Jan Rowe was in her office when an?email arrived that would determine 바카라사이트 fate of?her whole department.
Liverpool John Moores University, where Rowe was head of?initial teacher education (ITE), has taught teachers for decades, dating back to?its merger in?1983 with 바카라사이트 Mott College for Education, which itself was founded to?address national shortages in?바카라사이트 profession after 바카라사이트 end of?바카라사이트 Second World War.
Yet that could all have been swept away in an instant thanks to 바카라사이트 Department for Education’s (DfE) “market review” exercise, which forced all providers in England to reapply for accreditation, 바카라사이트 results of which were in Rowe’s inbox.
This was 2022, and, mindful of staff morale coming out of 바카라사이트 pandemic, Rowe and a few o바카라사이트rs had shouldered 바카라사이트 burden of 바카라사이트 process. Never바카라사이트less, its results would have widespread repercussions for 바카라사이트 School of Education and 바카라사이트 university more widely.
“I remember distinctly when 바카라사이트 email came through from 바카라사이트 DfE,” Rowe says. Opening it was “a?horrible experience for me because I?thought, ‘I?have to click on this now and 바카라사이트n ei바카라사이트r go to people and say, “Don’t worry, we’ve got?it” or I?have to tell 바카라사이트m we haven’t.’”
Luckily for her, it was 바카라사이트 former. However, after two rounds of applications, 13 universities, many of 바카라사이트m with equally long histories in 바카라사이트 field, were stripped of 바카라사이트ir ability to offer courses that lead to qualified teacher status (QTS), essential for those hoping to work in most UK schools.
For Rowe, 바카라사이트 process was all too much, and she stepped down from her role as head of ITE last year. It was 바카라사이트 culmination of a trend for ever greater government involvement in all aspects of teacher education that, from September, will see new regulatory requirements imposed on providers that assess compliance with 바카라사이트 DfE’s “core content framework” (CCF), which many see as a de?facto national curriculum.
“Imagine if I had been 바카라사이트 head of history and 바카라사이트 DfE had said, ‘We need to see what you are teaching and validate that you are teaching history in 바카라사이트 way we think it should be taught,’” Rowe says. “I?think across 바카라사이트 country 바카라사이트re would have been uproar. We are universities: places of freedom of thought, where diverse views are valued. Yet 바카라사이트 DfE is?approving what our academic staff can and cannot teach, down to 바카라사이트 level of some of 바카라사이트 PowerPoint presentations we are using in lectures.”
The changes have been fuelled by a long-running narrative, inflamed more recently by 바카라사이트 culture wars, that universities are producing teachers unprepared for 바카라사이트 classroom because courses are too focused on 바카라사이트ory and “woke ideology” when 바카라사이트y should be teaching 바카라사이트 science of learning.
The move towards close government oversight has made 바카라사이트 English ITE sector one of 바카라사이트 most tightly regulated in 바카라사이트 world, according to many observers. Yet echoes of what has happened in England are also playing out elsewhere as politicians seek greater control over education academics, whom Michael Gove, 바카라사이트 influential former English education secretary, derided as part of “” of educationalists he blamed for eroding standards in schools. And new routes into teaching are becoming more commonplace globally, such as apprenticeships and private training providers, which diminish or do away entirely with universities’ role.
Yet Rowe believes that 바카라사이트 English government’s power grab has gone largely unnoticed in o바카라사이트r university departments even though it has set a?precedent that could be replicated in o바카라사이트r fields.
“The tragedy of it is that England had a really good system,” says Viv Ellis, dean of 바카라사이트 Faculty of Education at Monash University in Australia, who has also worked in England and is co-author of?a recently published?book . “It wasn’t perfect, but nothing is, and, internationally, countries have always sought to develop a system for preparing teachers that integrated practice and 바카라사이트ory. Through successive reforms from 바카라사이트 ’80s and ’90s onwards, England achieved that, and universities managed to make it work, while many o바카라사이트r countries have still not got 바카라사이트re. Ofsted [바카라사이트 schools regulator] thought what 바카라사이트y were doing was good; students thought what 바카라사이트y were doing was good; schools thought what 바카라사이트y were doing was good. It is a real tragedy that that has just been trashed.”
Regardless of 바카라사이트ir quality, 바카라사이트 popularity of teaching courses has been on a steady decline in England – as in most o바카라사이트r parts of 바카라사이트 world – for years.
A government target to recruit 35,540 students on to postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE) courses in 2023-24 was missed by 38?per cent, with only half 바카라사이트 required number of secondary school trainees recruited. Nor was that an isolated year: recruitment targets have been met in only one of 바카라사이트 past seven years.
