initial teacher training | Schools Week

Teacher training needs reform, but the government’s review isn’t nearly ambitious enough

The government’s initial teacher training review has the potential to improve some aspects of provision, but could prove to be a missed opportunity, warns Jonathan Mountstevens. Experience tells me that initial teacher training needs reform. As a secondary senior leader, I have seen plenty of newly qualified teachers who have imbibed discredited ideas about learning […]

Drop in new teachers securing jobs, and 5 more findings from ITT data

The number of newly qualified teachers securing jobs in state schools saw a sharp drop during the pandemic, official figures show. Newly-published initial teacher training data for 2019-20 shows aspiring primary teachers taking the hardest hit as stagnating birthrates also hit recruitment. The Department for Education figures also lay bare the differing pass rates and […]

London secondaries offer fewest initial teacher training placements

London secondary schools are the least likely in the country to offer at least one initial teacher training placement, a new survey suggests. Analysis of a poll of school leaders by the National Foundation for Educational Research reveals significant divides between schools in how many placements they provide. The think tank also warns schools can […]

ITT reform ‘hugely risky’ to teacher supply and quality, warns government’s own adviser

Proposed reforms to teacher training could be “hugely risky” to teacher supply and quality, an adviser on the government’s ITT review has warned. Professor Sam Twiselton, a member of the advisory group set up to contribute to the review, also told Schools Week the “risk to school engagement is a particular concern”. With an extra […]

ITT review: DfE proposes re-accreditation for all providers

All initial teacher training providers would have to be re-accredited under proposals from a major government review that anticipates a “significant market reconfiguration”. The Department for Education is consulting on sweeping changes to ITT, including a new accreditation scheme, following the release of its ITT market review report. The government said it anticipated “significant market […]

DfE ITT market review: the 9 things you need to know

The Department for Education has published its initial teacher training market review and consultation on the recommendations today. Schools Week has been through both documents so you don’t have to. Here are the key things you need to know. 1. DfE wants ALL providers to apply for reaccreditation The DfE is proposing to re-accredit […]

Schools handed extra cash to take NQTs off-timetable after Covid hits induction

Schools will receive cash to fund additional off-timetable development for their current cohort of newly qualified teachers (NQTs) as a result of Covid disruption to induction. The Department for Education announced on Monday that state schools in England will be eligible for the funding for every NQT due to complete their induction this summer. The […]

Ofsted: ITE curriculums not ‘sufficiently ambitious’, and 5 other findings

Too few initial teacher education (ITE) partnerships have a “sufficiently ambitious” curriculum for their trainees, and “too many” are over-reliant on school placements to teach content, Ofsted has warned. The inspectorate has today released research and analysis on teacher training during Covid-19. Ofsted was due to begin inspecting ITE partnerships under its new framework from […]

‘You grow with the grant, then shrink back at the end’: the primary scooping up DfE accolades

From the outside, Charles Dickens looks like any other inner-London primary school. But behind the walls of its building in Borough is a team that has worked on five different government school-to-school support initiatives in just four years. This year alone, Charles Dickens has become a behaviour hub, a teaching school hub and a flexible […]