THE INITIAL TRAINING OF

PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS:

RESPONSE TO THE DFE

A survey of the responses of headteachers, parents, students and tutors to the proposals set out in Draft Circular 9/6/93 from the Department For Education

AN INTERIM REPORT

Andrew Hannan

University of Plymouth

Douglas Avenue, Exmouth

Devon, EX8 2AT

tel: 01395 255368

ŠJuly 1993

ISBN 0905227220

Acknowledgements

Thanks are due to the following who made this research possible:

• the Devon Association of Primary Headteachers who gave their backing to the headteacher and parent surveys;

• Jacky Freer and her team of helpers who entered the written responses on HyperQUAL;

• Tony Rogers, who co-ordinated the handling of the forms and the entering of the numerical information on computer as well as processing the data through SPSS;

• those others too numerous to mention who also helped with photocopying, data entry and advice;

• the respondents themselves who gave of their time to contribute to the debate on these important matters.

Summary

The survey reported here was launched immediately after the Department For Education (DFE) published their consultation document/draft circular with the title The Initial Training of Primary School Teachers: New Criteria for Course Approval, dated 9th June 1993. Questionnaires were sent to the headteachers of all the county and voluntary aided primary sector schools in Devon, to parents of pupils at seven of those schools, and to students and tutors at the Rolle Faculty of Education of the University of Plymouth.

Overall, there were 823 respondents, of whom 264 were headteachers, 267 were parents, 242 were students and 50 were tutors.

The following findings are worthy of note:-

• Headteachers (96.6%), students (89.3%) and tutors (96%) were overwhelmingly opposed to the proposal for a one-year training course for non-graduates (often known as the ‘Mums’ Army’ route).

• Although more parents were against (48.1%) than were in favour (42.5%) of the ‘Mums’ Army’ proposal, the extent of opposition was significantly less than for the other groups.

• In all three of the groups asked (headteachers, students and tutors), more opposed than supported the idea of moving towards three-year BEd courses, with 70% of tutors against compared to 40.9% of headteachers and 42.1% of students.

• A majority of each of those three groups opposed the introduction of two-year BEd courses for students with one year’s experience of Higher Education.

• All four categories of respondent had sizeable majorities (71.6% of headteachers, 77.3% of parents, 71.4% of students and 62.5% of tutors) in favour of increasing the period of time student teachers spend in schools (by the amounts proposed by the DFE).

• Opposition to groups of schools setting up their own training arrangements independently of Higher Education institutions was strongest amongst the tutors (94%) but was also high amongst both headteachers (69.9%) and students (76%).

• Although more parents opposed (48.3%) such arrangements than supported them (32.8%), the extent of opposition was significantly less strong than for the other groups.

• Both headteacher (63.7%) and tutor (57.1%) responses favoured moves to establish partnerships where schools would play a significant role in teacher training.

• 61.8% of headteachers favoured the transfer of resources to schools to reflect their increased role in such partnerships, whereas only 26.5% of tutors did so, with 46.9% against.

The questionnaires

The survey instrument had four varieties, one for each of the target groups. These were piloted with small sub-samples of each category, the final versions owing much to the advice of the Devon Association of Primary Headteachers, which acted as sponsor of the headteacher and parent surveys. All the items were derived from the DFE document and were put in the form of proposals to which respondents were asked to indicate their degree of support or opposition (using a five point Lickert scale with room for further comments). The parents were given three such items, the first two of which were the same as those put to the headteachers, students and tutors, whilst the third was the same apart from the inclusion of a phrase which attempted to clarify what was meant by ‘Higher Education’ in that context (using the explanation, ‘ie old teacher training colleges or departments’). The headteachers, students and tutors were asked to respond to seven identical proposals (including the three which they shared with the parents).

This report has been put together in great haste in order to meet the DFE deadline for comments of 31st July 1993 and should be read with this in mind. Further analysis will follow with greater use of statistical devices and content analysis of the written responses to the open-ended items.

