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Press release: Many of the organisations involved in overseeing the Graduate Teacher Programme are not providing high quality subject training, according to a new report from Ofsted

But organisations responsible for managing on-the–job training for future teachers make a strong contribution to recruitment in secondary shortage subjects and from under-represented groups

The second of three reports looking at the quality of Designated Recommending Bodies (DRBs) and the Graduate Teacher Programme (GTP), suggests that although DRBs attract well qualified candidates, often in secondary shortage subjects and to areas of the country where it can be difficult to recruit trainees, little progress has been made in the quality of trainees’ teaching since the publication of last year’s report.

Today’s report, An employment-based route into teaching 2004/2005, finds that primary trainees continue to achieve higher standards than secondary trainees and one in five lessons taken by trainees have unsatisfactory features. Around a third of the DRBs inspected have weaknesses in subject specific training for secondary trainees. This contrasts with Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) provision, where trainees are usually given a good grounding in how to teach their specialist subject.

Ofsted’s Director of Education, Miriam Rosen, said:

“The Graduate Teacher Programme helps trainees develop classroom management skills quickly and those who choose this route are often more confident in dealing with discipline problems. But more attention needs to be paid to developing trainees’ ability to teach their subject to a high standard.”

Inspectors go on to say that a third of the DRBs inspected have significant weaknesses in the rigour and accuracy with which they assess trainees. They also criticise many DRBs’ lack of self evaluation, arguing that too many rely on external scrutiny to identify strengths and weaknesses.

The management of DRB partnerships has improved over the last year. Partnership agreements and communications between DRBs are now much more robust and as a result good practice is being shared.

The report recommends that DRBs provide more opportunities for trainees to work with expert teachers in order to extend their knowledge of teaching and learning.

Mrs Rosen continued:

“Management is improving and if Designated Recommending Bodies and schools implement and monitor strategies for improving subject-based training we could see some rapid improvements. I am confident that the good examples shown throughout Ofsted’s report can be extended across the Graduate Teacher Programme as a whole.”

Notes For Editors

1. The report An employment-based route into teaching 2004/2005 is available on the website.

2. Ofsted is a non-ministerial government department established under the Education (Schools) Act 1992 to take responsibility for the inspection of all schools in England. Its role also includes the inspection of further education, local authority children’s services, teacher training institutions and some independent schools. During 2001, Ofsted became responsible for inspecting all 16-19 education and for the regulation of early years childcare, including childminders.

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