Getting into teaching
Findings from Part 5 of the study:
Senior leaders' appointment of NQTs from various ITE routes
- In primary schools there is a clear preference for NQTs from the undergraduate route; almost two-thirds expressed this preference. However, only just over a third of vacancies were filled by candidates from this route.
- Among secondary-based respondents, while a third expressed a preference for employment-based routes this was not reflected in appointments made (approximately one sixth came from this route). A similar but smaller disconnect occurred in the primary sector.
Routes taken by NQTs in our survey
- Three-quarters of secondary NQT respondents and half of primary NQT respondents came from the PGCE route, a very similar picture to our 2008 survey.
- Forty percent of primary NQT respondents came from undergraduate routes, compared with less than five percent of secondary NQT respondents.
- Fourteen percent of secondary respondents compared with seven percent of primary respondents came from employment-based routes.
Senior leaders' perceptions of effectiveness of ITE routes
- Senior leaders responding to our 2010 survey viewed the undergraduate route as the most effective route in preparing NQTs to work in their school in comparison with the PGCE and employment based routes.
- Analysis by route and school type reveals clear preferences among primary respondents for the undergraduate route, followed by PGCE and employment based routes when thinking about their relative effectiveness.
- Secondary respondents found the PGCE to be the most effective route; employment-based routes were also highly valued with the undergraduate route seen as the least effective.
Senior leaders' perspectives on level of classroom experience among NQTs from various ITE routes
- Among respondents to our 2010 survey there was a clear recognition that employment-based routes offered the most appropriate level of classroom experience for trainees, and this was especially the case for our secondary respondents.
- Among secondary respondents the PGCE was rated the second most appropriate route in terms of classroom experience, but among primary respondents the undergraduate route was rated second.
Findings from Part 2 of the study:
- The majority of schools that commented were in partnership with local ITT providers and many commented on how they had well established links and contacts with good working relationships. Secondary schools were more likely to be linked with several institutions than were primary schools. (
see the 'Routes into Teaching' discussion.) - The data - both qualitative and quantitative - supports the findings from the environment map that illustrates that the PGCE seems to be the most popular route for many SLT and NQT interviewees. Primary schools seem to prefer the undergraduate route and PGCE route and secondary schools the employment based routes and PGCE as a route into the profession.
- A third of SLT members who took part in the telephone interviews indicated that their current or previous NQTs were known to the school prior to starting their NQT year; this may be because the NQT had previously undertaken a placement at the school, was employed as a teaching assistant or had previously done supply work at the school.
Findings from Part 1 of the study:
Points from the literature review
- NQTs have difficulties in dealing with parents and handling difficult behaviour in the classroom.
- There are varying views on the quality of NQTs from employment based routes.
- In one study most NQTs had worked in supply after ITT and this was seen as positive for schools and NQTs.
- One study identified that subject knowledge may be a weakness in NQTs.
Discussion of Part 1 survey findings
The survey results suggest that ITT routes are differentially preferred by SLT respondents, and there are differences here between primary and secondary schools. (see the 'Routes into Teaching' discussion.)
The written comments made provided valuable insights into reasons for the preferences that can be explored in Part 2 of the study. The comments suggest that having a range of routes is valuable as each provides different benefits, but they also suggest that SLT members are influenced by their familiarity with particular routes and there are implications here for how information about routes is disseminated to schools.
Our survey indicates, contrary to suggestions from the literature review, that having done supply work is not seen as very beneficial prior to gaining an NQT post and that indeed it might be a deterrent. Intuitively, careers advisers and others may suggest that supply work might be advantageous in offering useful experience, but this appears not to be the case. The part time PGCE route seems not to be highly regarded, and this may be of concern, since it may provide a route for those with financial or domestic commitments.
The findings support the point emerging from the literature review that ability to deal with parents is seen by SLT respondents and by NQTs as the most difficult aspect for NQTs of those aspects explored. Although behaviour management was not an aspect specified in the survey, ability to deal with children and working with a full class were, and both were rated quite positively. Generally, the highest ratings were for the aspects of the work related to teaching activities. The lowest ratings were for aspects such as team working with non teaching colleagues, dealing with parents and commitment to them, administrative work (and assessment for learning). The suggestion is that ITT is most effective at helping trainees develop teaching skills and least effective at helping them develop the skills needed for other aspects of the work.
There are some indications that NQTs are least well prepared for situations where they may encounter the need to cope with differentiation to a considerable extent. This is suggested by ratings indicating that those in schools with very mixed populations find it more difficult to deal with a number of the aspects specified. The findings do not indicate (see points from the literature above) that there are concerns about subject knowledge but they do suggest that there are variable views about the employment-based routes and that this may, at least in part, be related to unfamiliarity with them. Generally the quality of NQTs is seen by SLT respondents to have stayed the same or increased, with the indications being that the quality of NQTs is acceptable or better than that. The proportions responding using the ‘adequate’ category suggests there are a number of aspects of ITT that might be usefully reviewed by the providers.
Written comments by SLT members suggest quality aspects that the questionnaire did not specify, including creativity and flexibility, classroom and behaviour management (although the questionnaire did include dealing with children and working with a whole class, it did not use those terms) and awareness of current educational policies and strategies. These might be further explored in Part 2 of the study. It might also be interesting to explore the reasons why independent schools generally rate NQTs higher than do those in the non-independent sector.
