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'Becoming a Teacher' research project

Here we summarise the findings of a six-year longitudinal study of teachers’ experiences of initial teacher training (ITT) and early professional development (EPD) in England.

These findings reflect the views and experiences of teachers who have completed their ITT and are about to start their induction year.

1. Student teachers’ perceived strengths as teachers

Respondents identified:

• knowledge about main teaching subject
• an ability to develop productive relationships with pupils.

2. The importance of certain types of knowledge and skills for teaching

The majority of respondents in the survey indicated that the ability to bring about pupil learning, to maintain discipline in the classroom and deal with pastoral issues were all ‘very important’.

3. Student teachers’ expectations of the first year as a qualified teacher

Respondents were most looking forward to having their own class. They were least looking forward to the workload, adjusting to a new school and to the potential difficulties of classroom management.

4. The main factors that influenced student teachers’ decisions relating to their first teaching post

Respondents identified:

• family commitments
• convenient geographical location
• school with a good track record
• staff collegiality and teamwork
• ethos of the school
• support offered by the school
• opportunities for professional development.

5. Areas in which student teachers felt particularly well prepared at the end of their ITT

Respondents identified:

• subject knowledge
• classroom management
• lesson planning.

6. Areas in which student teachers felt least well prepared at the end of their ITT

Respondents identified:

• subject knowledge
• teaching a specific key stage
• assessment
• differentiation
• adapting to a different school.

7. Student teachers’ changed views of the teaching profession

Over a quarter of case study trainees indicated that they had changed their views about the teaching profession during their ITT. They had discovered that being a teacher was harder than they had originally thought and they had developed an increased awareness of the responsibilities involved in being a teacher.

Most case study trainees related their current views of teaching and learning to the influence of their ITT programmes and the importance that was placed on:

• pupils’ different learning styles
• creative teaching
• using a variety of teaching methods
• differentiation within the classroom.

8. Aspects of ITT that student teachers most valued in preparing them to become teachers

A majority of case study trainees said that their school-based experiences were the most valuable aspects of their ITT.

9. Aspects of school-based experiences student teachers reported feeling positive about

Student teachers felt positive about:

• being able to talk with their mentor or another colleague who was concerned with their well-being and progress
• being able to engage in professional dialogues which helped them to think about their practice as teachers
• being made to feel part of the teaching community
• having positive relationships with other teachers.

10.  Aspects of school-based experiences student teachers reported feeling less than positive about

Student teachers felt less than positive when:

• the school ethos was not conducive to the points listed above
• relationships with other teachers were difficult
• relationships with mentors were a problem.

11.  Links between the school and Higher Education Institution (HEI)-based course elements

Over half of case study participants felt that some aspects of their HEI-based preparation were not relevant to ‘being a teacher’, while nearly one-third reported inconsistencies between the expectation of HEI-based staff and school-based staff and/or a lack of clear HEI-guided learning objectives for school based experiences. Nearly a third felt that there had been a general lack of communication between their HEIs and the schools in which they were placed.

12.  Student teachers’ views on the balance and clarity of links between the theoretical and practical aspects of their ITT

Two-thirds of survey respondents indicated that the balance between the theoretical and practical elements of their ITT was ‘about right’. Four out of five respondents indicated that the theoretical and practical aspects of their ITT programmes were ‘always’ or ‘usually’ clear.

13.  Aspects of their HEI-based studies that student teachers found particularly beneficial

Respondents indicated that development in the following areas was particularly beneficial:

• subject specialist and key stage specific knowledge
• educational policy
• legal obligations
• classroom management
• differentiation.

14.  Aspects of their HEI-based studies that student teachers indicated they would have liked more of

Student teachers indicated that they would have liked to have had more development in:

• subject knowledge
• classroom management
• special educational needs.

You can download the whole report (185 pages; 838 KB) from this page.