§ Baroness Sharp of Guildfordasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many students entered PGCE courses in secondary education in the academic years 1997–98, 1998–99 and 1999–2000; and how many of them dropped out before completion of the course. [HL4278]
§ Baroness BlackstoneThe number of students entering PGCE courses (including school centred or other non-HEI courses) in England and Wales for teaching at secondary school level in 1997–98 and 1998–99, and the number of students from a secondary school level course obtaining qualified teacher status (QTS) in calendar years 1998 and 1999 are as follows:
Academic Year Students Entering Courses Calendar Year Students Obtaining QTS 1996–97 14,260 1997 12,450 1997–98 14,260 1998 12,190 1998–99 13,140 1999 11,020 Equivalent figures for 1999–2000 and the calendar year 2000 are not yet available.
Some students obtaining a PGCE during the calendar year may have started before the appropriate academic year.
From September 1999, those doing secondary maths or science postgraduate certificates in education received £2,500 whilst they trained. From September 2000, graduates doing any postgraduate secondary teacher training will receive a training salary of £6,000. These measures are on top of the tuition fee waiver for postgraduate teacher training courses. A new initial teacher training curriculum was introduced in September 1998 which is equipping all new teachers with the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to play their part in raising pupil performance across the education system and this raises the standards expected for QTS.