Creative fidelity: Keeping learners in charge of their ideas
TRUDI BARROW, ADVISOR, CLEAPSS, UK ‘Creative fidelity’ is a term that I use to describe the principle of retaining the intent of the author or designer when using artificial intelligence (AI) tools within creative processes. The word ‘fidelity’ is deliberately chosen. It implies faithfulness to something that already exists – for example, a design that […]
Empowering learners: Using VESPA to frame student autonomy towards teaching and learning
LIZ PYNE, PRINCETHORPE COLLEGE, UK The desire for student autonomy is the ‘holy grail’ of many teachers and school leaders. Teaching students self-regulation of their learning and to understand the skills and processes towards success continues to be an area of discussion and thought. ‘However, ownership and autonomy of learning do not necessarily come naturally […]
Teaching the British Empire: what is happening in schools and what can we learn?
Drawing on findings from the landmark Portrait EMB research project (https://dx.doi.org/10.5287/ora-rvno97kbq), this session explores what is currently happening in schools in relation to teaching about the British Empire, migration, and belonging, and what educators can learn from emerging practice across England. Based on one of the largest studies of its kind, involving over 1,000 teachers […]
AI Assurance Measures in the Education Sector
This study aims to explore the experiences of education stakeholders with adopting and managing safe and responsible technology in schools and classrooms, and the perspectives of policymakers on AI assurance. The goal of this project is to understand whether, and if so, how end-users of AI technologies in education are currently involved in the process […]
An exploration of the factors shaping the anti-racist praxis of school leaders in England
Are you a current school leader in England? If yes, please consider taking part in this study. •Doctoral study •60-90 minute interview [online or face to face] •Interviews will be scheduled May and June 2026 •Ethical approval from University of West London •Supervisor is Dr Manzoorul Abedin [manzoorul.abedin@uwl.ac.uk] Please email Sabrina Edwards: 21459475@student.uwl.ac.uk
White Paper Response Series – Secondary Settings Session 2
To inform The Chartered College of Teaching’s White Paper response we would like to invite practitioners working in secondary settings to attend a focused workshop event. In this session, we will invite you to share your thoughts on the paper and its implications for our classrooms. We are looking for current practitioners to share their thoughts and […]
White Paper Response Series – Secondary Settings Session 1
To inform The Chartered College of Teaching’s White Paper response we would like to invite practitioners working in secondary settings to attend a focused workshop event. In this session, we will invite you to share your thoughts on the paper and its implications for our classrooms. We are looking for current practitioners to share their thoughts and […]
Geography fieldwork: minds-on, as well as hands-on
When done well, fieldwork is at the heart of effective geography education – providing genuine, real-life contexts for learning and promoting curiosity, creativity and critical thinking skills. But how do you ensure your learners bring their ‘thinking caps’ out into the field? This free live webinar will share guidance and practical examples to help you […]
A reflective narrative on supporting international trainee teachers to thrive when teaching in English schools
SHALINI BHORKAR, ROBERT CAMPBELL AND JULIETTE CLARO, ST MARY’S UNIVERSITY, TWICKENHAM, UK Teacher recruitment and retention remain ongoing challenges in England (Maisuria et al., 2023). Most notably, recruitment of modern foreign language (MFL) and physics trainee teachers is particularly stark (DfE, 2025a). To address under-recruitment in these subjects, government bursaries are now available to international candidates. […]
‘Putting the children first, fighting their corner, being prepared to stick their head above a parapet’: Exploring reasons for the SENDCo recruitment crisis
NAOMI ASHMAN, DOCTORAL STUDENT, UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON, UK Introduction There is currently a SENDCo recruitment and retention crisis (Robertson, 2023). Many find fulfilling SENDCo responsibilities unsustainable and are reluctant to remain in the role (Curran and Boddison, 2021). Reasons for attrition include overwhelming workload, inadequate time and insufficient funding for special educational needs and disability […]
Designing new pathways into teaching: Widening access, representation and inclusion in school communities through teacher degree apprenticeships
ANDY DAVIES, PROJECT CO-LEAD; DEPUTY DEAN, SCHOOL OF EDUCATION, SPORT AND HEALTH SCIENCES, UNIVERSITY OF BRIGHTON, UK LIS BUNDOCK, PROJECT CO-LEAD; ASSOCIATE DEAN (EDUCATION AND STUDENT EXPERIENCE), UNIVERSITY OF BRIGHTON, UK RICHARD HARVEY-SWANSTON, SENIOR LECTURER, UNIVERSITY OF BRIGHTON, UK ROB CORBETT, APPRENTICE AMBASSADOR, UNIVERSITY OF BRIGHTON, UK ALLISON GODFREY, EMPLOYER COORDINATOR, UNIVERSITY OF BRIGHTON, UK POLLY HERBERT, HEAD OF INITIAL TEACHER […]
