An expert adviser for the government’s controversial review of the teacher training sector has dismissed the reaccreditation process for providers as a “huge distraction”.
Professor Sam Twiselton, director of Sheffield Institute of Education at Sheffield Hallam University, suggested that the process, which resulted in many teacher training providers failing to meet new government criteria, should not have gone ahead.
She was speaking today at a Westminster Education Forum policy conference discussing the next steps for initial teacher training (ITT) in England.
Last year Tes revealed that around 25 per cent of teacher training providers could be culled from the market following the conclusion of the reaccreditation process.
And this looks to be the case after all appeals against unsuccessful accreditation bids by ITT providers were rejected by the Department for Education late last year.
Teacher training: reaccreditation leaves ‘cold spots’
Today Professor Twiselton said: “I probably would have preferred for the new criteria to have been implemented and then not go through an accreditation process.”
On the accreditation process, she added: “I feel like that’s been a huge distraction.”
The new ITT criteria is set to come into force in September 2024.
Professor Twiselton said she thought it would have been better for the criteria to have been implemented and then for “the new [Ofsted] framework to have looked at how well providers are dealing with the new criteria”.
Inspections under Ofsted’s new ITT inspection framework began in 2021.
While stage one of the ITT market review has now concluded, with the results of both reaccreditation rounds announced, there are now concerns within the sector about teacher training “cold spots” - parts of the country that have been left without providers.
Last year Tes revealed that the DfE was planning to offer providers “more incentives” to form partnerships or consider acquisitions to cover the affected areas.
The DfE has been contacted for comment.
