Halt teacher training review – Unions write to Education Secretary

Joint letter from teaching unions and training providers on reforms to initial teacher training 

Today (17 July) NAHT (@NAHTnews) has called for the withdrawal of the government’s consultation on plans to reform initial teacher training, in a joint letter with education unions to the Secretary of State for Education.

Nick Brook, deputy general secretary of NAHT, which represents leaders in the majority of schools, said:

“This is not the right time to be messing about with the teacher training system. Schools are reliant on the strong and varied network of training providers across the country, to ensure sufficient supply of teachers in the subjects and communities where they are needed most. More people than ever are looking to join the profession, yet these proposals take a sledgehammer to the existing model of teacher training and will only serve to significantly reduce the supply of teachers for years to come.

“These radical, controversial and complex proposals require the full engagement of all stakeholders, which cannot be achieved during the last few days of term. Schools are rightly focused on education recovery post-pandemic and are currently dealing with significant disruption as a result of a rapid increase in Covid cases amongst pupils. This is the worst possible time to embark on an unnecessary shake-up of teacher training. We call on government to pause its consultation, to take a breath and fully re-engage with the school and teacher training sectors during the autumn.”

Kate Green MP, Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary, said:

“These reforms will place huge additional burdens on schools and training providers. Instead of rushing them through without proper planning during the school holidays the Government should be fully engaging with the sector to deliver proper support not half-baked ideas.

“Universities are warning that these plans could force them to drop teacher training courses altogether, threatening the future supply of teachers.

“Schools and parents will be understandably alarmed at Gavin Williamson and his failing Department trying to take greater centralised control of training. The Department should be supporting teachers’ professionalism, and focusing on delivering what pupils, teachers and parents need: a proper recovery plan which matches Labour’s ambition to deliver world class teacher training alongside opportunities for children to play, learn and develop post-pandemic.”

Initial teacher training (ITT) market review: recommendations

A report from the ITT market review expert group.