‘Marathon’ wait for QTS plan ditched following teacher recruitment ‘disaster’ warning

DfE will lengthen induction period to two years and introduce ‘enhanced offer of support’ for new teachers
4th May 2018, 12:03am

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‘Marathon’ wait for QTS plan ditched following teacher recruitment ‘disaster’ warning

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The DfE has backed down on plans to make new teachers wait an extra two years for qualified status, that training organisations warned could have been “disastrous” for teacher recruitment.

However, the government will continue with plans to introduce an extended two-year induction period for teachers, together with a package of enhanced support to help them improve their skills early in their career.

Currently, trainees are awarded qualified teacher status (QTS) after they complete their initial teacher training, but the government last year consulted on plans to replace this with a new term, such as “QTS (Provisional)”.

Full QTS status would have been delayed until trainees had completed a two-year induction period in the classroom.

The National Association of School-Based Teacher Trainers (NASBTT) had warned that making teachers wait three-years for QTS after beginning a training course could “devalue” the status for current teachers.

In its response to the consultation, NASBTT said: “If prospective entrants to the profession see what was a one-year process suddenly appearing to be a three-year ‘marathon’, we may lose applicants which would be disastrous.

“It is for this reason that we are so strongly advocating for QTS to remain where it is.”

The government will today say that, because of such concerns, QTS will continue to be awarded following the completion of ITT.

A new term will be introduced to mark the completion of the induction period, with ‘endorsed QTS’ described as a sensible option.

Damian Hinds will today confirm that the government will go ahead with plans to extend the induction period from one to two years.

The education secretary will also tell the annual conference of the National Association of Headteachers’ that the government will introduce an “enhanced offer of support” for new teachers during this period.

He will set out plans to work with the profession to develop a new early career content framework, which will set out all the training and mentoring a teacher is entitled to during this period, and the work out what resources will be needed to deliver it.

It comes as Mr Hinds sets out plans for a £5 million fund to support more teachers to take a sabbatical.

He is expected to say: “I want teachers to be able to develop and progress through clearer career pathways, including for those who want to stay in the classroom … and I want schools to be attractive 21st Century workplaces.”

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