4 out of 5 teachers want to replace Ofsted
According to a new survey by the National Education Union (NEU), 82% of teachers believe that Ofsted should be replaced with a new system of inspection. Almost 6,000 respondents took part in the survey. Findings reveal that just 3% of teachers believe Ofsted is a reliable and trusted arbiter of standards. The vast majority, at 90%, say that single word judgements are unfair reflections of performance.
Moreover, 79% of teachers believe that inspection not only distorts workload, but distracts from the core aspects of their job. 62% feel that it causes ill mental health and affects the home life of 59%. Many support staff experience inspection in similar ways, with one in three saying their mental health is also negatively impacted.
Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the NEU, argues in favour of a ‘collaborative model of inspection’ which would support school leaders to make decisions in the best interests of pupils and increase capacity for genuine school improvement. Teachers are set to vote on whether the NEU should lobby political parties ahead of the general election to endorse its campaign to replace Ofsted.
★ One Education can offer school reviews and audits for any aspect of your provision, identifying strengths and areas for improvement. Our experts will work collaboratively with your team to plan next steps, raise standards, and improve school outcomes.
Explore our services to find out more.
Government cuts funding for non-UK teacher trainees
In September last year, the Department for Education (DfE) launched a pilot scheme that offered non-UK trainee teachers of languages and physics £10,000 to relocate to England. The scheme was set to last until the end of the 2024-25 academic year in efforts to solve the teacher recruitment crisis. However, the scheme has now been cut short. The government has announced that those who are eligible for the international relocation payment (IRP) will instead receive £5,000 across two years.
Recent analysis shows that more than a quarter of candidates applying to initial teacher training (ITT) courses starting next year are from overseas, rising from 17% at the same time last year. Of those, 50% have been accepted onto ITT courses. So far, 554 physics candidates have been accepted onto an ITT course, increasing from 238 last year. 57% of those are international recruits. Whilst there has also been a rise in applicants to modern foreign language ITT courses, only 16% of those who have been accepted come from overseas. Other subjects have also seen a rising interest from international applicants, however this has not translated into high acceptance rates.
This comes as the latest report from the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) warns that the government is at risk of under-recruiting secondary trainee teachers in 10 out of 17 subjects for next year. A DfE spokesperson has commented that the department is focused on ‘striking the right balance between acting decisively to tackle net migration […] and retaining and developing highly skilled teachers.’
★ Staff wellbeing is a fundamental step towards recruiting and retaining the best talent for your school. Our HR team can share expert advice and guidance to help you embed a culture of wellbeing in your setting.
Teachers remain cautious over the use of AI in education
New research commissioned by Trinity College London shows that a quarter of teachers are already using artificial intelligence (AI), most commonly to plan lessons and cut down on workload. However, a large majority remain concerned about the future widespread application of AI in education.
Of the 1,000 teachers who participated in the poll, two-thirds believe that AI is too unreliable to plan lessons, produce resources, and assess pupils’ work. Whilst a fifth say that AI could help them save time on planning lessons and other non-teaching activities, 61% say they are unsure. Furthermore, three-quarters worry that student misuse of AI will continue to be a persistent problem.
Despite these reservations, more than half of teachers believe that AI will transform education in unforeseeable ways within the next five years. Almost two-thirds feel they would be more confident in using AI if they were trained in how to use it effectively. Last year, the Department for Education (DfE) opened a conversation with the sector with the launch of a Call for Evidence on the use of AI in education. Their findings showed that AI ‘led to significant time savings’ for teachers, but the department remains cautious with regards to its use within teaching.
★ If you would like to learn more about AI and its potential in the classroom, take a look at our blog on how AI tools can equip learners with the skills and knowledge to flourish in an AI-driven future.
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