I have called this, the Age of the Teacher because there has never been a better time to enter the profession. That fact is not recognised by many commentators.
It’s always nice to be name-checked – thank you, Phil and Conor for the credit you gave me for the UK’s uplift in teacher recruitment – but the real story of turning round the reputation of teaching needs to acknowledge that the leadership came from a tight-knit group of people who knew there was a better story to tell and were prepared to do everything in their power to get it across.
People like Graham Holley, Anna Campopiano, Michael Barber and Andrew Adonis working with Ministers like David Blunkett and Estelle Morris. It’s not much spoken about now but, at a time of economic boom, these people turned 28,000 teachers recruited a year into nearly 40,000 a year.
Everybody said it was impossible. Beyond our circle, hundreds and hundreds of headteachers and teacher-trainers lent their weight to the battle and we did it so smoothly, most people have forgotten what made it successful
At its heart was a profound and deep respect for teachers and a determination to recognise – and celebrate – their achievements. Now that the demand for teachers is escalating worldwide, with improving rewards and conditions we can truly say this in the Age of the Teacher.
Read this blog from the Sutton Trust which highlights the publication of their new report on Teaching in the UK.
