Experienced teachers could be able to take new qualifications in areas such as curriculum design and teacher development, Nick Gibb has said.

The school standards minister, speaking at the Festival of Education, today expanded on last month’s DfE announcement that the government would “support the development of new specialist qualifications” to provide career progression opportunities for all teachers.

In its response to its consultation on reforming qualified teacher status, the DfE had said that “these specialist qualifications will build on the ECF [early career framework] and complement Chartered Teacher status (CTeach). We will work with the sector to design these qualifications and provide further details as part of the next phase of work.”

In his speech at Wellington College, Mr Gibb said: “The government intends to consider how the early careers career framework can be built upon so that teachers acquire particular expertise and recognised qualifications in an area of teaching such as curriculum development or teacher development.”

He said that this was “because teachers deserve a framework of qualifications and support that recognises the core body of professional knowledge and skill that defines what it is to be a teacher”.

However, he added that this “must not be, and will not be” a decision taken and implemented by government, saying “these reforms cannot be done to teachers”.

His comments were welcomed by Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, who described the proposal for the new qualifications as “very good”.

He told Tes: “It gives a sense that you can demonstrate how you are building that expertise he talks about, but ultimately that should not reside in the department. It should be with the Chartered College, I think.”