Express & Star

Teaching schools have an important role to play in education's future

By
Published
Last updated

Education blogger Professor Kit Field of the University of Wolverhampton on the new teaching schools and how they can work with universities to increase education standards.

Education blogger Professor Kit Field of the University of Wolverhampton on the new teaching schools and how they can work with universities to increase education standards.

I have recently returned from the annual University Council for the Education of Teachers conference, where all of the talk was about the new teaching schools. 100 schools were accepted – following a bidding process – as teaching schools last September and there are to be a total of 500 rolled out across the country.

Teaching schools are outstanding schools and are at the core of an alliance of other schools, as well as at least one university. The goal is that teaching school alliances will take a much greater part in the initial teacher training and continuing professional development of teachers.

Close partnerships between universities and schools is not new – for secondary teachers two thirds of the initial training takes place in schools and a half in primary schools. There are some more school-based schemes already in place and Ofsted inspections do show a higher proportion of outstanding teacher training schemes to be university led.

However, the role of teaching schools is greater than simply 'driving' teacher training. They work with the development of middle leaders and managers, focus on driving up standards in core subjects, support different groups of children in raising their levels of attainment and also aim to raise their aspirations. All have proven very successful and, in all cases, these are associated with university and local authority support and engagement.

So what will the future hold? Despite concerns about the marginalisation of universities, there is hope. Working together, the profession as a whole will focus on three main areas – ITE, CPD and School to School support.

Schools have a major role to play in selecting the teachers of the future and provide real opportunities for new teachers to learn from experienced and able professionals in practice. Schools should also play a part in assessing student teachers against a set of national professional standards. But, so should universities. It is not about one or the other, but to assure an introduction to the profession as opposed to a single institution there needs to be a broader perspective too.

Knowledge of good practices in all schools, exposure to different types of schools and pupils and access to research findings relating to child development, behaviour management, special educational needs, strategies to improve literacy and numeracy, are all essential roles a university can play.

Schools do assist and support each other. We have moved away from the overly competitive environment and now recognise that all pupils matter. The demise of the roles of local authorities, but not the loss of expertise of colleague working for them, means there is a gap in provision. Collaboration and cooperation, with schools as the focal point for development and improvement is a laudable goal.

It can only be achieved if experts from across the profession work together. A knowledge of the cross-professional expertise and knowledge bases places universities in an excellent position to co-ordinate and to broker support from identified experts in areas where support is most needed.

It is well acknowledged that strong and focussed leadership, coupled with excellent teaching are key factors in 'outstanding provision'. Effective leadership is situated in local and regional environments. Leaders must know and understand their constituents and must have direct access to policy developments and support systems.

Licensing providers on a local and regional basis assists in the tackling of local problems. It is also well known that what works is to build on strengths, rather than to continuously highlight deficiencies. Tight and focussed partnerships will benefit schools and pupils, while universities can quality-assure and co-ordinate.

Within the further education sector, similar partnerships have existed for many years. Universities work closely to support and quality assure provision and also offer academic accreditation possibilities for the individuals involved.

However Government plans to rationalise education provision – amalgamating various official bodes and former quangos – has left colleges for post compulsory education out in the cold. Early years, primary and secondary sectors will be represented in a new teaching agency. Further Education will still be running out of a different Government department. Higher Education too, is governed by a separate agency.

Is it not time to integrate the government departments associated with education? One stage of a young person's education is dependant upon the successful completion of previous stages. For the sake of continuity, can a more coherent and progressive system not be invented?