The tables which follow provide information about each of the populations involved and give responses to each of the proposals according to group of respondent (headteachers, parents, students and tutors).

Background information about each survey

HEADTEACHERS’ SURVEY

Response rate

433 primary schools were sent copies of the questionnaire, 264 replied, giving a response rate of 61%, which is very impressive for a postal survey under such circumstances.

Type of school

Number of pupils

Numbers of teachers in each school (full-time equivalents)

PARENTS’ SURVEY

Response rate

1,040 copies of the questionnaire were distributed to parents, 267 were returned, a response rate of 26%. The response rates for each school* were as follows: Shannon 34%; Cotton 13%; Wade 28%; Salter 39%; Whiver 36%; Maxton 21%; Linstead 11%.

*NB The schools have been given pseudonyms.

Composition of parent sample according to school

All of the schools where the survey of parents was carried out are Devon county schools. The following information about each of them is intended to provide a rough guide to the composition of the parent population from which the responses came:-

Shannon Primary School - 356 pupils on roll, 83 of whom (23.31%) have free school meals. Situated on the outskirts of a large seaside town, with a mix of owner-occupied, privately rented and council house accommodation. Wide range of social class.

Cotton Primary School - 85 pupils on roll, 15 of whom (17.64%) have free school meals. Situated in a small village with a dispersed rural catchment area.

Wade First School - 213 pupils (aged 3 - 8) including 35 at the nursery, with 64 (30%) receiving free school meals. Located in a large town, approximately half the families living in council housing.

Salter Primary School - 123 pupils, 7 of whom (5.69%) receive free school meals. Located in a small village populated by families with a wide range of social backgrounds, including farm labourers and a relatively high proportion of people earning high incomes.

Whiver Primary School - 85 pupils, 12 of whom (15.58%) take free school meals. Located in a village and catering for children from the families of professionals who commute to a nearby large town as well as locals of a range of social backgrounds, including manual working class.

Maxton Primary School - 309 pupils, 86 of whom (27.83%) take free school meals. Located in a large seaside town, with approximately one-third of families living in council housing but with the full range of social backgrounds, including a significant proportion of those in the professions.

Linstead Primary School - 295 pupils, 20 (6.8%) on free school meals. Located in a small market town. Mainly private housing.

STUDENTS’ SURVEY

Response rate

The survey took place at the very end of term, when many students were without lecture commitments, so it was not possible to reach them all. None of the fourth year BEd students were available as they had finished their exams and had dispersed. Overall, whereas 769 students (not counting those who had just finished the fourth year of their BEd) were eligible to take part, it was only possible to distribute 593 copies of the questionnaire. Of these, 242 were returned, a response rate of 41%.

In terms of each of the various student groups, response rates were as follows:

*Articled Teacher route to a primary PGCE (two years in duration).

Student respondents

All students who took part in the survey were undertaking courses of Initial Teacher Education (ITE) in order to work in primary schools. Those taking the Bachelor of Education (BEd) were engaged in a four-year honours degree. Those graduates (with BA or BSc or equivalent) taking the primary Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) could take either a one-year course or spend two years as Articled Teachers (ATs).

TUTORS’ SURVEY

Response rate

53 full-time tutors and 18 part-time tutors of Rolle Faculty of Education were sent the questionnaire, a total of 71. Of these, 50 were returned, 41 from full-timers and 9 from part-timers, giving response rates of 77% and 50% respectively and 70% overall.

Tutor sample

Responses from each survey

1) One - year courses of training should be established for parents and other mature students with considerable previous experience of working with young children who have the necessary academic qualifications (such as two ‘A’ levels and English and Maths at GCSE grade C or above), to train them to teach nursery and infant pupils only.

What is your view of such a proposal?

HEADTEACHERS

PARENTS

STUDENTS

TUTORS

……….

(The full version then has tables for each of the questions in a similar format.)

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