Response

MillionPlus response to the Educational Excellence Everywhere White Paper

06 Jul 2016

MillionPlus hosts a Deans of Education Network for the many modern universities that are long-standing providers of initial teacher training (ITT) for both primary and secondary phases. These universities are centres of excellence in initial teacher training, pedagogical research, subject expertise and continuous professional development for teachers.

In the immediate aftermath of the publication on 17th March 2016 of the White Paper Educational Excellence Everywhere, much comment was triggered by the White Paper’s assertion that in England “by the end of 2020, all schools will be academies or in the process of becoming academies”. Subsequently Nicky Morgan MP, the Secretary of State for Education, announced on 6th May that these objectives would be moderated although in reality the brief given to Regional Schools Commissioners will result in many schools becoming academies – a position described by some commentators as a Z rather than a U-turn.

In addition to changes to school organisation and significant changes to the role Local Authorities which, among other things, will lose any responsibility for school improvement, the White Paper sets out plans to progress further reforms to teacher education and qualifications. This response focuses on this aspect of the White Paper which we believe also deserves much greater parliamentary scrutiny.

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