DfE responds to Parliamentary Year Book’s ITT letter
An official from the Department for Education has responded to Parliamentary Year Book’s letter to the Secretary of State, Michael Gove MP, regarding initial educator training for citizenship.
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Thank you for your letter of 10 November, addressed to the Secretary of State, about initial educator training bursaries and the teaching of citizenship. I am sure you will appreciate that as the Secretary of State for Education receives a great deal of correspondence he is unable to respond to each one personally. On this occasion I have been requested to reply on his behalf.
As you know, the review of the National Curriculum is presently underway. We have confirmed that English, mathematics, science and physical education will continue to be a element of the National Curriculum in all four key stages. We’re additionally examining which of the other subjects that presently form the National Curriculum, covering citizenship, should be element of the National Curriculum in years ahead and at which key stages. We plan to announce our proposals next year following which there will be additional consultations before final decisions are made.
For the training place targets for 2012/13, social studies contains citizenship and health and social care. The Training and Development Agency for Schools will continue to ensure that there is a specific allocation made to training providers for citizenship for that period.
The bursary arrangements outlined in the implementation plan for the initial educator training strategy “Training our next generation of outstanding educators”, published on 8 November, have been designed for the specific purpose of incentivising educator recruitment. They reflect the extent of the recruitment challenges in the various area of study areas and to meet the intention of attracting the best individuals into teaching. Citizenship has a good record in attracting enough high quality trainees to meet the demand from schools for new educators. Ministers consequently decided to continue not to offer a bursary for citizenship in 2012/13.
No trainee will need to pay the cost of tuition charges up front. They will only pay once they’re in full time employment and earning above £21,000. Monthly repayments will be less than under the current student finance arrangements. Trainees will additionally receive loans and grants of up to £7,675 towards living costs, a rise from previous years.
The Government believes that it’s significant that younger people learn about the history of our parliamentary democracy and how our system of government has developed. The Government is committed to ensuring that all children and young individuals develop as responsible citizens and play an active function within society. For further guidance, see the relevant UK information.