Beyond the pipeline: Drivers of ethnic disparities in teacher recruitment, retention and progression in England
JULIET KOTONYA AND KATHERINE ASTON, NATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH, UK Introduction England’s pupil population is becoming increasingly ethnically diverse, yet the ethnic make-up of the teaching workforce remains unrepresentative (Demie and Huat See, 2022). This shows up in schools as disparities in who enters teaching, who remains and who progresses into leadership. Representation of teachers […]
A case study of implementing inclusive academic assessment practice for trainees in an employment-based ITE programme
FRANCINE MCMAHON, AMBER DUIVENVOORDEN AND KATHERINE KINSHAW, SCHOOL OF EDUCATION, BATH SPA UNIVERSITY, UK Introduction Inclusive practices in higher education institutions have been exploring different academic assessment practices to meet the diverse needs of cohorts. This has been in response to the Bristol vs Abrahart case (Equality and Human Rights Commission, 2024) and a growing awareness of […]
Enhancing action in supporting international pre-service science teachers via self-study
ROBERT CAMPBELL, ST MARY’S UNIVERSITY, TWICKENHAM, UK RACHEL DAVIES, KING’S COLLEGE, LONDON, UK DAN COTTLE, UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM, UK CAROLINE NEUBERG, LEEDS TRINITY UNIVERSITY, UK ELEANOR WYLIE, INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS, UK Introduction Since 2022, international pre-service science teachers (PSSTs) specialising in physics have also been eligible for a bursary, resulting in a fourfold increase in international applications to study PGCE […]
How can training on culturally responsive mentoring support the integration and inclusion of international trainee teachers on a secondary PGCE?
JULIETTE CLARO, LECTURER IN EDUCATION, ST MARY’S UNIVERSITY TWICKENHAM SCHOOL OF EDUCATION, UK; CO-CHAIR OF THE UCET SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP IN SUPPORTING INTERNATIONAL TRAINEE TEACHERS In the last two years, the number of international trainee teachers on the PGCE secondary at St Mary’s University has exponentially increased, reflecting the national trends in the teacher labour market […]
‘We train dogs but we educate people’: How listening to student voice shapes successful and wider outcomes in initial teacher education – findings from a co-research approach
MEGAN STEPHENSON, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, LEEDS TRINITY UNIVERSITY, UK DEBORAH GARCIA, HEAD OF ITE PARTNERSHIPS, LEEDS TRINITY UNIVERSITY, UK SAMANTHA WILKES, SENIOR LECTURER, LEEDS TRINITY UNIVERSITY, UK ALICE BOYCE, SCHOOL OF EDUCATION AND CHILDHOOD PRIMARY GRADUATE AND EARLY CAREER TEACHER, LEEDS TRINITY UNIVERSITY, UK Abstract This think piece explores what has helped a long-established university provider of teacher education […]
Do I really fit the mould? Gendered perspectives on becoming and belonging in early career teaching
PAULA DAINES, DEPUTY HEAD OF SCHOOL, ANGLIA RUSKIN UNIVERSITY, UK MATTHEW TRAGHEIM, MODULE LEADER (MA IN EDUCATION), COVENTRY UNIVERSITY, UK Teacher identity can be important to forge at the beginning of a career in teaching. However, this would assume that it is a solo pursuit and that entrance into the profession is merely about ‘becoming’ a teacher. […]
Mastery goals and need-supportive motivation as tools for equity in teacher education: A perspective
BURÇIN DEĞIRMEN, TEV İNANÇ TÜRKEŞ HIGH SCHOOL, GEBZE, TURKEY Abstract This article explores how mastery goals and need-supportive environments can promote equity in teacher education. Drawing on achievement goal theory (Elliot and McGregor, 2001) and self-determination theory (Deci and Ryan, 2000), it highlights the importance of not only what learning goals pre-service teachers pursue but also […]
Mentoring with an equity, diversity and inclusion lens
NATASHA RAHEEM, ASSISTANT VICE PRINCIPAL, DIXONS CENTRE FOR GROWTH, DIXONS ACADEMIES TRUST, UK Before sharing evidence-based recommendations that can help mentors to support mentees from underrepresented backgrounds, I’ll begin by referring to the National Foundation for Education Research (NFER) Racial Equality in the Teacher Workforce research report. The report shows that there is an overrepresentation of […]
Supporting trainee teacher resilience through mentoring
GEMMA MOLYNEUX, CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT ADVISER, STOCKTON SCITT, UK Introduction Last year, Schools Week reported that the drop-out rate on initial teacher training (ITT) courses had doubled since 2019 (Whittaker, 2024). Although this year’s figures indicate that the overall percentage has remained steady at seven per cent, the percentage of trainees who do not achieve QTS is […]