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The UK Government has released a White Paper, called New Opportunities, that proposes paying teachers £10,000 to teach for three years in the most challenged schools in the UK.
Brett Wigdortz, CEO and Founder of Teach First, the educational charity that recruits bright UK graduates to teach in challenged schools, said:
"There is no denying that, particularly at a time when young people are concerned about securing a steady income, the new payments for teachers showing long-term service in challenged schools may help to attract and retain teachers. It is also true that, in being payable after three years, the measure identifies a real problem. Staff turnover is a significant challenge to some schools, and one that Teach First is already addressing by requiring its 700 teachers in urban challenged schools to remain for a minimum of two academic years.
"However, at Teach First we have found that money is only one of the factors that encourages top graduates to teach in challenged urban schools. Our main focus is ensuring that all teachers in these schools see themselves as part of a leadership profession that works to help all children to achieve at the highest possible level. Today's announcement, alongside the Government's commitment to help us expand to recruit 850 teachers per year by 2013, will help to increase the critical mass of people who have the motivation and skills to address educational inequalities, both inside and outside of the classroom.
"To have a long term and sustainable impact we need leaders in all professional fields to focus on educational disadvantage and its causes. Teach First supports alumni of its teaching programme to continue to address educational disadvantage, whatever long term career path they choose, by, for example, helping them to become challenged urban school leaders through our Teach On network, giving them opportunities to mentor gifted children from disadvantaged backgrounds to get into top universities through our Higher Education Access Programme for Schools, encouraging them to take up school governor posts, and by supporting them in establishing their own education social entrepreneurship projects."
Brett Wigdortz is available for interview. For all press inquiries please contact Philip Fearn on pfearn@teachfirst.org.uk or 07795 030990, or Natalie Whitty on nwhitty@teachfirst.org.uk or 07737 989672.
Notes to Editors
Teach First
- 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 participants as teachers and long-term leaders over a two year training programme.
- The Programme begins with three weeks intensive training run by universities in their respective locations (London, the North West and the Midlands), before recruits all join up together for a further three weeks at Canterbury Christ Church University, one of the country’s most successful teacher education providers. This sets participants on the path to achieving the award of Qualified Teacher Status by the end of the first year. Participants continue to receive leadership training and support to develop their teaching expertise throughout their second year.
- All teachers receive leadership training from Tanaka School of Business. 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 9th in the Times Top 100 Graduate Employers.
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