TTR0123
Written evidence submitted by University Alliance
University Alliance represents the UK’s leading professional and technical universities.
Our members are large, ambitious universities who operate at a local and global level. They specialise in working with industry. This ensures their students graduate with career-ready skills and businesses can access the knowledge they need to innovate and grow. University Alliance members have a long history in delivering teacher training - it is very much a part of their DNA. Our members are passionate about teacher retention and recruitment hence our submission to this inquiry.
What are the main factors leading to difficulties recruiting and retaining qualified teachers?
There are 5 major factors experienced by members:
Cost of Living
- A major issue for prospective applicants as they weigh up course options are the long-term career pay prospects as well as the added financial costs related to placements with no financial support to address these extra costs particularly for those students on the undergraduate route where there are no bursaries a particular equity issue for undergraduates. There is no cost differential, but different groups are able to access varying financial support with a bursary range effectively from 0 to £27k which places huge risks around completion. The issue of cost is also having a distorting impact on recruitment with potential trainees forced due to financial constraints to only look at local providers to reduce costs.
Excessive application bureaucracy
- Applicants are put off the process of application due to the level of bureaucracy associated with applying including issues relating to securing references. This is mirrored at provider level who cite the level of bureaucracy regarding the processing of applications as unwieldy. Recent changes for the Post Graduate route mean that an applicant can make four applications rather than 3. From a provider perspective, this only increases the level of ‘no show’ at interview.
Complexity and confusion around routes into teaching
- The lack of a cohesive marketing strategy to demonstrate the various and varied routes into teaching is a major contributor leading to confusion and therefore barriers to potential application into teacher training. This is further compounded by inconsistent follow-on advice when applicants follow up only to be met with inconsistent and unhelpful advice. A failure to capitalise on the interest from potential applicants.
- The marketing that does exist around teacher training is out of step and inauthentic with the realities of teaching as a career which creates scepticism and doubt in potential applicants.
Status of teaching as a profession
- The optics of the teaching profession are at an all-time low with a narrative overwhelmingly negative reflecting the ongoing social and financial challenges affecting schools and the socio-economic impacts on local families and pupils put at the door of teachers. The role of the teacher has become increasingly multifaceted and loaded. Teachers are expected to be quasi social workers, health / welfare officers and psychologist. The narrative is further compounded by ongoing industrial action by the sector and the recent tragic suicide of Ruth Perry.
- The lack of flexible teaching roles is also now major factor when other sectors have embraced more innovative approaches and agile working methods to retain staff https://theconversation.com/teachers-are-quitting-heres-what-could-be-done-to-get-them-to-stay-202654.
Lack of incentives
- The lack of a cohesive long-term financial strategy to attract and retain subject specific teachers. The current programme of bursary award is knee-jerk and is creating perverse incentives rather than attracting and rewarding the right applicants and contributing to the volatility in subject selection. There is a real need for a comprehensive recruitment and marketing strategy that reflects the length of time that Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) takes for someone considering the profession, as well as the need to provide some medium-term stability in the information – so setting bursaries over, for example, a three-year time period would be better than annual change.
Which subjects are most affected?
- All subjects are affected to a degree but members have experienced particular volatility in the subjects of: English, Religious Education, Modern Foreign Languages, geography, science and for the first-time indications that primary is also facing a downward trajectory. For 2023 entry, the situation is not looking much better than at this point in 2022 – and, where there is evidence of increased applications, there is also an increased % ‘unsuccessful rate’. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/monthly-statistics-on-initial-teacher-training-recruitment-2023-to-2024
How does the situation differ across the country and across different types of schools and colleges?
- There are huge and growing disparities in terms of recruitment rates in cities and large towns versus small towns and rural settings with the latter significantly impacted in terms of recruitment which is set to be further exacerbated by the impacts of the Initial Teacher Training Market Review and the associated accreditation process with significant cold spots emerging across the country because of less providers being accredited to provide teacher training.
- There is also a discernible impact of school Ofsted inspection outcomes impacting on recruitment of teachers post-qualifying.
- With a direct correlation between teacher training provider location and then placement location and teacher recruitment this is a worrying aspect of the ITT accreditation process now directly compounding the teacher recruitment shortage in specific areas of the country where ultimately there will be less push and pull around local opportunities to train as a teacher and for local schools to recruit from the trainee market.
- There is also a real and increasing issue around teacher training specific for SEND pupils, with the current system working against specificity/specialism in teacher training and placements in the SEND teaching provision which of itself needs to be specific and tailored. This area of teacher training could usefully benefit from clear signposting of how and at which stage of the teacher training journey it will be delivered to assure those trainees who set out from the outset that they want to specialise in this area that they will be able to do so or indeed be offered at a later stage for trainees during the ECF period who might decide later to specialise in this area.
What impact does this have on pupils, particularly disadvantaged pupils, and those with SEND?
