Intake targets and funded places for the controlled subject of Initial Teacher Education in universities for academic year 2015-16 Issue date: Reference: Summary: FAO: Further information: 24 February 2015 SFC/AN/04/2015 The purpose of this publication is to announce the intake targets and funded places for the controlled subject of Initial Teacher Education in academic year 2015-16. Principals and Directors of Scotland s universities Contact: Sarah Kirkpatrick Job title: Senior Policy/Analysis Officer Department: Funding Policy Tel: 0131 313 6696 Email: skirkpatrick@sfc.ac.uk Scottish Funding Council Apex 2 97 Haymarket Terrace Edinburgh EH12 5HD T 0131 313 6500 F 0131 313 6501 www.sfc.ac.uk
Intake targets and funded places for the controlled subject of Initial Teacher Education in universities for academic year 2015-16 Purpose 1. I am writing to announce the academic year (AY) 2015-16 intake targets and funded places for the controlled subject of Initial Teacher Education. These are set out in the Table in Annex B. Summary of intake targets for AY 2015-16 2. The table below summarises the intake targets for AY 2015-16: Initial Teacher Education 2015-16 intakes (s) 2014-15 intakes (s) Change from 2014-15 to 2015-16 (s) BEd Primary 710 710 0 PGDE Primary 1,175 1,025 150 BEd Secondary 187 187 0 PGDE Secondary 1,170 1,070 100 Combined degree 195 195 0 3. The intakes and total enrolments for Initial Teacher Education (ITE) will be monitored for AY 2015-16 for notable levels of over-recruitment as well as under-recruitment against funded places. Further information 4. Please contact Sarah Kirkpatrick, Senior Policy/Analysis Officer, Tel: 0131 313 6696, email: skirkpatrick@sfc.ac.uk Martin Smith Deputy Director, Funding Policy 2
Annex A Initial Teacher Education 1. In setting intake targets for AY 2015-16, we have taken account of the Guidance issued to the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) by the Scottish Government s Learning Directorate. A copy of this letter is attached for your information at Appendix A. 2. The Scottish Government s teacher workforce planning model indicates a need to decrease the intake numbers to both PGDE Primary and Secondary courses. However, other evidence including the teacher census, employment needs of local authorities, the increase in part-time working patterns, and increased leaver rates, suggests a cut in initial teacher education places would be inappropriate. Therefore, the overall intakes for AY 2015-16 have been increased to reflect the future requirement for teachers (see Appendix A for further information). 3. In response to the Guidance, we have: increased the intake target for PGDE Primary by 150 full-time equivalent () places to 1,175 s increased PGDE Secondary intake targets by 100 s to 1,170 s 4. The intake target for BEd Primary and BEd Secondary will remain the same at 710 s and 187 s respectively. Full details of intake targets by institution are set out in the Table in Annex B. 5. An element of students withdrawing from courses has been taken into account in the allocated intakes and it is not necessary for universities to factor in any additional element for this. Primary provision Allocation of intake targets among universities 6. The Scottish Government has recommended that increases (150 s) in PGDE Primary intakes should be targeted across four Universities (Aberdeen, Dundee, Highlands and Islands, and the West of Scotland). The remaining places have been allocated proportionately among all providers of PGDE Primary Education (including the Universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Strathclyde). Full details are set out in the Table in Annex B. 7. We have also allocated 215 s for policy priorities for primary provision to specific institutions, as outlined in paragraphs 8 to 17. We have then allocated the remainder among the universities using the same shares that informed the 3
intakes for 2014-15. University of Stirling BEd Primary 8. We will continue to allocate places to the University of Stirling for a four year primary teaching degree course with a science or modern language specialism. In AY 2015-16 we will allocate 29 s for this course. These places have been allocated from the overall intake target of 710 s for BEd Primary. 9. We will continue to allocate 15 s to the University of Stirling for an early years teaching qualification. This is allocated from within the overall intake target for BEd Primary of 710 s. University of Aberdeen BEd and PGDE Primary 10. We have continued to allocate five s for part-time provision in AY 2015-16 to the University of Aberdeen. These places have been allocated from the overall PGDE Primary intake baseline numbers. 11. We will continue to allocate BEd Primary and PGDE Primary places to the University of Aberdeen to address the mismatch between the location of newly qualified teachers and the areas where vacancies are occurring. We have allocated nine s for PGDE Primary and 12 s for BEd Primary for this provision. 12. In AY 2014-15 the University of Aberdeen developed a Distance Learning Initial Teacher Education Course (DL ITE) to train existing school staff (eg classroom assistants) on a part-time, distance learning basis. This helps ensure that the profession can draw on the largest possible pool of talent and extends teacher training opportunities in Aberdeenshire and the Highlands. To enable the University to support students undertaking DL ITE, we have allocated 30 PGDE Primary places for this purpose. These places have been allocated from within the overall intake target of 1,025 s for PGDE Primary. University of Glasgow MA in Primary Education with Teaching Qualification 13. We will continue to allocate an intake of 20 s for the Master of Arts in Primary Education with Teaching Qualification (Combined Degree) at the Crichton Campus. Gaelic education 14. The supply of teachers able to teach in the Gaelic medium continues to be a priority for Scottish Ministers, and we will continue to allocate places specifically for this provision. Universities are free to recruit as many student teachers of Gaelic as possible without being penalised, however, we are aware of the difficulties institutions face in filling the number of places allocated 4
