The Chartered Teacher scheme, introduced in Scotland in 2001, offered a model of professional learning, development, reward and recognition for teachers.  Ten years later, in 2011, the Scottish government announced a freeze on entry to the Chartered Teacher scheme following recommendations for its termination as part of a report on Teachers’ Pay and Conditions. Through a critical analysis of published research, policy documentation and reports from professional and media organisations this paper will question whether the Chartered Teacher scheme, as a model of professional learning failed, or if it was failed by the particular constraints of the workforce remodeling agreement from which it emerged. By comparing the scheme to international models of teachers’ professional learning, and drawing on international evidence that indicates that incentivized performance models / merit pay models are complex and difficult to implement, most lasting only 5 years, the paper contests that the Chartered Teacher scheme did develop a model of practice based learning for experienced teachers that has relevance and application at a time when career long approaches to professional learning is gaining currency. 

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