- Huge impact on disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND who are already disproportionately impacted by the pandemic in terms of loss of learning and mental health and wellbeing issues meaning the journey to expected levels is longer and harder for all concerned.
- Chronic delays in processing Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) are further compounding issues for pupils with SEND and teachers/schools due to the lack of resource and support for the pupils whilst the EHCP is being processed.
University Alliance Recommendations:
- The need for a considered and long-term cohesive plan and commitment regarding bursaries.
- A radical reform and restructure of the teaching profession to allow for meaningful commitments to work / life balance and continual professional development to keep up with changes to work/life balance across all other industrial sectors that have had the latitude to embrace agile working as a direct result of the pandemic.
- Pausing Ofsted to allow for a reset and recalibration in the face of loss of confidence and trust in Ofsted by the teaching profession.
- SEND specific specialist teacher training and placement provision for those trainees who explicitly want to train in this area and options for transition to this area once QTS achieved to ensure the door is always open for this critical area of teacher training.
- A turbo-boost of how EHCPs are processed to ensure a more efficient and effective turnaround for pupils, parents and schools to allow for timely support and sufficient resource to flow as quickly as need is identified.
- A phase 3 to the ITT market review accreditation process to allow for “near miss” providers to achieve accreditation and ensure universal geographical coverage of teacher training opportunities and placements is in place which will positively impact teacher recruitment particularly in small towns and rural areas.
What action should the Department take to address the challenges in teacher recruitment and retention? What has been the impact of the new bursaries and scholarships announced in October?
- First and foremost, there needs to be a considered look at the whole fees, grant and bursaries system around teacher training to truly reward and incentivise applicants into this critical and vocational profession.
- Fee levels:
- The issue of an extra year of a £9,250 fee when following the Post Graduate route –why not return to a model where the provider receives a grant from DfE or a mix of fees and grants to provider (as was the case when the base fee of £3,000 was introduced)? Psychologically, a lower fee to the trainee could prove attractive. Caution: This recommendation must not be misinterpreted as reducing the cost to the provider!
- Bursaries:
- Bursaries whilst a positive incentive in of themselves to entice applicants to teacher training, they have unfortunately perverse incentives akin to “bursary tourism” (students training in certain courses to get the bursary and fulfilling the absolute minimum to get the bursary before leaving the profession). This can be potentially mitigated by flipping the model to reward completion and retention in the profession as well as attract potential students to study teacher training in these subjects.
University Alliance Recommendations:
- A long-term cohesive programme of financial incentive and reward for teacher training including the re-introduction of grants and a long-term bursaries programme to attract and retain teacher trainees into the profession to mitigate risks of bursary tourism, consideration also given to reintroducing the loan forgiveness / golden handshake package to encourage and reward retention into the teaching profession for example writing off of a % of student loan debt if stay in the profession for x years, y years etc
- Enabling teacher trainees to be able to complete a teaching master’s level on a part-time basis to capitalise on the credits earned as part of acquiring the PGCE qualification and critically allowing these credits to count toward the masters another retention/reward opportunity for staying in teaching and access to the loan package as part of the new Lifelong Learning Entitlement.
- Considering paying teacher trainees whilst on placement to overcome issues associated with the cost of living as teacher trainees are less able to rely on part-time work to support their income due to the demands of teacher training and placement requirements but this shouldn’t be a replacement to any bursary paid.
- Consider investment into Professional Doctorates as a retention tool for experienced teachers to recognise their wealth and experience in the profession.
How well does the current teacher training framework work to prepare new teachers and how could it be improved? What has been the impact of the Early Career Framework implemented in September 2021?
- The Early Career Framework (ECF) whilst in of itself is welcomed by the teaching profession it is not without its challenges including making it more difficult to get placements for students which will intensify in September 2024 and with it bring a tsunami of issues for teacher supply.
- There is a lot of repetition within the framework which is frustrating and off-putting for trainees. This is unfortunately a common trait of the government-imposed standards frameworks and that extends beyond the ECF to the continuum of Initial Teacher Training (Core Curriculum Framework). The quality of content of the ECF is also of concern, as is the model of delivery. A view that it is about ‘prescribed/approved bodies of knowledge, acceptable research’ – which runs counter to the notion of a profession and having some control of what it is and how it develops.
- Mentor training and mentor capacity is an issue and causing huge demands on schools and teachers leading to resistance by schools to offer placements to teacher trainees due to the demands placed on schools and mentor teachers.
- Are there ways in which teacher training could be improved to address the challenges in recruitment and retention?
- Further development of Subject Knowledge Enhancement (SKE) courses. For example, the introduction of a science SKE in recognition of the realities of science teachers teaching across the three main disciplines; use of a SKE (pilot) in a way that it can be done pre application for teacher training and could therefore, potentially, remove a confidence/psychological barrier to applying.
