Plans to extend teacher training by a year under consultation

The Department for Education (DfE) has published consultation on plans to reform teacher training and development.

It includes proposals for a pilot of a “sabbatical fund” for teachers.

The consultation is on plans to strengthen qualified teacher status and is welcoming views on the benefits of a sabbatical fund which will be available to teachers who have been qualified in teaching for at least seven years.

As reported by Schools Week, teachers would have to apply “with a specific project in mind”, and if they are successful the government would pay their salaries for up to a year.

The scope of the projects “would need to be clearly defined, and would need to demonstrate that they offer value for money, and are worthwhile in terms of experience within the system as well as professional development”, the government said.

The consultation also sets out plans to increase the time it takes teachers to fully qualify into the profession.

The government is considering a requirement for teachers to complete two years of additional in-school training after receiving their initial “qualified teacher status”.

There are no changes to initial teacher training, but there will be changes to when a teacher is fully qualified.

Under the proposals, trainee teachers will gain “provisional QTS” at the end of their initial teacher training.