People wanting to become teachers will face tougher English and maths tests before they can start training in a bid to raise standards, the Department for Education said Friday.
The tests will start in September 30, with calculators banned and a higher pass mark than in the past, while an additional reasoning paper will be introduced in the next few years. Trainees will be limited to two resits per paper.
Pass marks will be raised again over the next three years, with candidates eventually needing to score the equivalent of a grade B at GCSE, following recommendations from a review group of experts and headteachers.
Teachers currently face tests near the end of their training, for which there is a 98 percent pass rate.
Education Secretary Michael Gove said: “These changes will mean that parents can be confident that we have the best teachers coming into our classrooms.
“Above all, it will help ensure we raise standards in our schools and close the attainment gap between the rich and poor.”
Christine Blower, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers (NUT), said in response: “All teachers need strong literacy skills and also a good grasp of mathematics.
“It is however surprising that Michael Gove is showing such interest in the entry requirements for teacher training courses, while at the same time advocating that schools should be free to employ unqualified teachers.”
The changes came as Minister for Schools David Laws accused teachers of leaving pupils with “depressingly low expectations,” in a interview with the Daily Telegraph published on Friday.
“Teachers, colleges, careers advisers have a role and a responsibility to aim for the stars and to encourage people to believe they can reach the top in education and employment,” Laws told the paper.
“That’s not happening as much as it should do at the moment.
“Even in my own constituency, Yeovil, which would not be regarded as one of the deprivation blackspots of the country, most young people would regard going into investment banking as almost leaving the country, because it’s a different world,” he added.
Would-be teachers to face tougher tests
