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Promoting Quality in Teacher Education

Note of the meeting of the UCET Post 16 forum held on-line at 10.30am on Friday 22 May 2020

Welcome, introductions and minutes of the previous meeting

Colleagues were welcomed to the final meeting on the 2019/20 academic year. The note of the meeting held on 7 February was agreed. On matters arising, JNR reported that: UCET had submitted a response to the OfSTED consultation on the new ITE inspection framework, making the points raised at the previous Post 16 forum and elsewhere. UCET had also asked that introduction of the new framework be delayed by 12 months because of Covid 19 (DfE reported in response that it was in discussions with OfSTED about this) and; the 2020 ICET conference at Bath Spa University had been postponed until 2021.

Discussion

A range of issues was discussed, including:

An update from JNR on non-Post 16 related issues, including UCET activities in relation to QTS programmes and Covid 19.

The guidance issued by UCET, ETF and DfE about changes that might be made in relation to programme design and delivery in the context of Covid 19 which colleagues had found to be helpful. The guidance would be reviewed in respect of 2020/21.

Recruitment to PCET ITE programmes for 2020/21, where recruitment was often reported to be stronger than last year, particularly for pre-service programmes, although concerns existed across institutions about the availability of placements. In some cases colleges were accepting students because of the support they could give in respect of on-line learning and mentor support. In other cases students would be given curriculum design or research activities until placements became available. Recruitment to in-service programmes was mixed, with a clear picture not available because people often applied late. There were concerns however that colleges might not be in a position to recruit (and therefore train) new staff, and that some year two students might lose their employment. In one case, the UCET IBTA paper had been helpful in persuading colleges to choose HE programmes over those offered by Awarding Bodies.

An update from Pete Grady from DfE, covering: an anticipation that learning in the post-compulsory sector would move increasingly towards a blended learning approach; greater proficiency in on-line teaching & learning, including on-line placement opportunities for student teachers; the Trailblazer group for the Level 5 teaching apprenticeship (which was thought to have recruited modestly) had been re-convened with new joint-chairs (UCET offered to support the new group); discussions between DfE and the SLC about how PCET ITE programmes should be described for student award purposes; bursaries for those on specialist pre-service programmes were still available, although DfE was not in a position to confirm that they would be available next year for students who defer for Covid 19 related reasons; clarification would be sought on the SEND qualifications required for the SEND bursary; and views would be sought from UCET members on the timing of the Taking Teaching Further programme.

Updates from Howard Pilot from the ETF covering: consideration being given to what constitutes teaching practice given the move to on-line learning, where account would have to be taken f both HE and Awarding Body provision; and comments to be invited on the DET minimum core and the professional standards, albeit with due account taken of the pressures that ITE providers and colleges were currently under.

Items for information

The draft 2020-2025 UCET strategy and the Easter UCET newsletter were noted.

Any other business

It was agreed that a morning symposium on on-line teaching would be held prior to the next meeting.

Date of next meeting

16 October 2020