Education CommitteeWritten evidence submitted by the University of Cumbria

1.1 Approximately one third of The University of Cumbria’s entire provision is teacher education which provides over 1,500 Newly Qualified Teachers each year. As a national provider serving some of the most rural communities in England as well as inner city areas such as Tower Hamlets the University faces a significant challenge to its continued engagement as a national leader in School Direct and other forms of school embedded teacher training.

1.2 The rapid expansion of School Direct has destabilised University provision in teacher training. There is no certainty regarding allocations for more than one year ahead. In the past two years the University’s PGCE Secondary places have reduced by 60% from 350 to 140. The University was allocated very few or no core places in some subjects for 2013–14 (3 History, 2 Geography, 0 English) leading to redundancies and a consequent loss of subject expertise. Whilst further reductions are anticipated actual numbers for 2014–15 will not be known until October 2013. The inability to plan more than one year ahead creates an untenable position.

1.3 As a consequence of reductions in allocations the University no longer offers training in Modern Foreign Languages in the North West. This has led to the cessation of highly effective training programmes—for example the award winning programmes with Dallam School (recently recognised for their excellence by the British Academy).

1.4 Current proposals to limit the involvement of some Universities in the provision of Subject Knowledge Enhancement programmes further risks supply of teachers in shortage subjects. The University of Cumbria has an excellent record in recruiting Secondary Maths trainees for example with 30 trainees preparing to commence their training at the University in September 2013. This success is predicated upon the ability to prepare trainees with appropriate preparatory subject knowledge enhancement courses.

1.5 For schools involved in School Direct there is not the same imperative to recruit to all allocated places as there is for HEIs and there are no penalties for under recruitment as exist for Universities. For many schools School Direct is a relatively small scale activity and does not provide a significant source of income. This has a potentially destabilising effect on ensuring adequate supply of teachers across subject and phase ranges.

1.6 The University of Cumbria has engaged proactively with the School Direct training route. The introduction of this route has impacted significantly on demand for core training places in PGCE Primary in particular with the University experiencing a 40% fall in demand in comparison to the previous year.

1.7 The University has a key role in meeting the forecast rise in demand for school places and teachers. Without the capacity of providers such as the University of Cumbria it is difficult to envisage how national supply needs could be met.

1.8 The increasing shift in balance of control to schools risks an undervaluing of the pedagogical aspects of training. Schools Centred ITT providers (SCITTs) frequently offer training programmes leading to QTS with no academic credit attached. This risks training becoming an apprenticeship that lacks the underpinning academic rigour that differentiates the unique contribution of our current University based teacher training system.

1.9 The market led model of School Direct encourages competition and discourages collaboration, which is one of the distinguishing features of our Universities teacher training provision which is fundamentally rooted in partnership working.

1.10 The expectation of employment on completion of a School Direct training route will constrain the involvement of schools in more rural areas due to their lower turnover of staff. Rural schools may not feel able to engage or may do so only sporadically resulting in wasted effort and duplication for little result. They will have a smaller pool of applicants from which to select and the predominance of School Direct risks marginalising rural communities. The University of Cumbria takes seriously its duty to ensure effective teacher training and school improvement in rural communities.

1. Royal College of Teaching

2.1 We note with interest the various perspectives on the establishment of a Royal College of Teaching as outlined in “Towards a Royal College of Teaching—Raising the Status of the Profession”. As a provider of teacher training the University equally experience many of the very significant and direct influences on the teaching sector that schools do. The establishment of a royal college would reduce the level of direct political influence to ensure that the profession itself has responsibility to ensure education is fit for purpose.

2.2 In particular we recognise the opportunities for a royal college to:

Encourage and highlight educational research and international best practice.

Provide a framework for career progression and accredited professional development at all levels.

Bring together a broad range of educational professionals including academics.

Provide a single sector voice independent of teacher unions.

Set professional standards.

Clarify the responsibilities of schools to ensure adequate teacher supply.

Consider the shape of teacher training and the various routes to Qualified Teacher Status.

Consider the value of the contributions of different partners to teacher training.

2.3 We would endorse the principle and right of the teaching profession to establish its credentials and to play a much more significant role in setting standards and exercising judgements as part of establishing the high status of the profession to which so many aspire.

July 2013