Experiencing CATE: the impact of accreditation upon initial training institutions in England

Abstract

In 1984, the British Government introduced a new system of accreditation for all courses of initial teacher training, administered by the Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (CATE). This paper examines the impact of that system on teacher training institutions in England in the late 1980s. Drawing upon interview data from seven institutions, three of which are discussed in detail, the paper identifies a range of responses to the demands of accreditation. It goes on to explore some of the contradictions presented by the accreditation exercise and to discuss ways in which institutions have exploited those contradictions. Finally, the paper points to the irony of the Government's introduction of a new route into teaching, with minimal training requirements, at the same time as it is engaged in the detailed prescription of the content of courses of initial training provided by higher education institutions.