Rewarding the heart of Initial Teacher Training – how can we incentivise schools to engage in ITT?

Initial Teacher Training (ITT) is the lifeblood of our education system, shaping the future of teaching and ensuring a steady stream of qualified educators.

Yet, the reality is that ITT often operates on the goodwill of schools, a fragile foundation in an increasingly demanding educational landscape. This reliance, coupled with mounting pressures and systemic complexities, threatens the very core of teacher development. In The Future of Initial Teacher Training: How can we attract more people to the teaching profession and support school-based ITT providers to deliver high-quality training?, NASBTT prioritises incentivising schools to fully engage in ITT, a call to action that resonates deeply with the current challenges faced by schools and ITT providers alike.

School leaders consistently report significant challenges in meeting the multifaceted requirements of different ITT providers. The sheer variety of programmes, with their disparate placement dates, ITAP requirements, and mentor training schedules, creates a logistical maze that schools must navigate. For schools with employment-based trainees, the strain is amplified. While providers have tried to minimise the disruption to schools, the challenges for the employing school and for the employment-based trainees themselves remain. Releasing trainees for weekly central training, managing the complexities of second school placements, and accommodating 20 ITAP days on top of regular placements places a significant burden on already stretched resources. The result? A system that, while aiming for high quality, inadvertently places immense burdens on schools, potentially deterring them from participating in ITT altogether.

This complexity is further compounded by the fragmented nature of the ITT market. With a plethora of organisations now involved in ITT such as accredited providers, delivery partners, and regional hubs, school leaders face a challenging landscape of often confusing interrelationships. While some schools opt to streamline their partnerships, working with only one accredited provider to mitigate the administrative load, this risks narrowing the breadth of provision in a region. This can lead to a potential decline in training opportunities in specialist subjects and niche routes, ultimately impacting the diversity and quality of the teacher workforce. We must strike a delicate balance between achieving operational efficiency and ensuring a diverse, locally responsive ITT ecosystem that caters to the specific needs of all schools and trainees.

The current system also struggles to attract and retain teachers. The House of Commons Education Committee (2024) report highlights the alarming prevalence of non-specialist teachers in schools struggling with recruitment, particularly in shortage subjects. This reliance on unqualified teachers, often in disadvantaged areas, raises serious concerns about teaching quality (NFER, 2022). The recent bill requiring all teachers to hold or work towards QTS is a positive step, but we must address the root causes of teacher shortages and ensure schools are supported in recruiting and developing qualified educators.

NASBTT’s call for a comprehensive reward scheme is not merely about providing financial incentives. It’s about fundamentally recognising and valuing the vital role schools play in shaping the next generation of teachers. It’s about creating a system that acknowledges the significant time, resources, and expertise schools invest in ITT, often beyond their core responsibilities. Alongside this, early career retention bonuses for teachers in years three, four, and five will provide crucial support during those formative years, investing long-term commitment to the profession and reducing attrition rates. This is an investment in the long-term stability and quality of our teaching workforce.

Finally, we must shift away from a national, one-size-fits-all approach to ITT. Local provision, tailored to the specific needs of communities and schools, is demonstrably more effective. Empowering local partnerships and creating collaborative networks will ensure ITT effectively addresses regional challenges, builds a sustainable teacher pipeline, and strengthens the connection between teacher training and the communities it serves. A locally focused approach allows for a more responsive and adaptable ITT system, capable of addressing the unique challenges faced by diverse regions and schools.

Engaging in ITT is not merely an obligation, but a strategic investment in the future. It allows schools to cultivate talent, offer internal career progression for support staff to move into teaching, and build strong, collaborative partnerships with ITT providers. By incentivising schools, simplifying pathways, and prioritising local provision, we can create an ITT system that is not only efficient and effective but also truly supportive of the schools at its heart, the very institutions that are instrumental in shaping the future of education. By recognising the critical role schools play in ITT, we can build a stronger, more sustainable teaching profession for generations to come.

Polly Butterfield-Tracey FCCT
Head of KMT

This article was first published by NASBTT Member Voice.