Asked by: Baroness Donaghy (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the completion of the Initial Teacher Training (ITT) market review, to confirm whether ITT providers will continue to be able to equip student teachers to (1) critique, (2) question, and (3) contextualise evidence and research relating to children's education and learning.
Answered by Baroness Berridge
The Initial Teacher Training (ITT) market review is still in progress and we do not yet know what the review will recommend. The review’s focus is to ensure that all ITT trainees have access to high quality training and support across their training year. The government will consider the Chair’s recommendations once these are finalised and advise the ITT sector accordingly at that stage.
Asked by: Baroness Donaghy (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government on what date they plan to publish the recommendations of the Initial Teacher Training Market Review; and what plans they have to implement a centrally prescribed system for (1) content, and (2) modes of delivery.
Answered by Baroness Berridge
The department is aware that teaching quality is the most important in-school factor in improving outcomes for all children, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. The government is committed to giving every child high quality teaching to help them to achieve their full potential.
In November 2019, the department published the initial teacher training (ITT) Core Content Framework (CCF), which sets out a mandatory core minimum entitlement for all trainees of what they should expect from their training courses. The CCF sets a mandatory training entitlement that all ITT must deliver, embedded in the best, independently verified, evidence regarding quality teaching and what works. This includes content on curriculum planning and sequencing, behaviour management and setting high expectations for all pupils. This framework, along with the Early Career Framework, makes up a minimum entitlement of a three year package of development for trainees and newly qualified teachers, and will play a crucial role improving the quality of ITT.
On 2 January 2021, the department announced that we would be resuming our review of the ITT market. The review is focused on ensuring consistently high quality ITT based on the CCF, so that all trainees gain the expertise they need to become effective teachers. Any reforms must maintain sufficient capacity to deliver enough qualified teachers, whilst being accessible to candidates and of benefit to all schools.
The Chair and a small expert group, with the support of the department, are conducting early work to better understand these issues and the direction of the work. The department are confident that the expert group covers a range of expertise and perspectives which will be essential in ensuring the review maintains market capacity and reflects an understanding of high quality ITT. Additionally, they are holding discussions with sector representatives including the Universities’ Council for the Education of Teachers and the National Association of School-Based Teacher Trainers, with broader engagement planned from late spring. The department expects the review to conclude in the summer. The government will consider the Chair’s recommendations and advise the sector accordingly at that stage.
Asked by: Baroness Donaghy (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure the adequate representation of higher education institutions providing initial teacher training in the Department for Education's Initial Teacher Training Market Review.
Answered by Baroness Berridge
The department is aware that teaching quality is the most important in-school factor in improving outcomes for all children, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. The government is committed to giving every child high quality teaching to help them to achieve their full potential.
In November 2019, the department published the initial teacher training (ITT) Core Content Framework (CCF), which sets out a mandatory core minimum entitlement for all trainees of what they should expect from their training courses. The CCF sets a mandatory training entitlement that all ITT must deliver, embedded in the best, independently verified, evidence regarding quality teaching and what works. This includes content on curriculum planning and sequencing, behaviour management and setting high expectations for all pupils. This framework, along with the Early Career Framework, makes up a minimum entitlement of a three year package of development for trainees and newly qualified teachers, and will play a crucial role improving the quality of ITT.
On 2 January 2021, the department announced that we would be resuming our review of the ITT market. The review is focused on ensuring consistently high quality ITT based on the CCF, so that all trainees gain the expertise they need to become effective teachers. Any reforms must maintain sufficient capacity to deliver enough qualified teachers, whilst being accessible to candidates and of benefit to all schools.
The Chair and a small expert group, with the support of the department, are conducting early work to better understand these issues and the direction of the work. The department are confident that the expert group covers a range of expertise and perspectives which will be essential in ensuring the review maintains market capacity and reflects an understanding of high quality ITT. Additionally, they are holding discussions with sector representatives including the Universities’ Council for the Education of Teachers and the National Association of School-Based Teacher Trainers, with broader engagement planned from late spring. The department expects the review to conclude in the summer. The government will consider the Chair’s recommendations and advise the sector accordingly at that stage.
