IOE statement on the UK Government response to the ITT Market Review

In its response to the ITT Market Review report, we welcome the DfE’s stated intention to ensure the highest quality initial teacher education (ITE) for all teachers.

IOE colleagues have engaged closely with the Market Review throughout the process. We have appreciated the DfE’s constructive engagement with us and the wider the sector, in the hope that we could arrive at a set of proposals that can bring about improvement where it is needed whilst securing existing high-quality provision as well as the supply of new teachers.

Within the DfE’s response to the Review’s report, we welcome the greater flexibility and autonomy it builds into the proposed reforms, in particular: the recognition that the Core Content Framework is not the definition of high quality ITE and that high quality provision will go above and beyond this document; the sensible amendments to the overly prescriptive model of ‘intensive placements’ and conditions for in-school mentoring, which would have damaged partnerships between ITE providers and schools; the recognition that oversight of mentoring benefits from a team-based approach. The DfE’s one-year extension to the timeline for reaccrediting ITE providers also removes immediate risks to capacity within the ITE system and therefore teacher supply.

We are concerned, however, to clarify with the DfE the discrepancies across its response to the Review and the accompanying annex and accreditation guidance. These discrepancies would appear to undermine the reforms as a means of improving the quality of ITE, by, in the event, still impeding the ability of providers with a proven track record to draw on their own expertise and tailor provision to local need.

We hope the DfE will engage with the sector once again, to swiftly resolve these remaining concerns so that we can collectively move forward with a positive agenda for teacher education and the teaching profession.