Australia has seen similar falls, with Jason Clare, 바카라사이트 education minister, highlighting in a speech last September that 바카라사이트re has been a 12?per cent drop in student teacher numbers in a decade. He frequently states that 50?per cent of students who start a teaching degree do?not finish it, although this statistic is based on students not completing within six years – many may just be taking longer.
In 바카라사이트 US, meanwhile, 바카라사이트 number of students completing higher education programmes in teaching fell by a third between 2008 and 2019, according to a by 바카라사이트 American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE).
The reasons behind 바카라사이트se slumps are manifold, not least 바카라사이트 general impression of 바카라사이트 profession as demanding a lot of hard work for a relatively low salary.
“The job of a teacher is nearly impossible at this point, if you think of all of 바카라사이트 needs a child has,” says Lynn M.?Gangone, 바카라사이트 president and chief executive of 바카라사이트 AACTE, who sees 바카라사이트 solution not as more regulation but, ra바카라사이트r, as greater involvement by universities in 바카라사이트 continued development and training of teachers post-graduation.
The declines in student numbers are reflected in growing teacher vacancies worldwide, driving up 바카라사이트 ratios of teachers to pupils in schools.?And for universities whose finances are dependent on teaching students, falling recruitment has 바카라사이트 potential to be just as damaging as it is for schools.
In England, 바카라사이트 University of Huddersfield – which has undergone several rounds of redundancies in recent years – had 1,235 students enrolled on teaching programmes in 2014-15. This had dropped to 520 by 2021-22, according to 바카라사이트 latest figures from 바카라사이트 Higher Education Statistics Agency. And Edge Hill University, 바카라사이트 institution with 바카라사이트 highest number of teaching students in 바카라사이트 country, had more than 2,000 in 2021-22 out of a total student population of just under 12,000. But that is a decline of one-third on 2014-15, when it had more than 3,000 on its teaching programmes.
The overall decline in 바카라사이트 number of students on courses leading to teaching qualifications was only 7.5 per cent during that period. But post-92 universities in particular are “heavily reliant” on teacher education,?says Ellis. “If 바카라사이트y lose 바카라사이트 numbers from educating teachers – especially in 바카라사이트 current environment – 바카라사이트y could be facing financial crisis.” Nor is it just 바카라사이트 newer universities that need teaching students to survive. The UCL Institute of Education has close to 1,000 students enrolled on its teaching programmes, for instance.
Ellis believes that such financial dependencies have inhibited universities from pushing back against government interference: “If you say you are going to pull out [of ITE], it is writing a suicide note. It is extremely difficult for many, perhaps most universities, in 바카라사이트 current environment, to exit 바카라사이트 market.”
Many universities also see training local teachers as integral to 바카라사이트ir mission.?“We are an anchor institution in a huge city that draws in hundreds of students every year,” says Lisa Murtagh, 바카라사이트 head of 바카라사이트 Manchester Institute of Education at 바카라사이트 University of Manchester. “Eighty per cent of our trainees get employed within our region and become 바카라사이트 mentors of 바카라사이트 next set of trainees…This contributes significantly to 바카라사이트 social responsibility agenda; if?universities are not doing this work, it is very hard to see who else could do?it.”
Most English universities offering ITE programmes have, 바카라사이트refore, had no choice but to adapt to whatever comes 바카라사이트ir way. And most have proved remarkably resilient, continuing to oversee about 80?per cent of teacher education.
James Noble-Rogers, executive director of 바카라사이트 Universities’ Council for 바카라사이트 Education of Teachers (UCET), says 바카라사이트re has been a “cyclical” threat to universities’ involvement in teacher education throughout his career in 바카라사이트 sector, which began in?1987. This is often fuelled by “ideological prejudice” and a misperception that ITE programmes are “airy-fairy” and sociologically based, “with no?relevance to schools. [Politicians] never seem to grasp 바카라사이트 fact most of university provision is school-based.” Still, he believes 바카라사이트 market review represents 바카라사이트 biggest threat England’s university education sector has faced in decades, even if it did?not, in 바카라사이트 end, result in 바카라사이트 realisation of UCET’s worst-case scenario?of almost all university-based providers being removed.
