Initial teacher education as a driver for professional learning and school improvement in the primary phase

Abstract

This article examines the professional learning accruing from school-based initial teacher education (ITE) within the wider policy debate on school performance. It contrasts the very positive perceptions reported by teachers on the contribution of involvement in ITE to their professional learning with the less than fulsome attitude of school inspectors. Evidence is drawn from questionnaire responses from primary school ITE coordinators and mentor-teachers in the north-west of England, text searches of primary school inspection reports and quantitative data collected by Ofsted. It concludes that a more explicit emphasis on initial teacher education in school inspections would give due recognition to the important role played by ITE and make it easier to promote the professional learning and school improvement outcomes which derive from school-based initial teacher education.

Keywords:

• Continuing Professional Development
• Initial Teacher Education
• Inspection (Ofsted)
• Mentoring
• Primary school performance

Acknowledgement

The authors wish to acknowledge the help they have received in obtaining data for this study from the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) and from school coordinators and mentor-teachers in the following north-west ITE training partnerships: Chester University, Liverpool Hope University, Liverpool John Moores University, Manchester Metropolitan University and Manchester University. We are also grateful to Malcolm Dixon of Liverpool John Moores University who has provided valuable comments on several drafts of this article; and to Beverley Ingham from Manchester Metropolitan University and Michelle Dixon who have helped with data entry.