Newly qualified teachers will need more support in their first year, and possibly longer because they have not had the same chance to train in the classroom during the Covid pandemic, Ofsted has warned.

This warning comes in a new report from the inspectorate into the work of initial teacher training providers during the coronavirus crisis.

It warns that trainees are particularly behind in their experience of managing behaviour and that many in primary school have had limited experience of teaching early reading.

Curriculum: Teacher training providers not ambitious enough, Ofsted warns

Covid: How Covid made me decide to train to be a teacher

Exclusive: Teacher training Covid cash is cut by a third

The Ofsted report says: “Despite partnerships’ best efforts, trainees have had much-reduced opportunity to teach in the classroom and therefore develop core knowledge and skills, such as behaviour management.

Teacher training: Trainees ‘behind in managing behaviour’, says Ofsted

“Because of this, all trainees are likely to need some additional support in their first year as newly qualified teachers (NQTs), and possibly longer.”

Ofsted’s report adds that because of Covid, trainees have “not yet had sufficient time to apply what they have learned in the classroom”.

It says: “Trainees are particularly behind in their experience of managing behaviour, and many in primary have had limited experience of teaching early reading, including systematic synthetic phonics (SSP).”

The report is based on the findings from remote research visits carried out between January and March this year.

Ofsted was due to start inspecting teacher training providers under a new framework in January 2021, but suspended these plans because of the third national lockdown. This means that no initial teacher education (ITE) partnership has yet been inspected under the new ITE inspection framework.

Its new report, published today, also says that too few teacher trainers have a “sufficiently ambitious” curriculum, and too many are “overly reliant” on experience gained through placements.