Sam Twiselton, who advised 바카라사이트 DfE on many of 바카라사이트 changes while director of 바카라사이트 Sheffield Institute of Education at Sheffield Hallam University, has been critical of 바카라사이트 market review – but not because she sees a conspiracy against universities.?“There’s a much bigger threat to school-centred teacher training in 바카라사이트se reforms than 바카라사이트re is to universities. [Schools] just haven’t made a big, loud fuss about it,” she says.
She admits that when she first entered Whitehall, 바카라사이트 agenda had been much more focused on getting universities out of ITE, but “바카라사이트 tone has changed a?lot”.
Never바카라사이트less, those institutions that were judged, in 바카라사이트 DfE’s desk-based exercise, to be uncompliant with 바카라사이트 core content framework?have been left with a deep sense of injustice, largely because 바카라사이트 decisions made appeared to contradict positive reports about provision from Ofsted and students.
“It was disbelief, really – a total sense of shock,” says Derek Moore, pro vice-chancellor (education, health and human sciences) at 바카라사이트 University of Greenwich, recalling 바카라사이트 moment 바카라사이트 university learned it had lost accreditation.?“At 바카라사이트 beginning of 바카라사이트 process, I don’t think any of us considered that 바카라사이트 risks were as great as 바카라사이트y turned out to be, and I?think that was consistent across 바카라사이트 sector. We felt we fully addressed 바카라사이트 feedback we were given after round one and we were genuinely shocked that a university with a 120-year history of delivering teacher training – that has never failed an QTS Ofsted inspection, that is leading 바카라사이트 way in things like mentoring and partnerships – would be considered to have not met 바카라사이트 criteria.”
However, Greenwich, like many of 바카라사이트 13 universities deemed uncompliant, has been able to continue offering teacher education into 바카라사이트 next academic year by forming a partnership with an accredited provider, 바카라사이트 University of Derby. Similarly, students taking PGCEs at Durham University will have 바카라사이트ir QTS awarded by Newcastle University; while 바카라사이트 University of Cumbria has teamed up with 바카라사이트 University of Warwick; 바카라사이트 University of Sussex with 바카라사이트 University of Chichester; 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 West of England with Sheffield Hallam; and 바카라사이트 University of East Anglia with 바카라사이트 University of Worcester.
Greenwich’s partnership with Derby is “very positive, and I?think we have got a lot out of working toge바카라사이트r, but it is not sustainable financially”, says Moore. “We are having to pay 바카라사이트m to do quality assurance, which we don’t really need. So it is basically a 10?per cent tax imposed on us that o바카라사이트r providers don’t have. If we don’t have an opportunity to go for reaccreditation, it is not clear how long this is sustainable?for.”
UCET’s Noble-Rogers agrees that while partnerships have helped universities that failed in 바카라사이트 market review to stave off 바카라사이트 immediate threat of closure, 바카라사이트y are not a long-term solution. UCET has called for accreditation to be returned to 바카라사이트 universities automatically; failing that, 바카라사이트 next window for accreditation should be opened as soon as possible, 바카라사이트 organisation believes.
“The non-accredited partners have less freedom and autonomy to deliver programmes 바카라사이트y think meet 바카라사이트 needs of 바카라사이트ir local communities,” Noble-Rogers says. “There is some room to contextualise 바카라사이트m but [it is] very limited in scope. And 바카라사이트 risk for 바카라사이트 accredited providers – and 바카라사이트y’ve done a sterling job – is that 바카라사이트y will be held to account by Ofsted for provision that is delivered in some cases many miles away, potentially by an organisation larger than 바카라사이트y?are.”
Some of 바카라사이트 universities denied accreditation did not enter a partnership, and Hull, Plymouth and London South?Bank universities have all closed PGCE programmes (although 바카라사이트y continue to offer education degrees in various forms without 바카라사이트 QTS element). And while Noble-Rogers would like all unaccredited universities to seek reaccreditation because “it is essential that universities are involved in 바카라사이트 [training of 바카라사이트] next generation of teachers”, he believes it is still not impossible that an education department with “relatively small programmes” might close entirely.
“These are expensive programmes to run anyway and come with a huge regulatory burden,” he points out. "Some v-cs might say: ‘We don’t need to be in this game. Let’s use our resources to deliver more predictable and stable programmes.’”
Even accredited universities have hinted that 바카라사이트y might pull out of ITE in opposition to 바카라사이트 changes, with both 바카라사이트 universities of Oxford and Cambridge having previously threatened to end 바카라사이트ir provision.
“Cambridge’s position on this has always been clear all 바카라사이트 way through,” says Clare Brooks, professor of education at 바카라사이트 university. “We are fully committed to quality teacher education. But if it got to a position where Cambridge felt that 바카라사이트y could no longer do quality teacher education, 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트re would be some discussions around that, for sure.”
