Teachers who trained during the pandemic may quit because they have “insufficient” knowledge, according to a new report.
A study from King’s College London said Covid-related disruption in 2019/20 and 2020/21 could mean a lack of expertise among staff who trained at the time, leading to higher rates of early career teachers leaving the profession.
That could hit the attainment of young people, whose education was impacted during the pandemic.
The 18-month study, which started in April 2021, was based on two cohorts of trainees at King’s, as well as 112 interviews with trainees, school leaders and mentors.
The two cohorts that trained during the pandemic had “markedly different experiences”, it found, with the first starting under relatively “normal” circumstances until February 2020, when there was a “rapid and abrupt” shift to working mostly online.
