Hopes for more home-grown teachers

Monday 27 February 2023

The local teacher training course has been expanded to wider pool of applicants. It can now accept any degree holders and existing education staff.

The Initial Teacher Training post-graduate certificate will be offered from September by The Guernsey Institute, in partnership with Middlesex University.

Education, Sport & Culture announced the course validation last week and said it’s more attractive than the equivalent in the UK where payment is required to register. 

Trainees will receive either a bursary or a salary, if they are already a member of education staff, from the States. 

Most of the training will be on the job across at least two education settings, and accreditation is available for primary and secondary education.

Education also said they receive regular expressions of interest from education staff who want to becoming fully qualified teachers without having to relocate to the UK.

The hope is that providing this training locally with better incentives will improve organic staff creation, easing current recruitment pressures being experienced across Britain.

Pictured: Candidates can choose whether to qualify to primary or secondary level. 

Education President, Deputy Andrea Dudley-Owen said “growing our own is key to Guernsey’s success in the future and being able to ensure our community can train and teach our next generation of teachers is very important to us as a Committee”.

“What is particularly pleasing is the fact that the course we are offering ensures trainees can ‘earn while they learn’ – an offering better than almost any that can be found in the UK. This is really important as we want to incentivise and reward those who have a vocation to teach on island by training locally.”

Deputy Dudley-Owen said it could prove to be a “very valuable investment.”

Nick Hynes, Director of Education, thanked the local teams who have brought the new course to fruition.

“The ability to train our own teachers right here on island is invaluable at a time when we - like the UK - continue to face recruitment issues. By having well established and highly regarded training and pathways for professional development in the teaching profession, we can ensure that our students have the best education,” he said.

Jacki Hughes, Executive Principal of the Institute, said all trainees would receive a wide and varied education in teaching.

“After candidates complete their training, they will be qualified as Guernsey Qualified Teachers for one year, after which they can apply for Qualified Teacher Status with the UK’s Department of Education,” said Ms Hughes. 

Further information can be obtained from the programme lecturer at Kirsty.Cluett@gov.gg.