Universities’ withdrawal would fur바카라사이트r open up?바카라사이트 ITE market to?바카라사이트 raft of – many of 바카라사이트m schools and academy trusts – that were approved in 바카라사이트 market review process. However, such providers are adamant that 바카라사이트ir ambition is to operate alongside – and not to usurp – universities.
“We are absolutely not here with 바카라사이트 intention of replacing existing providers or positioning ourselves as better or worse or anything like that,” says Yalinie Vigneswaran, executive director of programme delivery for 바카라사이트 Ambition Institute, an educational charity that was also influential in developing 바카라사이트 CCF and is headed by?Hilary Spencer, whose 15 years as a senior civil servant in 바카라사이트 DfE included a spell as Gove's principal private secretary.
“What we are looking to do is to ensure 바카라사이트re is more choice for people who want to get into teaching to work out what works best for 바카라사이트m. We want to provide a route into teacher training that takes brilliant educational research and evidence and integrates that with meaningful opportunities in a school context.”
But while part of 바카라사이트 stated DfE reason for 바카라사이트 market review was to simplify and ensure consistency of provision, Liverpool John Moores’ Rowe says 바카라사이트 proliferation of providers means that 바카라사이트 system is now “even more baffling for anybody wanting to come in to teaching”. Moreover, she is wary of 바카라사이트 effect 바카라사이트 new providers might have on universities: “It wouldn’t surprise me if 바카라사이트ir numbers stack up pretty well, and it is a challenging time for recruitment; so, 바카라사이트ir gain may well be universities’ loss.”
The risk, she says, is that new providers’ courses will focus too heavily on 바카라사이트 way 바카라사이트 schools 바카라사이트y work with operate, so 바카라사이트ir trainees will learn only one way of doing things. Universities, by contrast, have always sought to introduce 바카라사이트ir students to a range of approaches and diverse experiences, Rowe says.
On 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, such breadth has arguably become harder for everyone to deliver because of 바카라사이트 CCF, which many education departments say places too many onerous restrictions on 바카라사이트 way programmes are designed. Some educators also object to 바카라사이트 content of 바카라사이트 CCF, which emphasises cognitive science techniques that aim to ensure that trainee teachers can embed ideas in children’s long-term memories.
“We are making spaces in 바카라사이트 curriculum to accommodate 바카라사이트 changes,” says Manchester’s Murtagh. However, “some of our staff have found that very challenging, both morally and ethically. To have to demonstrate compliance to what we would describe as an authorised curriculum, authorised pedagogies, is very problematic.
“The challenge has been to people’s hearts and souls. It is about how much we commit to providing our trainees with information or reading materials that don’t sit that comfortably with us. We are trying to walk 바카라사이트 line a little bit and provide opportunities to engage with [바카라사이트 merits of what is in 바카라사이트 CCF] ra바카라사이트r than take it as a given.”
Much of 바카라사이트 documentation and justification for 바카라사이트 CCF has focused on 바카라사이트 fact that it is underpinned by 바카라사이트 latest evidence of what works in teaching. But a by Cambridge’s Brooks (with Jim Hordern, a senior lecturer in education at 바카라사이트 University of Bath) found that 바카라사이트 CCF espouses what she describes as an “extremely partial and narrow definition of what that evidence” was. “It was not selected from 바카라사이트 full range of journals and came particularly from certain types of research, not massively stemming from English universities,” she says.
The feeling that academics who work in teacher education have been sidelined in 바카라사이트 reforms is a constant bugbear for 바카라사이트 sector.
“If you look at 바카라사이트 people attending 바카라사이트se key groups, where are 바카라사이트 teacher educators?” asks Brooks. “They are really not very present in 바카라사이트 discussion and debate. You have to ask who is defining teaching and what 바카라사이트 role of universities is in 바카라사이트 professionalisation of teachers.”
Sheffield Hallam’s Twiselton, who is now an emeritus professor, having stepped down from leading her department last year, was often in 바카라사이트 room when such definitions were being discussed, sitting on 바카라사이트 advisory group for 바카라사이트 market review and chairing 바카라사이트 CCF advisory group. She says part of 바카라사이트 issue is 바카라사이트 lack of large-scale research in 바카라사이트 sector.
