News

University-based teacher training is top of the class

(21 March 2011)

Professor Peter Tymms

Initial teacher training (ITT) at Durham University is ‘outstanding', according to a new report by Ofsted, the Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills.

The report reveals that Durham University's School of Education ranks as one of the top research-intensive institutions running ITT courses in England. Durham was judged to be ‘Outstanding' in all aspects of its primary and secondary initial teacher training provision.

Ofsted's inspection results come at a time when the coalition government is considering wide-scale changes in education policy.

In November 2010, Education Minister, Michael Gove, set out plans to reform teacher training in the White Paper, The Importance of Teaching. These include the potential removal of teacher training from universities to a school-based system where schools themselves would become the lead providers.

There is already a range of routes by which people can train to become teachers and some of these are school-based. At present, in excess of 80 per cent of all trainee teachers are currently trained by universities and 85 per cent of all university teacher training provision is rated as good or very good by new teachers (Training and Development Agency for Schools, annual survey of newly qualified teachers).

Durham's ‘outstanding' grades are representative of a sector that already works very successfully with schools. Ofsted reports show consistently higher gradings for higher education institute providers than school- or employment-based forms of ITT (Ofsted Annual Report 2009-10 of Initial Teacher Education).

Dr Sue Beverton, Director, Initial Teacher Training Division, Durham University, said: "Universities have specialist staff and resources and have built strong partnerships with schools over many years. Students on initial teacher training courses spend large amounts of time on school placement where they refine and practice their professional skills.

"The university element matters because it gives trainees a chance to reflect on their practice, discuss evidence from research and review how best to develop their effectiveness as teachers.

"Trainees receive strong support from experienced mentors throughout their university-based training courses, and they benefit from research activity at the university that informs their professional development. An entirely school-based course might find it difficult to provide the same opportunities."

Durham University has over 500 trainees on its BA, PGCE and Masters teacher training courses and has an established infrastructure providing dedicated classrooms and teaching staff, innovative course elements, and special events and conferences. If teacher training were switched wholly to schools, then there would be a big question about whether, at the scale required nationally, schools could provide the capacity to absorb all the trainees currently in university-based training.

James Noble-Rogers, Executive Director of the Universities Council for the Education of Teachers, congratulated Durham on the inspection findings and said: "The quality of teacher education at Durham demonstrates the contribution that universities, working in partnership with schools, make to children's education. It is important that, in its review of teacher education, the coalition government does not undermine the strong and effective training partnerships that already exist."

Education Minister, Michael Gove, also wants the new teaching reforms to improve the ‘continuing professional development' of teachers. Provision at Durham University includes potential progression to a wide range of courses which education professionals can study during their careers.

Professor Peter Tymms, Head of Department, School of Education, Durham University, said: "We are delighted at this independent confirmation of the outstanding training which Durham provides to trainee teachers across the curriculum. It is a clear endorsement of our research- led approach and the high quality of our graduates."

ENDS

Key findings from the Ofsted Initial Teacher Training inspection report:

"Trainees at Durham University are prepared outstandingly well to teach in their chosen age ranges." (Ofsted: Initial Teacher Education inspection report, School of Education, Durham University)

The following are particular features of the provider and its initial teacher training programmes:
• the trainees' very strong commitment and enthusiasm in developing their professional skills, knowledge and understanding

• the high quality training which prepares trainees very well to support pupils' all round achievement

• the high levels of commitment across the partnership and productive dialogue which leads to very effective support and high quality training for the great majority of trainees

• the provider's very effective and timely responses to evaluation and national developments which have driven improvement in training and outcomes for trainees.