Meet Munday and Beer, the Department for Education’s answer to initial teacher training (ITT) concerns raised in the Carter Review.

The DfE has appointed Comberton Academy Trust chief executive Stephen Munday to lead an independent expert group formed to develop a new ITT framework.

It has also asked the Teaching Schools Council, led by Ashton on Mersey School executive principal Vicky Beer, to develop standards for the ITT sector.

The appointments have been made as a result of the recommendations of headteacher Sir Andrew Carter, who was last year appointed to review all aspects of ITT and recommend where improvements could be made. He released his report in January. We wrote about it here.

The first of his 18 recommendations was that a ‘sector body’ be set up to create a framework describing what trainee teachers will be taught on future courses. It seems his wish was the DfE’s command.

 

In its response, the Department has announced it will…

– Commission an independent working group made up of expert representatives from the sector to develop a core ITT framework.

– Commission the Teaching Schools Council to develop a new set of ‘aspirational standards’ for school-based ITT mentors.

 

Nicky Morgan is pleased. She said so herself.

“I was really pleased that Sir Andrew Carter’s report highlighted that overall the ITT system in England is performing well.

“We want to continue to ensure we have excellent teachers in our classrooms to prepare young people for life in modern Britain. That is why we have committed to taking forward these important recommendations to help drive up improvements in the ITT system further.

“I’m delighted to appoint Stephen Munday to chair the independent expert group to lead the work on developing a new ITT course content framework, and The Teaching Schools Council to develop new standards for ITT mentors.”

 

Stephen Munday is also “delighted”…

“I am delighted to be able to work with colleagues on this really important development. We will seek to bring together our various areas of experience and expertise together with the thoughts and input of many others involved in initial teacher training in order to produce something of real use and value for future ITT provision.”

 

As is Vicky Beer…

“I am delighted that the Teaching Schools Council has been asked to lead on this really important work. Teaching Schools are at the heart of the government’s drive to give schools more freedom and to enable schools to take increasing responsibility for managing the education system.

“The Teaching Schools Council agree it is absolutely crucial for trainees to have high-quality, school-based mentoring to support them through their initial teacher training, and we look forward to working with teaching schools and ITT experts in developing national standards for mentors.”

 

Munday’s “expert group” includes some familiar names…

• Tom Bennett, teacher, educational writer and director of researchED
• Kath Goudie, Cambridge Teaching School Network
• Dina Lewis, Dean of Education, Hull University
• Margaret Mulholland, Director of Development and Research at Swiss Cottage School
• Ruth Miskin, former headteacher and phonics consultant
• Seamus Oates, Executive Headteacher TBAP Trust (Bridge AP Academy)
• Dame Alison Peacock, Executive Headteacher, The Wroxham School

 

We expect they are also delighted.