HC Deb 13 April 1984 vol 58 cc466-7W
Mr. Forman

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to establish a new accreditation council for teacher training; and if he will make a statement.

Sir Keith Joseph

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I have now completed our consultations on new arrangements for the approval of initial teacher training courses based on recommendations from the advisory committee on the supply and education of teachers. We are pleased to announce the establishment of a Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education, the proposal for which received widespread support during consultation. The council's remit will be to advise on the approval of initial teacher training courses in England and Wales. Its first task will be to undertake a review of all existing approved courses and to scrutinise proposals for new courses for which intake places have been allocated. This first review is expected to be completed in three to four years, after which the council's future will be reappraised. Dr. William Taylor, principal of the University of London, has been appointed chairman of the council. The membership, which will be drawn mainly from practising school teachers, teacher trainers, elected members and officers of local education authorities, will be announced shortly and the council will start work as soon as possible.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I have today issued a circular setting out the framework within which the council will be expected to operate and the criteria against which existing initial teacher training courses, and proposals for new courses, will be assessed. These criteria, which are based on the requirements published in the White Paper "Teaching Quality" (Cmnd. 8836) and the recommendations made by the advisory committee on the supply and education of teachers, relate to the professional and academic content of courses, the selection of students for training, the recent successful classroom experience of teacher training staff, and good working relations with schools.

Our intention, spelt out in Cmnd. 8836 and Cmnd. 9143, and mentioned again in Cmnd. 9189, is that the teaching force should be smaller but better. To the extent that the policies set out in the new Circular may require local authorities and institutions to incur additional expenditure in future years, my right hon. Friend and I will expect this to be contained within the provision for those years, including the cost of employing teachers. Additional expenditure on student grants as a result of the lengthening of some PGCE courses will be contained within this Department's Votes.

Copies of the circular have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.