The Conceptual Understanding of a Primary Initial Teacher Training (ITT) Partnership within a School-led ITT system: Pulling Together or Pulling Apart?

This study aims to develop an understanding of the conceptual agreement of a primary Initial Teacher Training (ITT) partnership, through exploring contributions within procedural and structural practices. As ITT has become more school-led, the partnership between schools and universities has been disrupted and continues to evolve. Within this policy background I examine views of teacher educators within one partnership who support school-led and university-led ITT. I draw on the findings from a small scale case study which explores views on the conceptual understanding of a partnership. A qualitative approach is adopted for data collection: documentary analysis of the university’s partnership handbook and focus group (FG) interviews. Five FG interviews are conducted with participants from three schools and a university who have experience of partnership working. Participants work within procedural and/or structural practices in the partnership. Thematic analysis on the social and cultural aspects of each setting is used to analyse FG interviews and documents. Findings reveal a difference in the way that trainee teachers from each ITT route become established into the teaching community. There is a connection between values and their impact upon relationships. Furthermore, the findings reveal the importance of the lead mentor role in liaising between the structural and procedural aspects of partnership. The general outcome of this study emphasises that relationships and communities within settings underpin and shape ITT partnerships. In particular, it appears that the structural aspects are Higher Education Institutes (HEI) led whilst ownership of the procedural aspects oscillates between settings, this is true for both ITT routes. Recommendations are presented for teacher educators in school and university to develop a space within an ITT community to explore their conceptual understanding of ITT pedagogy. Another recommendation is to address the critical role of a lead mentor within extant government policies