New Institute for Teaching launches to provide a “world-class education”

The new specialist graduate schools for teachers was launched in Salford by education secretary Justine Greening.

She said: “It is an honour to launch the Institute for Teaching and see first-hand how thousands of teachers will benefit from these new training opportunities. We want to ensure every child can reach their potential, wherever they are growing up and great teachers are at the heart of this.

“I want high-quality professional development to be a fundamental part of a teacher’s career and these new programmes – backed by government funding – will give them the skills, confidence, and knowledge they need to provide a world-class education for all children.”

The organisation has been founded by a group of schools to address a growing need to dramatically improve the training and development of qualified teachers.

Research conducted by the Institute shows that schools spend over £1bn each year on teacher training and development but most of it isn’t helping teachers to get better.

Director Matt Hood, says: “Having an expert teacher in every classroom is the best way to make sure that every pupil, regardless of their background, gets a great education.

“But teaching is complex – becoming an expert isn’t easy. To improve teaching, we have to improve the training teachers get because most of what’s out there isn’t helping them to get better. Working with our partners, we’re trying to change that.”

Unlike existing programmes, courses are practiced based and heavily focused on teaching as a performance.

Curriculum designers have drawn on the training given to elite professionals in the worlds of sport and the armed forces and used those principles to create a rigorous suite of courses aimed at those wishing to become experts at what they do in the classroom.