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First day at school for Teach First MidlandsThis week forty Teach First recruits set foot into classrooms across the Midlands for the first time. They are the first cohort of recruits on the Teach First scheme which was launched in the Midlands this year and start work in twenty comprehensive schools in Birmingham, Solihull and the Black Country.
A business-led charity, the Teach First programme aims to address educational disadvantage by recruiting and training top graduates to work as teachers in the most challenged schools for a minimum of two years. The teachers have been recruited specifically to teach the core subjects of English, Maths, Science and ICT. They have undertaken an intensive six-week training course to prepare them for their new role in the classroom, and start them on their journey to becoming Newly Qualified Teachers.
Minister of State for Schools and Learners, Jim Knight offered the new recruits a good luck message:
"The Teach First programme has added to the wide range of routes into teaching in England. This is a fantastic programme and I would like to congratulate those who have already completed their two years helping to improve pupil performance, especially in challenging schools. As the programme is expanding to the Midlands, I wish the new Teach First Midlands recruits well on their first day in the classroom, and hope that they and their schools enjoy every success in the coming academic year. I expect they will find their time tough but also incredibly rewarding."
Robert Lundin, Director of the Midlands programme said:
"The Midlands programme further extends the Teach First mission of addressing educational disadvantage throughout the country. We have now placed 1,000 top graduates as teachers in challenged UK schools. I am positive that these new recruits will make just as positive an impact in their school communities as those in London and Greater Manchester have done already."
The roll-out of Teach First Midlands was announced by the then Chancellor, Gordon Brown MP, in his 2006 pre-Budget report following the success of the programme in London and Greater Manchester. Since its launch in 2002 over 500 teachers on the scheme have worked at challenging schools in the capital, where it has won praise and support from business leaders, teaching professionals and unions, Parliament, employers and undergraduates, most notably gaining entry into the top twenty of the coveted league of Times Top 100 Graduate Employers.
ENDS
Teach First - Press notes
- Teach First's mission is to address educational disadvantage by transforming exceptional graduates into effective, inspirational teachers and leaders in all fields. Teach First targets high calibre students who would not normally consider a career in teaching and places them in challenged secondary schools where more than a third of pupils are eligible for free school meals for the course of the two year placement.
- Teach First recruits, trains and supports its recruits as teachers and long-term leaders. Recruits to the programme began their intensive training with a three week programme run by universities in their respective location (London, the North West and the Midlands). The recruits then all join up together for a further three weeks at Canterbury Christ Church University, which is one of the country's most successful teacher education providers. This sets them on the path to achieving the award of Qualified Teacher Status by the end of the first year.
- All teachers complete leadership training, including a short course at the Tanaka Business School at Imperial College. School placements last two years, at which point participants can continue teaching or pursue another career.
- Teach First is an independent charity Reg. No. 1098294 that is supported by all the main political parties, the National Union of Teachers, graduate organisations and over eighty leading employers. Teach First is ranked 14th in the Times Top 100 Graduate Employers.
For more information please contact Suzi Clark: sclark@teachfirst.org.uk or telephone 020 7517 6413.
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