Published last Friday, the reports consider training, morale, andleadership within the primary teaching profession from 1988 to 2008.Report 6/2 notes that while some research and studies describe teachersas being de-skilled, de-professionalised and demoralised due todecreasing autonomy, in reality 'younger teachers were much more likelyto be positive about the job'.
The report looks broadly at how primary school teachers have respondedto the changing character of their professional roles and lives,especially in relation to curriculum, pedagogy, leadership andmanagement. It also concludes that 'there needs to be a slower, moredeliberative and consultative context of policy development'.
Report 6/3 tracks reforms in initial teacher education (ITE), continuingprofessional development (CPD), and school leadership. It notes thatthere have been 'sustained and increasingly radical reforms to ITE',which has resulted in an improvement in standards and an increase inquality.
Report 6/4 considers the Government's programme of primary educationworkforce reform. 'Overall, the view from headteachers, teachers andteaching assistants on workforce reform in schools is supportive,although there are concerns about sustainability,' it says. 'Problemshave been created through the speed at which the reform of the workforceagenda has been pushed out to schools.'
- Further information
The reports are available at www.primaryreview.org.uk.
