A study found that over one-half of all black and minority-ethnic teachers felt that they had been discriminated against during their careers. Most were keen to progress into leadership positions and develop their careers: but issues of workload, a lack of self-confidence, and discrimination were significant barriers.
Source: Olwen McNamara, John Howson, Helen Gunter and Andrew Fryers, The Leadership Aspirations and Careers of Black and Minority Ethnic Teachers, National Association of Schoolmasters/Union of Women Teachers (0121 453 6150) and National College for Leadership of Schools and Children's Services
Links: Report | Summary | NASUWT press release | Guardian report
Date: 2009-Nov
An annual survey of teacher workload identified a fall in working hours for secondary heads of departments and special classroom teachers in 2009, but a slight rise for primary heads and deputy heads.
Source: Helen Angle, Alice Fearn, David Elston, Claire Bassett, and Stephen McGinigal, Teachers' Workloads Diary Survey 2009, Research Report RR159, Department for Children, Schools and Families (0845 602 2260)
Links: Report | DCSF press release
Date: 2009-Sep
Researchers found that teaching assistants reduced teachers' stress levels and improved classroom discipline: but they did not boost pupils' progress.
Source: Peter Blatchford et al., Deployment and Impact of Support Staff in Schools: The Impact of Support Staff in Schools (Results from Strand 2, Wave 2), Research Report RR148, Department for Children, Schools and Families (0845 602 2260) | Peter Blatchford et al., Deployment and Impact of Support Staff in Schools: Characteristics, working conditions and job satisfaction of support staff in schools (Strand 1, Waves 1-3 in 2004, 2006 and 2008), Research Report RR154, Department for Children, Schools and Families
Links: Report 148 | Brief | Report 154 | IOE press release | BBC report | Guardian report
Date: 2009-Sep
A survey found that more than 1 in 4 (27 per cent) state primary schools in England had no registered male teachers.
Source: Annual Digest of Statistics 2008-09: Profiles of registered teachers in England, General Teaching Council for England (0870 001 0308)
Links: Report | GTC press release | Telegraph report
Date: 2009-Sep
A report examined entry qualifications for teachers in England in 2007-08. Trainee teachers in key subjects such as maths and science were often poorly qualified and had not passed two A-levels. There was a link between low entry qualifications and failure to find a teaching job.
Source: Alan Smithers and Pamela Robinson, The Good Teacher Training Guide 2009, Centre for Education and Employment Research/University of Buckingham (01280 820338)
Links: Report | BBC report | Guardian report
Date: 2009-Aug
A think-tank commission said that England lost a relatively high proportion of teachers at the start of their careers, and had high attrition rates throughout. There were a number of factors involved, including the fact that the standards needed to enter the teaching profession were low, and the existence of 'bureaucratic' intervention in day-to-day teaching. Able teachers avoided or left the profession, whereas many weaker candidates were processed through to schools to 'teach to the system', getting by under the delusion that by meeting government demands for targets, strategies, measuring, and reporting, they were effective teachers.
Source: David Burghes, John Howson, John Marenbon, John O'Leary and Chris Woodhead, Teachers Matter: Recruitment, employment and retention at home and abroad - The report of the Politeia Education Commission, Politeia (020 7240 5070)
Links: Summary | Training Journal report | Guardian report | BBC report
Date: 2009-Jul
A report by a committee of MPs said that teachers who were the victims of malicious allegations should have their records wiped clean to stop untrue claims about their behaviour permanently ruining their reputations.
Source: Allegations Against School Staff, Fifth Report (Session 2008-09), HC 695, House of Commons Children, Schools and Families Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report | NASUWT press release | NGA press release | GTC press release | Guardian report | BBC report
Date: 2009-Jul
A report examined ways of raising the profile of primary teaching – so that it was something that the highest-calibre graduates and professionals considered for at least a part of their working lives.
Source: Conor Ryan, Teach Primary: Improving the status and quality of primary school teaching, Sutton Trust (020 8788 3223) and National Education Trust
Links: Report
Date: 2009-Jun
Researchers updated a review of the impact of paid adult support staff on participation and learning. Trained and supported teaching assistants could help primary-aged children with literacy and language problems to make 'significant gains' in learning.
Source: Alison Alborz et al., The Impact of Adult Support Staff on Pupils and Mainstream Schools: A systematic review of evidence, Research Brief EPPI-09-01, Department for Children, Schools and Families (0845 602 2260)
Links: Brief
Date: 2009-Apr
A report examined the effect of individual teachers on student outcomes in England, and the variability in teacher quality. Considerable variability was found in teacher effectiveness. Observed teachers' characteristics explained very little of the differences in estimated effectiveness.
Source: Helen Slater, Neil Davies and Simon Burgess, Do Teachers Matter? Measuring the variation in teacher effectiveness in England, Working Paper 09/212, Centre for Market and Public Organisation/University of Bristol (0117 954 6943)
Links: Working paper
Date: 2009-Mar
An article examined the introduction of performance-related pay for schoolteachers in England and Wales. Although previous evidence was brought into the policy-development processes, it was largely ignored. Indeed, 'prosaic political considerations' might well have shaped the policy: the teachers' attitudes towards performance-related pay suggested that few of the objectives would be met.
Source: Catherine Farrell and Jonathan Morris, 'Still searching for the evidence? Evidence-based policy, performance pay and teachers', Journal of Industrial Relations, Volume 51 Number 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2009-Feb