Asked by: Baroness Donaghy (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have (1) to maintain the stability of the teacher supply in the Initial Teacher Training system, and (2) to uphold the quality of teacher education.
Answered by Baroness Berridge
The department has been working hard to increase the number of teachers entering the profession. Throughout the COVID-19 outbreak, teachers have been celebrated for their role in continuing to support children. Measures have been taken to maintain the stability of teacher supply throughout the COVID-19 outbreak by working closely with the sector to support teacher training providers to place trainee teachers in schools as part of their training. The department has relaxed some of the criteria relating to the provision of initial teacher training (ITT) in the 2020/21 academic year, confirmed that trainee teachers are critical workers, and strongly encouraged schools to continue hosting trainees on placement during periods of national or local COVID-19 restrictions.
The department has seen a surge in the number of new trainee teachers this year – over 7,000 more than in 2019 – which shows that teaching continues to be an attractive career option.
The department is aware that certain subjects continue to be a challenge, so has put in place a range of measures, which include bursaries worth up to £24,000 and scholarships worth up to £26,000, to attract talented trainees to some subjects like chemistry, computing, mathematics, and physics.
The department offers subject knowledge enhancement courses to applicants who have the potential to become outstanding teachers but who need to increase their subject knowledge before the Teachers' Standards can be met. The department also continues to run a range of marketing events to attract new trainees; these have all been adapted to run online in response to the outbreak and continue to see high attendance figures.
The department is committed to ensuring trainees and early career teachers receive the best training possible. From September 2020, all ITT will incorporate the ITT Core Content Framework (CCF) into well sequenced curricula. The CCF sets out a minimum entitlement of experiences and opportunities that trainees need, so they can enter the profession in the best position possible to teach and support children. This will be followed by a new two year induction from September 2021, supported by the Early Career Framework.
On 2 January 2021, the department announced that we are resuming a review of the ITT market, with a focus on how the ITT sector can provide consistently high quality training, in line with the CCF, in a more efficient and effective market.
This review will aim to make well informed, evidence based recommendations on how to ensure all trainees are receiving consistent, high quality training, in a way that will maintain capacity to deliver enough trainees, be accessible to candidates, and benefit all schools.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Winchester (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they had with sector representatives (1) prior to, and (2) regarding, the announcement of the review of the Initial Teacher Training market and the creation of a new Institute of Teaching on 2 January; and what steps they are taking to ensure that new provision will exceed the Ofsted judgements on the quality of existing Institute of Technical Education providers.
Answered by Baroness Berridge
On 2 January 2021, the Department announced we were resuming our review of the Initial Teacher Training (ITT) market to identify improvements that reduce costs for providers and exploring how we can encourage high quality providers – including high-performing multi academy trusts – to extend their reach, deliver at scale and do more to support the wider system. We started work on this in early 2020 with a series of workshops with ITT sector representatives to understand the current market better. This work was paused so that government, and the ITT sector, could focus on the challenges caused by the COVID-19 outbreak.
We are now resuming the ITT review, building on the opportunities afforded by our Teacher Development reforms, including the ITT Core Content Framework. The department will work with the sector as the review progresses. We expect further engagement to take place in the late spring, and the review to conclude in the summer.
Officials had informed ITT sector representative organisations, the Universities’ Council for the Education of Teachers and the National Association of School-Based Teacher Trainers, that the recommencement of the ITT review and the creation of the Institute for Teaching would be announced. The Chair of the ITT review has substantive discussions with the leadership of these organisations planned in the coming weeks.
The department has held a range of policy development conversations on the proposal for an Institute of Teaching with academics, teacher development providers, representative organisations and teaching unions. The department intends to run a robust procurement exercise to identify a strong organisation or organisations to establish the Institute of Teaching. The successful bidders will need to demonstrate an exceptional track record in delivery of teacher training and development. The new organisation will also be subject to a range of quality assurance measures during its set-up phase to ensure its delivery will be the highest quality.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Winchester (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the announcement made by the Department for Education on 2 January about the review of the Initial Teacher Training market, what plans they have, as part of that review (1) to ensure an increased supply of new teachers rather than displacement of trainee teachers between providers, and (2) to mitigate any risk of (a) complexity, and (b) disincentives, in the market.
