Students arriving in schools for teaching practice are being offered full-time jobs, according to one teacher trainer. James Williams, a lecturer in science education at BrunelUniversity says the practice is increasing.
Brunel runs flexible courses which allow mature students to train for the classroom while continuing in their old jobs.
“When flexible trainees have approached a school to talk over details of a placement, they have been offered jobs on the spot,” says Mr Williams. He stresses that students who accept such jobs go on to complete their training.
“We have to be careful that students are not put in a position where they are expected to get on with a job without support,” he said.
Students must complete 24 weeks training in the classroom, in at least two schools, to achieve qualified teacher status.
“If a student is offered a job on a first placement, we would insist on them being allowed to take up a placement in a second school for a minimum of eight weeks,” he said.
Brunel has 60 students on flexible courses, including two vets, two GPs, and four lecturers.
