In 2021, Ofsted reviews of Initial Teacher Education (ITE) criticised a lack of ‘ambition’ within the curriculum, with “Very few [providers going] beyond incorporating the minimum statutory curriculum entitlement” (Ofsted 2021). But what is an “ambitious” ITE curriculum and why is it essential that prospective teachers are exposed to more than just the core content?
ITE should be more than just a “process”. Getting the initial stages of training right is a key part of producing well rounded and effective teachers. It also supports the retention of these teachers in the profession beyond their initial training. As difficult as the recruitment of new teachers has become in the current climate, retention is also at an all-time low. Department for Education (2021) data shows that just over half (51%) of teachers who started in the FE sector in 2016 were still teaching after 3 years, which represents a decline of 17 per cent from 2000. Would a more “ambitious” ITE curriculum help to stunt this rapid decline in retention figures?
With taglines such as “Teach part-time in further education…without changing your career” and “If you have real-world industry experience, you already have what it takes…you don’t always need teaching experience”, the current DfE recruitment drive appears to vastly underplay the additional responsibilities a teacher has to contend with outside of the classroom. A teacher brand new to the profession, timetabled for only a few hours a week, will spend a disproportionate amount of time working “outside” of the classroom, planning, preparing and assessing, not to mention the progress reporting, pastoral support and additional administration duties. The idea that teaching is something which can be done on an ad-hoc basis for a couple of hours a week is misleading and, although not necessarily intended, appears disrespectful to those who have made teaching their vocation.
