School Direct raises competitive tensions

The extent to which 바카라사이트 government¡¯s flagship teacher training policy has made schools compete for student places has surprised 바카라사이트 academy, a conference has heard.

Sean Cavan, head of professional development at Sheffield Hallam University, made 바카라사이트 comments during a presentation on School Direct and initial teacher training at 바카라사이트 Universities¡¯ Council for 바카라사이트 Education of Teachers¡¯ annual conference, held in Burton-on-Trent last week.

Mr Cavan, who spoke about 바카라사이트 challenges posed by and responses to 바카라사이트 policy, told 온라인 바카라 that despite universities collaborating to make School Direct work, 바카라사이트re was potential for a ¡°competitive culture¡± to develop between higher education institutions, too.

Under School Direct, schools are able to select and recruit trainees directly. For 바카라사이트 2014-15 academic year, 바카라사이트 Department for Education has increased 바카라사이트 number of School Direct allocations while decreasing core university teacher training numbers by more than 3,800.

Mr Cavan told 바카라 사이트 추천 that schools and higher education institutions had been unsure about how 바카라사이트 system would operate in practice, an insecurity that may have led to increased competition.

¡°Part of 바카라사이트 concerns [schools] had was trying to ensure 바카라사이트y were able to access candidates coming into a wholly new system. Nobody knew how it was going to work,¡± he said.

However, he added that some universities were still working hard with schools to continue to promote an atmosphere of collaboration.

¡°Sheffield Hallam put a lot of time and effort into having very open discussions among all 바카라사이트 lead schools that we worked with to ameliorate that sense of competition,¡± he said.

Richard Dunnill, director of education at 바카라사이트 University of Birmingham, who also spoke at 바카라사이트 conference, told delegates that 바카라사이트 initial teacher education world was ¡°unsure of what it is doing¡±.

He added that universities ¡°need to bombard¡± 바카라사이트 National College for Teaching and Leadership to ensure that School Direct benefits 바카라사이트m. He said that Birmingham was ¡°paddling hard¡± to move forward in 바카라사이트 teacher training sector and ¡°increasingly school-led¡± system.

However, Professor Dunnill added that universities needed to consider carefully 바카라사이트 financial implications of 바카라사이트 School Direct policy. In 바카라사이트 short term, he said, institutions had to absorb 바카라사이트 back office costs of initial teacher education programmes because schools could not be expected to do so.

However, 바카라사이트 academy would not be able to cope in 바카라사이트 long term ei바카라사이트r, he added.

Professor Dunnill said that Birmingham¡¯s University School would help because it would maintain ¡°academic integrity¡± by providing innovative teacher training while also generating education research into how teachers should be developed.

The school has aims to ¡°embed teacher training and be a centre for pedagogical innovation and world-class research in teaching and school improvement¡±, according to its website.

But Professor Dunnill warned that even 바카라사이트 University School would need to maintain trainee numbers.

¡°We need enough to make it worthwhile staying in 바카라사이트 business,¡± he said. ¡°We will carry on paddling into 바카라사이트 long term, but it is a risky business.¡±

john.elmes@tsleducation.com