Tag: Baroness Donaghy

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Donaghy on 2015-11-23.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many primary phase students were recruited in 2015–16 to initial teacher training courses delivered through (1) core university provision, (2) school-centred initial teacher training provision, (3) School Direct salaried, and (4) School Direct fee-paying provision, compared to the total number of training places allocated to each of those routes.

Lord Nash

For the academic year 2015 to 2016 we recruited 13,034 initial trainee teachers to primary programmes (compared to 12,872 in 2014 to 2015) and 15,114 to secondary programmes (compared to 12,971 in 2014 to 2015). These figures are for postgraduate only and include Teach First and forecasted trainees. This represents 116% and 82% against the Teacher Supply Model (TSM) target respectively. The target is higher this year compared to academic year 2014 to 2015.

We allocated a total of 13,962 postgraduate places in primary and 22,800 postgraduate secondary programmes, against TSM targets of 11,245 and 18,541 respectively.

We allocate more ITT places than we require trainee teachers, and the extent to which we over-allocate differs by route. When assessing recruitment overall we measure the number of trainee teachers recruited against the number required, rather than against the proportion of allocated places that are filled.

The table below shows the total postgraduate trainees by secondary subject and primary phase. The total includes 1,584 Teach First and 379 forecast trainees. The table also includes trainees and allocations by route.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Donaghy on 2015-11-23.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many secondary phase students, by individual secondary subject, were recruited in 2015–16 to initial teacher training programmes delivered through (1) core university provision, (2) school-centred initial teacher training provision, (3) School Direct salaried, and (4) School Direct fee-paying provision, compared to the total number of training places allocated to each of those routes and subjects.

Lord Nash

For the academic year 2015 to 2016 we recruited 13,034 initial trainee teachers to primary programmes (compared to 12,872 in 2014 to 2015) and 15,114 to secondary programmes (compared to 12,971 in 2014 to 2015). These figures are for postgraduate only and include Teach First and forecasted trainees. This represents 116% and 82% against the Teacher Supply Model (TSM) target respectively. The target is higher this year compared to academic year 2014 to 2015.

We allocated a total of 13,962 postgraduate places in primary and 22,800 postgraduate secondary programmes, against TSM targets of 11,245 and 18,541 respectively.

We allocate more ITT places than we require trainee teachers, and the extent to which we over-allocate differs by route. When assessing recruitment overall we measure the number of trainee teachers recruited against the number required, rather than against the proportion of allocated places that are filled.

The table below shows the total postgraduate trainees by secondary subject and primary phase. The total includes 1,584 Teach First and 379 forecast trainees. The table also includes trainees and allocations by route.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Donaghy on 2016-04-13.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, when considering the form of teacher accreditation to be introduced in place of qualified teacher status, what account they will take of the possibility of integrating academic awards such as the PGCE within the initial training of teachers.

Lord Nash

Our recent White Paper, Educational Excellence Everywhere, announced that we intend to replace the existing qualified teacher status with a new, more challenging accreditation that will be based on the demonstration of effective teaching in the classroom.

Teaching is a graduate-level profession; all trainee teachers are required to have a degree or to achieve one as part of their initial training, and we have no plans to change that requirement.

There is currently no requirement for qualified teacher status to be accompanied by an additional academic award such as a PGCE, and we do not intend to introduce such a requirement to accompany accreditation in future. We know, however, that many trainee teachers value the award of an academic qualification, and we fully expect that providers of initial teacher training – whether school or university-led – will continue to offer the types of award for which there is demand.

The White Paper also set out the importance of on-going professional development for teachers, and we are keen to support the development of continuity between initial training, early-career support, and on-going professional development. The new accreditation, coming at a point following the completion of initial teacher training, will give schools the opportunity to tailor a package that recognises teachers’ achievements and promotes progression.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Donaghy on 2016-04-13.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of historic patterns of recruitment showing that universities are more effective in filling teacher training places than other forms of provision, such as School Direct, how they will ensure that the new system of allocating training places for 2016–17 meets national and regional teacher supply needs.

Lord Nash

As part of our nationwide recruitment drive for 2016/17, we have changed the approach to initial teacher training (ITT) allocations for this year. The National College of Teaching and Leadership has not allocated a specific number of places to individual organisations for postgraduate ITT courses. This approach offers the opportunity for School Direct lead schools, school-centred ITT (SCITTs) and universities to recruit the number of trainees they need locally (within a limited set of recruitment controls).

One of the aims of the change of approach was to improve recruitment at a national level while still moving towards a school-led system. We created a school-led minimum recruitment level to ensure that school led ITT routes have the opportunity to recruit to at least 51% of the overall market in 2016/17. These levels were based on previous recruitment and were set in order to meet the dual priorities of maximising the chance of recruiting enough trainee teachers and continuing to move to a school-led system.

We have developed a location recruitment control which we will use where there is a geographical disparity. They are monitoring regional recruitment across all subjects. School Direct lead schools, SCITTs and universities across all regions have been given greater freedom for the 2016/17 academic year to manage their recruitment according to local need.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Donaghy on 2016-04-13.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government to what extent they will take account of (1) value for money, and (2) the impact on established training providers, when they accredit new school-centred initial teacher training providers, as envisaged in the Education and excellence everywhere White Paper.

