Chinese Association of Idaho State University (CAISU)
QTS skills tests set to be scrapped
QTS skills tests set to be scrapped
The move could boost the government’s efforts to reach its teacher recruitment targets – at least 3,500 would-be teachers have failed the compulsory tests every year since 2012.
The move, expected to be announced in the coming days, follows consultation about whether the tests are fit for purpose.QTS
Nick Gibb, the schools minister and a long-time supporter of the tests, wrote just last year they “reassure parents and school leaders” that new teachers can “demonstrate a high standard of numeracy and literacy when they enter the classroom”.
But it is understood the government will instead allow initial teacher training providers to use their own judgment to assess candidates’ numeracy and literacy skills.Emma Hollis, the executive director of the National Association of School-Based Teacher Training, said: “There will be fears that this may be seen as dumbing down the profession, but I think those fears would be misplaced.
“The majority of providers are already working with trainees to ensure that if there are any gaps, they are filled.Initial teacher training providers have long called for the tests to be scrapped. Hollis said they were not “fit for purpose” and had been “beset with issues”, such as high costs and candidates struggling to get appointments to take the tests.
“We certainly believe that you want prospective teachers to be able to evidence functional literacy and numeracy, but we think there are far more nuanced, sophisticated ways to do that.”
Around 10 per cent of candidates fail at least one of the tests each year, according to government data.Originally, any would-be teacher who failed three times was locked out of training for two years before he or she could retake the tests, but that limit was removed last February.In April the government also admitted that a marking error meant hundreds of trainees over the past few years were wrongly told they had failed.
The Department for Education has been speaking to candidates, training providers, internal customers and external service organisations about the effectiveness of the current tests, what the barriers are and how the system might be reformed.
Last year the DfE awarded a £15 million contract to PSI services to deliver the tests. The contract, which began on July 1, runs for three years. It is not yet known how quickly the DfE will scrap the tests.
Geoff Barton, the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said trainees having a degree and a pass in GCSE English and maths should be “sufficient evidence of their competence”.“There are very significant teacher shortages across the country and we need to do more to encourage recruitment. We should remove any unnecessary hurdles.”
Requirements were toughened up in 2012 under Michael Gove’s tenure at the DfE. He said at the time it would “help ensure we raise standards in our schools and close the attainment gap between the rich and poor”.
The move could boost the government’s efforts to reach its teacher recruitment targets – at least 3,500 would-be teachers have failed the compulsory tests every year since 2012.
The move, expected to be announced in the coming days, follows consultation about whether the tests are fit for purpose.QTS
Nick Gibb, the schools minister and a long-time supporter of the tests, wrote just last year they “reassure parents and school leaders” that new teachers can “demonstrate a high standard of numeracy and literacy when they enter the classroom”.
But it is understood the government will instead allow initial teacher training providers to use their own judgment to assess candidates’ numeracy and literacy skills.Emma Hollis, the executive director of the National Association of School-Based Teacher Training, said: “There will be fears that this may be seen as dumbing down the profession, but I think those fears would be misplaced.
“The majority of providers are already working with trainees to ensure that if there are any gaps, they are filled.Initial teacher training providers have long called for the tests to be scrapped. Hollis said they were not “fit for purpose” and had been “beset with issues”, such as high costs and candidates struggling to get appointments to take the tests.
“We certainly believe that you want prospective teachers to be able to evidence functional literacy and numeracy, but we think there are far more nuanced, sophisticated ways to do that.”
Around 10 per cent of candidates fail at least one of the tests each year, according to government data.Originally, any would-be teacher who failed three times was locked out of training for two years before he or she could retake the tests, but that limit was removed last February.In April the government also admitted that a marking error meant hundreds of trainees over the past few years were wrongly told they had failed.
The Department for Education has been speaking to candidates, training providers, internal customers and external service organisations about the effectiveness of the current tests, what the barriers are and how the system might be reformed.
Last year the DfE awarded a £15 million contract to PSI services to deliver the tests. The contract, which began on July 1, runs for three years. It is not yet known how quickly the DfE will scrap the tests.
Geoff Barton, the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said trainees having a degree and a pass in GCSE English and maths should be “sufficient evidence of their competence”.“There are very significant teacher shortages across the country and we need to do more to encourage recruitment. We should remove any unnecessary hurdles.”
Requirements were toughened up in 2012 under Michael Gove’s tenure at the DfE. He said at the time it would “help ensure we raise standards in our schools and close the attainment gap between the rich and poor”.
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