§ Lord Juddasked Her Majesty's Government:
What discussions have taken place between the higher education funding councils, university departments of education and the Government on the transfer of funding now paid to universities for central services to funding of school-based secondary teacher training, and what the outcome has been.
§ The Minister of State, Department for Education (Baroness Blatch)New criteria for courses of initial training for secondary teachers were included in Circular 9/92 which my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Education issued in June last year. The circular followed consultation with the higher education funding councils, teacher training institutions and other interested bodies; it notes that funds should flow from higher education institutions to schools in recognition of their increased contribution to teacher training, and that the amounts to be transferred will depend on local circumstances. In recognition of the temporary transitional costs of moving to the new system, funds have been made available to institutions offering secondary teacher training in 1992–93 and 1993–94.
§ Lord Juddasked Her Majesty's Government:
What consultations have taken place with the Universities Council for the Education of Teachers and the Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education on the new scheme for school-based initial teacher training and what was the outcome of any such consultations.
§ Baroness BlatchThe two bodies were informed of the details of the pioneering school-centred scheme on 4th March. Training under the scheme will have to meet the essential requirements for primary or secondary initial teacher training, on which the Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education advise the Secretary of State.