leaders? Everyone working in education needs a clear understanding of the professional standards required of teachers and school leaders. Written by a team of expert and well-respected contributors, this book provides the definitive guide to the standards that are now widely used for initial teacher training, induction, continuing professional development and performance management. In addition it covers the standards for subject leaders, which underpin the national programme for subject leaders, and the standards for headteachers, which are now used as an essential requirement for headship.The main element of each of the standards reflects the broad dimensions of teaching and leadership, covering everything from planning and assessing learning to relations with the wider community and managing one's own performance and development.Clearly explaining the nature of the standards the writers demonstrate how they relate to the real world of teaching and leadership and point out key issues for the future. The final chapters of the book set the application of standards into a more critical framework and suggest how the standards can meet future as well as current needs.