The Government plans for changes to improve initial teacher training, just out for consultation, include bursaries of up to £20,000 for graduates with first class honours degrees in subjects where there are shortages of teachers – for example, maths, physics and chemistry.
Applicants for bursaries will need to hold a minimum of a 2.2 degree in order to apply for the schemes, which will start in 2012/13.
Education secretary Michael Gove said, ‘Our teachers are trained in some of the best institutions in the world, but the schools which employ these teachers do not get enough say in how they are trained.
Nor does the training focus sharply on the techniques teachers most need, such as behaviour management and the effective teaching of reading.
‘We value our teachers highly but the current system of funding does not incentivise the best. The system needs to change.’
ITT providers 'weak' in teaching children to read
Standards for initial teacher training are currently under review. Two weaknesses that have been identified, the consultation said, include for primary teachers, ‘the ability and confidence to teach reading effectively, including using systematic synthetic phonics. Strengthening new teachers’ preparedness to teach reading, including systematic synthetic phonics is one of our fundamental priorities.’
It goes on to say, that since the publication of the Government’s schools White Paper, the Training and Development Agency for Schools has developed and implemented a package of support to improve training in teaching reading, including identifying the best training providers and the features of effective practice in systematic synthetic phonics training, and disseminating this to all providers.
Managing pupil behaviour is the second area in initial teacher training that has been identified as a need for improvement and a similar programme of work with ITT providers as that for phonics has started.
Teach First – Teach First – the independent charity which trains the best graduates to gain QTS, while teaching in challenging schools, and which was recently introduced into primary schools - will also be expanded.
‘Teach First’s extension into primary schools is progressing well, and the initial evaluation of the programme suggests that there is potential for much more significant growth and we will continue to look at the potential for further expansion,’ the consultation paper states.Scholarships for existing teachers
A new £2 million scholarship scheme open to all existing teachers is also being set up to boost the number of teachers with postgraduate qualifications. It will be administered by the TDA and will make its first awards in December.
Scholarships of up to £3,500 each will be awarded to special educational needs teachers and teachers in English, maths and science.
Around 100 outstanding schools are expected to become ‘Teaching Schools’ from September, to partner with other schools and universities, to lead their own teacher training.
BLOB The final strategy for reforming initial teacher training will be published later this summer and the new system will come into effect in September. Most changes will affect new trainee teachers starting in September 2012.
