Government urged to call halt to teacher training review

Media release from ASCL, Chartered College of Teaching, NAHT, NASUWT, NEU, Voice Community

A coalition of education organisations representing most teachers and leaders in England has written to Schools Minister Nick Gibb calling for an immediate halt to a consultation about an overhaul of teacher training because of the danger that it will damage the supply of high-quality teachers to schools.

The initial teacher training (ITT) market review consultation was opened recently by the Department for Education and is due to close on 22 August. The letter says:

“We know you share with us the conviction that the quality of teaching is the single most important element in raising attainment and closing the disadvantage gap.

“It is therefore extraordinary that a consultation which itself recognises it will lead to ‘far-reaching changes’ to the provision of teacher training in England is launched at the tail-end of a summer term disrupted by the ongoing ravages of the pandemic with a deadline for responses which falls during the summer holidays when schools and colleges will be dealing with the outcome of results days.

“This feels very much like an attempt to railroad through a huge change to the model of teacher training provision with minimal opportunity for scrutiny and meaningful feedback.”

The letter is signed by Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL); Alison Peacock, Chief Executive Officer of the Chartered College of Teaching; Nick Brook, Deputy General Secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT); Patrick Roach, General Secretary of the NASUWT teachers’ union; Dr Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney, General Secretaries of the National Education Union (NEU); and Deborah Lawson, Assistant General Secretary of Voice Community.

You can read the full letter here

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