WIREDGOV

The Welsh Government has published a report that says the need for reforming teacher training in Wales is ‘undeniable’ if Wales is to raise standards and deliver Graham Donaldson’s vision of a curriculum for Wales.

The ‘Teaching Tomorrow’s Teachers’ report was produced by Professor John Furlong, who was last year appointed by Education Minister,  Huw Lewis as the Initial Teacher Education and Training Adviser for Wales.

The Minister made the appointment as part of his ongoing work to drive up educational standards in Wales.

Professor Furlong was asked to look closely at the way current teacher training provision is organised in Wales, at the evidence to support change, and at the measures needed to support a Welsh, world class Initial Teacher Training system that can compete with the best in the world.

In his 40 page report Professor Furlong sets out a series of options for change and nine key recommendations.

These include raising standards for new teachers, strengthening research capacity, establishing a revised accreditation process for Initial Teacher Training providers, setting up a ‘Teacher Education Accreditation Board’ within the Education Workforce Council and revising Estyn Guidance so school inspections include recognition of a school’s contribution to Initial Teacher Training.

Professor Furlong also recommends four  year Initial Teacher Training degrees where  50% of a student’s time is spent in a school department specialising in their main subject, close monitoring of the impact of the financial incentives designed to attract high quality graduates into the teaching profession, and the idea of  Initial Teacher Training Institutions being funded through a competitive tender process.

Education Minister, Huw Lewis said:

“I very much welcome this report and its recommendations and would like to thank Professor Furlong for his commitment, impartiality and professionalism.

“The case for change is compelling. It is clear that if we want to raise standards,  we must produce newly qualified,  reflective practitioners with the appropriate qualifications, skills and resilience to support the sort of curriculum change recommended by Professor Donaldson in his recent report.

“In principle I  would disagree with  nothing contained in Professor Furlong’s report.

“We must now move to  consider the reform  options and implementation methods in greater detail and this is something that will require full engagement with the teacher training sector .

“ We will also work to ensure the sector remains viable while we make what needs to be a smooth transition to a new model of teacher training."

Professor John Furlong said:

“In producing this report I have gathered a range of evidence about the current strengths and weaknesses of teacher training in Wales.

“I have spoken to senior colleagues in Wales’ ITT centres, to regional Consortia, to schools and to all the national bodies with a stake in the current provision, and finally to Professor Graham Donaldson about the implications of his recent curriculum review.

“It is my view that if the Welsh Government, national agencies, schools and higher education work together on this, we can soon build a teacher education and training of which we can be proud – and one that can deliver  on the high aspirations set out by the Welsh Government for its children and young people.”