specifically for Gaelic-medium provision. To tackle this, we expect universities to promote this provision on a part-time basis as well as a full-time basis. The allocation of these places comes from within the overall PGDE intake target. 15. We have allocated 20 additional s each year since AY 2013-14 to the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) for PGDE Primary. In AY 2015-16 we will continue to allocate an additional 20 places, bringing the total to 60 s, to support the enhancement of Gaelic-medium ITE provision, and to widen access to teacher education in rural Scotland. 16. UHI is also developing its provision at secondary level. For AY 2015-16 we will allocate 8 s to UHI for the PGDE Secondary Gaelic Medium course. The places for both PGDE Primary and Secondary at UHI will be taken from within the overall sector increases to PGDE Primary and Secondary. 17. In AY 2014-15 the University of Edinburgh developed a new MA in Gaelic and Primary Education. The course is set to run for 4-5 years, depending on the students level of fluency in Gaelic on commencement of the course. We will allocate an intake of 10 s to this course in AY 2015-16. These places are in addition to the 700 we allocate to BEd Primary. 18. We will continue to allocate 25 of the PGDE Primary s for AY 2015-16 to the Universities of Aberdeen (five places) and Strathclyde (20 places) in support of Gaelic-medium provision. Secondary provision Allocation of intake targets among universities 19. The Secondary places have been allocated proportionately among the Universities who offer this provision. Full details are set out in the Table in Annex B. 20. Our monitoring of PGDE intakes at subject level has identified an over-provision of PGDE Physical Education students. In order to redress this over-provision, the University of Edinburgh will not run its PGDE course in Physical Education in AY 2015-16. The 19 s associated with the University s PE intake will be withdrawn from the University for one year only. These 19 places will be redistributed amongst the other providers along with the 100 additional places allocated by Scottish Government for AY 2015-16. Priority secondary subjects 21. In Annex B of the Scottish Government s Guidance, the national target intake for each secondary subject is set out. This is the second year that targets have been set out for each subject as part of a three year transition period to help replenish the teaching workforce at an equal rate across all subjects. 5
22. As in AY 2014-15, we do not intend to break the targets down by institution for each subject. However, we would ask again that institutions take account of these national targets when recruiting to individual subjects. Furthermore, institutions should consult with each other on the recruitment of students to different subjects with a view to working together to meet the national targets as set out in Annex B of the Scottish Government s Guidance. 23. We recognise that the first year of transition was challenging for universities with early indications of under-recruitment to secondary subjects. It is not our intention to penalise institutions if the individual subject targets are not met during the transition period. However, the usual SFC rules regarding under and over-enrolment will continue to apply to institutions overall allocation of Secondary places. 24. We will continue to monitor recruitment to the individual priority subjects over the course of this year to assess if the sector is achieving a better match between the supply of graduates and the vacancies in secondary schools. ITE Intakes beyond 2015-16 25. The teacher workforce planning model, as set out in Annex A of the Scottish Government s Guidance, indicates the need to decrease PGDE Primary places from 2017 and increase PGDE Secondary places from 2016. 26. Prior to AY 2014-15, the Scottish Government s advice would have mirrored the modelling exercise. However, they are concerned that the model s projected reduction in PGDE Primary places is not consistent with evidence from several other sources (as outlined in paragraph 5 of the Guidance). We would ask Universities to note the direction of travel suggested by the modelling exercise, but also to be aware that Scottish Government Guidance will also be influenced by other evidence. Universities should take this into account in their internal planning. 6
Annex B Intake targets and funded places for Initial Teacher Education courses for AY 2015-16 Institution Intake targets Funded places BEd BEd Secondary PGDE PGDE Combined BEd BEd Secondary PGDE PGDE Primary Music PE Technology Primary Secondary degree Primary Music PE Technology Primary Secondary University of 113 25 - - 208 177 5 369.3 54.0 - - 205.6 171.5 Aberdeen University of 65 - - - 181 40-215.4 - - - 179.5 39.4 Dundee University of 130-100 - 123 159-408.3-338.7-120.5 146.1 Edinburgh University of 134 - - 33 175 189 45 481.1 - - 94.6 173.1 183.8 Glasgow* University of - - - - 60 8 - - - - - 60.0 8.0 the Highlands and Islands Royal - 29 - - - - - - 96.5 - - - - Conservatoire of Scotland University of 44 - - - - - 115 142.1 - - - - - Stirling University of 152 - - - 306 517 30 531.9 - - - 305.8 515.4 Strathclyde University of 72 - - - 122 80-272.1 - - - 121.2 79.2 the West of Scotland Total 710 54 100 33 1,175 1,170 195 2,420.2 150.5 338.7 94.6 1,165.7 1,143.4 *The University of Glasgow's intake for Combined Degrees includes 20 for provision at Crichton campus. 7