Teacher trainees will be able to qualify based on progress judgements for a second year running, the government has said.
In acknowledgement of the “variance” in disruption caused by Covid this year, the Department for Education has said initial teacher training (ITT) providers can, once again, recommend their trainees for qualified teacher status (QTS) if they are “satisfied” they would have met the teachers’ standards were it not for the pandemic.
Providers should not recommend QTS for trainees who are not on track to meet the teachers’ standards, which may include those who have had their time teaching in schools “significantly curtailed”, the Department for Education said.
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Updated guidance, published today, states: “We are aware that, due to the varying restrictions imposed regionally and the national lockdown measures introduced on 5 January 2021, there is variance in the disruption experienced by ITT trainees during the 2020 to 2021 academic year.
“Therefore, subject to approval by Parliament, ITT providers will be able to recommend trainees for QTS if they are satisfied that the trainee has demonstrated adequate progress towards meeting the teachers’ standards during their course, and would have met them, were it not for disruption relating to coronavirus (Covid-19).”
It adds: “ITT providers must continue to ensure ITT courses are as comprehensive as possible. Providers should only recommend trainees for QTS in this way where appropriate and necessary.
“ITT providers should not recommend for QTS those trainees that they deem have not yet been able to demonstrate adequate progress towards meeting the teachers’ standards. This may include trainees who will have had their time available to undertake practical teaching experience in schools significantly curtailed.
“We will continue to monitor the impact of coronavirus (Covid-19) on initial teacher training courses throughout the 2020 to 2021 academic year. Further guidance, including for those trainees deemed to have not made adequate progress towards meeting the teachers’ standards by the end of their course, will be provided in due course, as appropriate.”