- There is now so much pressure placed on trainee teachers that could be usefully reviewed to ensure we don’t put teacher trainees off teaching through the teacher training process before they have even qualified. Feedback from current to future trainee cohorts on the demands and pressure of teacher training is further compounding the challenges around teacher training recruitment.
- The degree of curriculum control and regulation acts as a huge disincentive, the lack of freedom within a clear framework to develop professional capability and autonomy is a huge turn-off for trainees who rapidly disengage and consciously decide to complete training but not commit long-term to the profession.
How does teacher training in England compare internationally, and what are the benefits and disadvantages of the English system?
- Teacher training across European countries takes place over a much longer timeframe compared to the UK 3 to 5 years, the UK on the face of it appears more efficient and effective but arguably puts incredible pressure on the existing infrastructure within schools drawing resource away from the frontline and adding pressure to already stretched school resources.
- In many countries, teaching is a masters level profession and there is evidence that many of those countries are producing better educational outcomes for the pupils as a result.
- There is a concern that a ‘drive’ on QTS in England means a focus on quantity rather than quality ultimately undermining the profession and leading to chronic retention issues.
- In the US mentor roles for supporting teacher trainees are very sought after and attract real kudos and competition for the mentor roles.
University Alliance Recommendations:
- Review the scale of reform to teacher training to consider whether the new requirements of the Early Careers Framework and the pace of implementation is too much and in of itself causing problems to recruitment and retention of teachers.
- Review mentor training requirements and incentives to minimise unnecessary duplication of training and create a culture of competition and incentive to apply to become a teacher training mentor with potential for pay progression and additional resources to the school to backfill mentors.
- Consider a range of mentor roles to provide a much more rounded mentorship for teaching trainees including subject and pedagogic specific support as well as pastoral and wellbeing for trainees.
How do challenges in teacher recruitment, training and retention compare to those being faced in other professions/ sectors of the economy, and is there anything that can be learned from other professions/ sectors of the economy?
- The obvious comparisons are to other public sector professions such as the police, nursing and midwifery where issues relating pay and progression, recruitment and retention are writ large and resulting in similar challenges in terms of industrial action and problems in terms of recruitment and retention.
- The private sector is an interesting sector to look at where ‘professional’ roles have proved difficult to recruit and retain staff to such as IT, procurement, data analysis and communications. Pay is one element of the solution but often the working environment, the ability to work in an agile working environment and additional benefits above and beyond pay including professional development have ensured the private sector have been able to recruit and retain these professional staff.
University Alliance Recommendations:
- A radical reform and restructure of the teaching profession to allow for meaningful commitments to work / life balance and continual professional development to keep up with changes to work/life balance across all other industrial sectors that have had the latitude to embrace agile working as a direct result of the pandemic including: the opportunity for newly qualified teachers to complete their masters on a part-time basis; for established and experience teachers to work towards professional doctorates and a programme of CPD opportunities on offer for all teaching professionals. A need to be able to facilitate part time working much more comprehensively.
- Pay and reward for experienced teachers to act as mentors to trainees.
What particular challenges exist in teacher recruitment, training and retention for teachers from different demographic backgrounds? How well does the demographic makeup of the teaching workforce reflect that of the pupils they teach?
- One of the immediate and direct impacts of the ITT market review and resulting accreditation process and loss of universal coverage of accredited providers means that there will be direct knock-on impacts to the demographic diversity of teacher trainees. This creates a vicious circle: a lack of role models in schools who then impact on trainees. A teacher education workforce that is not representative of the demographic of its students and, more particularly, of the pupils in the schools that they partner with.
- For specific culturally diverse and protected characteristic groups, the need to be able to train and undertake placements close to home is critical to access and participation without universal coverage of teacher training within a reasonable travel distance we face locking out certain key demographic groups to teacher training. Furthermore, the issue of funding is impacting disproportionately on some groups.
- Teacher Training Apprenticeships and part-time routes could usefully be looked as currently not working optimally with entry requirements more complex and duration longer than some teaching training traditional routes.
- The internationalisation of teacher training is increasingly a concern for members and seen as a short-term fix to current teacher supply issues and will only serve to exacerbate the underlying problems and challenges with our teacher training system especially if international teachers once recruited are unable to remain on a permanent basis in the country meaning we will never recover and reach steady state on teacher supply.
University Alliance Recommendations:
- Consider ways of targeting underrepresented groups through ‘role model’ targeting, pre application initiatives such as dedicated taste of teaching courses
- Introduce a phase 3 to the ITT market review accreditation process to allow for “near miss” providers to achieve accreditation and ensure universal geographical coverage of teacher training opportunities and placements is in place.
- Review the teacher training apprenticeship route into teaching to ensure it aligns to the requirements of all other teacher trainees at entry, duration, and completion.
April 2023
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