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Promoting Quality in Teacher Education

Note of the meeting of the UCET Post 16 forum held on-line at 1pm on 22 October 2021

Welcome, introductions and minutes of the previous meeting

Colleagues were welcomed to the first meeting of the 2021/22 academic year. The note of the meeting held on 21 May 2021 was agreed. On matters arising: Lynn Senior had been elected as Chair and Jo Elliott as Vice Chair of the forum for up to three years. On Covid related issues, colleagues reported that: some pre-service student teachers had been asked to cover for absent teaching staff; many partner colleges and HEIs were continuing with a blended approach to programme delivery, although some had returned to face to face; there had been pressure from some HEIs and colleges for a full return to face to face provision; a ‘unified active learning’ or ‘hybrid’ approach allowed students and lecturers scope to decide for themselves whether to engage on line or fact to face; some programmes were being revalidated to allow for blended delivery; and ETF Covid mitigations in relation to DET requirements had been rolled-forward.

Discussion

A range of issues were discussed, including:

An update from JNR on non-Post 16 related issues, particularly the DfE review of the QTS ITE Market, which had the potential to disrupt the supply of teachers to schools, and might indirectly threaten the viability of some PCET provision; and the piloting from September 2022 of the DfE’s new iQTS qualification. In answer to a question, it was confirmed that the DfE review of the ITE Market did not cover teacher education for the FE and skills sector.

Feedback from the morning symposium led by Sarah Boodt on an ETF funded project on mentoring in the PCET sector, with key points including: the crucial importance and value of mentoring, although it could be potentially damaging if done badly; the wide range of a mentor’s responsibilities; the potential for tension between the supporting and evaluative roles of mentors; and the importance of mentoring being carried out as part of a learning culture rather than for compliance reasons. The resources from the project were available on the ETF website. It was agreed that the topic for the next morning symposium would be subject specific pedagogy, with contributors including Karen McGrath and Jo Elliot. A subsequent symposium might cover OfSTED inspection issues.

The development of a new teaching qualification for the sector, which was being led by ETF and was informed by a working group which included significant UCET presence. Preliminary advice on the new qualification, which drew on expertise from the HE sector, had been submitted to DfE. The new qualification would align with the standards underpinning the new teaching apprenticeship and would ensure greater consistency between HEI and Awarding Body provision. It might include: a minimum of 250 ‘professional practice hours’, which would include 150 teaching practice hours, some of which would involve on-line delivery. There might also be a requirement for two mentors, one offering generic support and another for subject-specific pedagogy. All student teachers would be expected to achieve at least a level 2 standard in maths and English by the end of their programmes. Students might also have experience of two placement settings, notwithstanding the challenges this could present for in-service programmes. A level playing field for HE and AB provision in terms of regulatory requirements would be introduced, progress towards which had already begun through the extension of OfSTED’s inspection remit to encompass all publicly funded provision. The proposals, which had not yet be signed off by DfE, would have resource implications. Final programme requirements would be published in the summer of 2022 for implementation in September 2023.

Other ETF updates, including: the development of a new minimum core for the DET for to be introduced in September 2022 and which would include references to digital learning and to sustainability; the possible extension of the ‘Talent to Teach’ programme to provide an opportunity for those facing redundancy to have experience of working in an FE environment; research into the needs of and support required by teachers who trained during the Covid pandemic; research into support that might be provided for teacher educators; and the existing ‘Talent To Teach’ programme for current undergraduates, to which 90 people had been recruited so far, with the intention of recruiting 360.

DfE updates, including: the introduction of the new teaching apprenticeship, which encompassed the new occupational standard that would apply to all publicly funded teaching qualifications for the sector from September 2023 and included the first standard relating to sustainability of any UK teaching qualification; the possible implications of the spending review; the progress through the House of Lords of the Skills Bill, which included a reserve power for the Secretary of State to re-regulate the sector; and the take up of bursaries for pre-service programmes (which had been good) and in-service grants (which had been less good, probably because of Covid disruption). During the discussion, it was confirmed by Forum members that bursaries did have a positive impact on recruitment, and that most of those in receipt of bursaries went on to secure relevant teaching posts (notwithstanding some issues in respect of English).

Recruitment to ITE programmes, where recruitment for the current year had been strong (albeit constrained by limited placement opportunities), with applications for 2022/23 already being received.

Inspection issues, with a reported focus by OfSTED on: subject specific pedagogy; the existence of ‘ambitious’ and ‘challenging’ curricula; consistency in delivery across partnerships; mentor training; not assessing students against the teachers standards until the end of programmes; and (for QTS programmes) compliance with the CCF. Concerns about the conduct of inspections by OfSTED were noted, as was the 96% approval rating given by trainees about their ITE in response to OfSTED’s on-line questionnaire.

Items for information

The following items were noted:

The UCET summer newsletter.

UCET’s response to the Market Review consultation.

The agenda for the 2-3 November UCET conference (www.ucet/conference).

Any other business

The following issues were brought to the attention of Forum members:

The FE sports network, which student teachers were encouraged to join (contact: d.williams@derby.uk)

The importance of responding to the SHU surveys on the EFT research projects on support for teacher educators and teachers trained during Covid (contact: s.boodt@shu.ac.uk).

The new Twitter account on the sharing of best practice (FETeacherED)

Date of next meeting

4 February 2022, via Zoom (with the subsequent meeting to be held face to face if possible).

The breakdown across subject areas was: English 38%; maths 19%; SEND 24%; science 11%; computing 5%; and engineering/manufacturing 3%.