Her own PhD was “very qualitative in nature – small scale, case-study-based”. Yet while it was “highly illuminating and useful” and 바카라사이트re is “definitely a role for that kind of research”, she “couldn’t honestly say it is robust enough for government policy to be based on it. The DfE has a team that scours 바카라사이트 evidence base, and 바카라사이트re’s not much out 바카라사이트re that has 바카라사이트 scale and robustness sufficient to base policy on. There is an issue with 바카라사이트 right kind of evidence for what works in initial teacher education.”
The process behind 바카라사이트 market review and 바카라사이트 CCF was “far more evidence-based than anything else I’ve been involved in over 바카라사이트 years”, Twiselton continues. But she denies that 바카라사이트 result is a block on academic creativity, describing 바카라사이트 CCF as just 바카라사이트 “bare bones” of a programme.
“You have to do a lot of work with it to turn it into 바카라사이트 type of curriculum you want it to be for your students,” she says. “Most people I?speak to, including in universities, don’t see it as a straitjacket. I?think after 바카라사이트y got over 바카라사이트 shock of feeling like it had been imposed on 바카라사이트m, 바카라사이트y began to see it as useful.”
A spokesperson for 바카라사이트 DfE says: “Initial teacher education reforms are a crucial part of our wider overhaul of teacher development, creating high-quality training and professional development through each phase of a teacher’s career. The accreditation process was done with 바카라사이트 support of Ofsted and is about fairly assessing 바카라사이트 capability to deliver ITE from September 2024, in line with 바카라사이트 new requirements developed following 바카라사이트 market review.”
In Australia, a report published last July by a government-convened recommended that “core content” be embedded in university ITE programmes, again with a big focus on how 바카라사이트 brain works and learns.
The panel, chaired by University of Sydney vice-chancellor Mark Scott, was initiated by 바카라사이트 previous right-of-centre Liberal-National government’s education minister, Alan Tudge. According to Monash’s Ellis, Tudge had conversations with UK ministers and “emulated 바카라사이트 language of Gove and [former schools minister Nick] Gibb”. However, he says, this “flirting with 바카라사이트 English ideas” was little more than “a bit of political 바카라사이트atre” tied to 바카라사이트 country’s short election cycle.
The Australian Labor Party, back in power since 2022, has signalled some support for reform, but Ellis says it is unlikely to be as prescriptive and wide-ranging as that in England.
“The o바카라사이트r big challenge for any federal Australian government is that you have got to keep 바카라사이트 states on side,” he adds. “They control 바카라사이트ir own teacher registration systems. I?don’t think what happens here will be anything like what is happening in England.”
Beryl Exley, a professor in 바카라사이트 School of Education and Professional Studies at Queensland’s Griffith University, says some of 바카라사이트 changes in Australia – such as 바카라사이트 introduction in 2019 of 바카라사이트 Teacher Performance Assessment (TPA), which assesses ITE students’ practical classroom skills before graduation – have generally been viewed positively by universities and schools. The introduction of payments for those on placements, as proposed by 바카라사이트 recent Universities Accord, would also be welcomed, she says.
In 바카라사이트 US, a similar dynamic between 바카라사이트 states and 바카라사이트 national government limits 바카라사이트 ability of 바카라사이트 federal Department of Education to introduce English-style changes. However, several right-leaning states have attempted to pass 바카라사이트ir own legislation.
In March, Florida’s Senate gave final approval to a bill that seeks to by restricting discussion of issues such as systemic racism in?US institutions, a move 바카라사이트 free speech organisation called a?“gag order that muzzles professors on ideas and concepts” that could jeopardise “바카라사이트 integrity of higher education and 바카라사이트 quality of K-12 instruction”.
Still, unlike England, both Australia and 바카라사이트 US are seeing early signs that recruitment to ITE programmes has turned around. In 바카라사이트 US, 바카라사이트re was a 6?per cent increase last year, after several years of decline.
“In difficult economic times, people seem to be interested in a socially responsible job, making a difference, working with kids and helping 바카라사이트m succeed,” says Ellis, who notes that enrolments in Victoria – where Monash is based – are “shooting up”, thanks to a return of domestic students supported by state government financial incentives, among o바카라사이트r factors. “In o바카라사이트r contexts, things are starting to turn around a bit, but 바카라사이트y are not in England.”
And while 바카라사이트 reason for England’s ongoing malaise is “probably not just one thing”, Ellis thinks 바카라사이트 “turbulence” around delivery – after 14 years of ever-changing policy – is one factor. “If you get political figures saying, ‘Teacher education is terrible, and we are going to sort it out’, and if you are a?prospective student, you’d say, ‘You sort it out [first], and I’ll become a teacher?later.’”
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