Answered by Baroness Berridge
The department knows that high quality teaching is the most important in-school factor in improving outcomes for all children, particularly those from a disadvantaged background. Providing the best possible initial teacher training (ITT) is at the heart of the government’s drive to improve teaching standards.
On 2 January 2021, we announced that we would be resuming our review of the ITT market, to support it to work more efficiently and effectively, making the process of becoming a teacher less complicated and burdensome. The review will aim to make well informed, evidence-based recommendations on how to ensure all trainees are receiving consistent, high quality training, in line with the ITT Core Content Framework. Any reforms must maintain sufficient capacity to deliver enough qualified teachers, whilst being accessible to candidates and of benefit to all schools.
The Chair and a small expert group, with the support of Department officials, are conducting early work to better understand these issues and the direction of the work. We are confident that the expert group covers a range of expertise and perspectives (Higher Education Institute-led, large and small School Centred Initial Teacher Training providers, national provider of ITT, and both school and ITT curriculum expertise), which will be essential in ensuring the review maintains market capacity and reflects an understanding of high-quality ITT. Additionally, they are holding discussions with sector representatives including the Universities’ Council for the Education of Teachers and the National Association of School-Based Teacher Trainers, with broader engagement planned from late spring.
Asked by: Baroness Donaghy (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are undertaking a review of initial teacher training; and if so, (1) how that review is being conducted, (2) what progress they have made in that review, and (3) when they estimate that they will publish that review and its conclusions.
Answered by Baroness Berridge
As part of the government’s Teacher Recruitment and Retention strategy, we committed to reviewing the initial teacher training (ITT) market to identify improvements that reduce costs for providers and exploring how we can encourage high quality providers – including high-performing MATs – to extend their reach, deliver at scale and do more to support the wider system. We started work on this earlier this year with a series of workshops with ITT sector representatives to understand the current market better. This work was paused so that government, and the ITT sector, could focus on the challenges caused by the COVID-19 outbreak.
We are now resuming the ITT market review, building on the opportunities afforded by our Teacher Development reforms, including the ITT Core Content Framework. We are in the process of scoping the next phase of the review which we expect to conclude next summer.
Asked by: David Simpson (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department has taken to ensure a high standard of teaching in numeracy and literacy.
Answered by Elizabeth Truss
We have published a more rigorous curriculum for English and mathematics. The new national curriculum sets expectations that match those in the highest-performing education jurisdictions in the world, challenging pupils to realise their potential in an increasingly competitive global market. It increases the level of demand from an early age, with greater emphasis on arithmetic, including learning times tables to 12 x 12 by age 9 and removing calculators from key stage 2 tests in mathematics, and on phonics, grammar and vocabulary development in English. GCSEs in English language and mathematics are also being reformed to be more challenging and give stronger guarantees of literacy and numeracy, with the mathematics GCSE in particular covering more than the current GCSE.
We are confident that our reform to the national curriculum will give teachers greater flexibility and freedom, which will help to raise standards and expectations for all pupils. It has been significantly slimmed down and will free-up teachers to use their professional judgement to provide support that best meets the needs of their pupils.
We have invested in and reformed initial teacher training (ITT) to focus on attracting the very best graduates with the right qualities for teaching into the profession through making more scholarships available; using bursaries to attract more of the most talented graduates in key subjects such as maths and physics and supporting the expansion of the highly-successful Teach First programme. Teach First is now the largest graduate recruiter in any sector in the United Kingdom.
In 2013/14, we recruited 96% of the overall number of trainees we set out to recruit and the proportion with first-class or 2:1 degrees has risen 3 percentage points (74%) – a record compared to last year (71%). We have raised the bar for entry into ITT by making skills tests tougher, limiting candidates to two re-sits and making passing the tests in literacy and numeracy a requirement before entering, rather than exiting, ITT.
Sir Andrew Carter has been appointed to lead an independent review about the effectiveness of ITT. As part of this, the review will look at ITT courses for both primary and secondary teaching to consider how well trainees are equipped to become outstanding teachers.