Lord Nash

It is the Government’s priority to secure the sufficient supply of high quality new teachers to the school system. We are committed to increasing the proportion of Initial Teacher Training (ITT) offered by the best schools, while strengthening both university and school-led teacher training, so that ITT provision is properly configured to deliver the quality and quantity of new teachers that schools need.

All accredited ITT providers are required to demonstrate how they will deliver, within the funding available, high quality provision that meets the Teachers’ Standards and is compliant with the Secretary of State’s ITT criteria. In order to secure further value for money, we are expanding school-centred ITT (SCITT) provision with a particular focus on delivering training in priority subjects such as mathematics, physics, chemistry and modern foreign languages, and in areas of the country where recruitment is proving to be most difficult . We will prioritise new SCITT provision that commits to helping meet the supply needs of both the local partnership and the wider national system, such as through multi-academy trusts.

In considering the impact on existing provision, we will prioritise and incentivise the growth of new provision in areas of the country which need it most. We will continue to require potential new providers to consider and take account of the local ITT market, and to demonstrate how the proposed new provision will add to existing supply. We will continue to require careful consideration by new providers of the likely financial viability of their proposed provision, and continue to require clear evidence it will be sustainable in the longer term.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Donaghy on 2016-09-05.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to eradicate the presence of asbestos on school sites in England and Wales.

Lord Nash

The issue of asbestos in schools is a serious one and the government is supporting those that are legally responsible for managing asbestos in schools.

The Health and Safety Executive, which is the lead regulator on managing asbestos advise that as long as asbestos is in good condition and unlikely to be damaged or disturbed, it is not a significant risk to health to pupils and students during the course of their daily activities. On this basis, the department has provided targeted guidance to schools on the effective management of asbestos in their schools and has recently concluded a voluntary data collection exercise to understand how duty holders are managing asbestos in their schools.

The department directly funds the removal of asbestos through schemes such as the Priority Schools Building Programme and provides capital funding for asbestos management and removal where appropriate for those schools that have identified that asbestos is in poor condition or poses a high risk of deterioration.

The department is not committing to the removal of asbestos in all schools as blanket and accelerated removal of asbestos in schools is potentially more dangerous and may involve greater risk to school children and staff.

It is the aim of the government that, over time, as more school buildings are replaced and refurbished, all asbestos will be removed from schools.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Donaghy on 2016-09-13.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether schools participating in vocational pathways to qualified teacher status as part of the apprenticeship programme will be able to choose to work in partnership with universities that provide initial teacher training as well as with school-centred initial teacher training providers and other school-led providers.

Lord Nash

To date we have not received a formal proposal from employers to develop an apprenticeship standard for entry to teaching. There are monthly opportunities for employers to submit proposals to the department for review or, from April 2017, the Institute for Apprenticeships. For existing apprenticeship standards, employers can choose their preferred provider to deliver the training requirements providing they meet the government’s quality criteria and are registered on the Skills Funding Agency’s Register of Training Organisations.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Donaghy on 2015-10-26.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether initial teacher-training programmes delivered using core places allocated to universities are as schools-led as those delivered through School Direct.

Lord Nash

A school-led training course gives trainees the chance to train on the job in at least two schools.School-led initial teacher training is made up of School Direct (tuition fee), School Direct (salaried) and School-centered ITT provider (SCITT) routes. One of the key principles of the School Direct training route is that it gives schools the decision-making power they need to work with their preferred partners in the design and delivery of ITT, and to select and recruit the best possible candidates. A number of different models have been developed by schools working with appropriate ITT providers based on local needs.

Many schools are choosing to work with universities in the delivery of School Direct training. The same ITT criteria, which specify the minimum amount of time that trainees must spend in schools, apply to all ITT routes, whether school or university-led.

The increasing availability of school-led routes alongside university-led courses allow applicants to choose the right course depending on personal circumstances, qualifications, and the subject and age group they want to teach.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Donaghy on 2015-10-26.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government why a cap has been imposed on recruitment to initial teacher-training programmes by universities but not on school-centred initial teacher training and School Direct recruitment.

Lord Nash

The government is committed to the ongoing expansion of school-led initial teacher training (ITT). The move towards school-led ITT has created new opportunities for universities to grow their business: engaging directly with schools to become their chosen partner; and working with school-centred initial teacher training (SCITT) to offer academic awards. In addition, the university sector as a whole has the opportunity to recruit trainees up to the same overall level as they have for the 2015/16 academic year. It is, therefore, not expected that this change of approach will have a substantial impact on the higher education sector.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Donaghy on 2015-10-26.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the different controls placed on recruitment to university initial teacher training and recruitment to School Direct and school-centred initial teacher-training programmes in 2016–17 on the choice available to prospective trainee teachers.

Lord Nash

The government is committed to the ongoing expansion of school-led initial teacher training (ITT). The move towards school-led ITT has created new opportunities for universities to grow their business: engaging directly with schools to become their chosen partner; and working with school-centred initial teacher training (SCITT) to offer academic awards. In addition, the university sector as a whole has the opportunity to recruit trainees up to the same overall level as they have for the 2015/16 academic year. It is, therefore, not expected that this change of approach will have a substantial impact on the higher education sector.