'It Felt Like a Secret Ballot': The Impact of Reaccreditation on Academics Working in Initial Teacher Education in England, 2022/2023
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| Title: | 'It Felt Like a Secret Ballot': The Impact of Reaccreditation on Academics Working in Initial Teacher Education in England, 2022/2023 |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Aimee Quickfall, Philip Wood |
| Source: | Journal of Education for Teaching: International Research and Pedagogy. 2025 51(4):632-650. |
| Availability: | Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 19 |
| Publication Date: | 2025 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Higher Education Postsecondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Foreign Countries, Accreditation (Institutions), Preservice Teacher Education, Educational Change, Educational Policy, Accountability, Faculty Workload, Systems Approach, Discourse Analysis |
| Geographic Terms: | United Kingdom (England) |
| DOI: | 10.1080/02607476.2025.2536112 |
| ISSN: | 0260-7476 1360-0540 |
| Abstract: | In 2022, a mandatory accreditation process was enacted across the pre-service teacher education sector in England, the successful navigation of which would be a requirement for institutions to continue offering initial teacher education (ITE) beyond 2024. We surveyed 143 academics working in university-based ITE in 2022/23, using an online survey to capture a range of their experiences of the academic year. In this paper, we focus on the experiences of the re-accreditation process. The results show significant concerns about accreditation within this group, at individual, team, institution and wider levels, including workload, perceptions of ideologically motivated change and existential concerns for the sector. Taking a novel discourse analysis approach to the study data, we conclude that the accreditation process has had a serious and negative impact on ITE academics in 2022/23. Whilst our focus is on one country, which is an outlier in terms of the policy, regulation and accountability of teacher education, there are national governments that have expressed an interest in carrying out their own provider accreditation processes, and this may be of interest to those working in ITE in those countries, and to anyone who has an interest in the future of pre-service teacher education and teacher educators. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1505123 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | In 2022, a mandatory accreditation process was enacted across the pre-service teacher education sector in England, the successful navigation of which would be a requirement for institutions to continue offering initial teacher education (ITE) beyond 2024. We surveyed 143 academics working in university-based ITE in 2022/23, using an online survey to capture a range of their experiences of the academic year. In this paper, we focus on the experiences of the re-accreditation process. The results show significant concerns about accreditation within this group, at individual, team, institution and wider levels, including workload, perceptions of ideologically motivated change and existential concerns for the sector. Taking a novel discourse analysis approach to the study data, we conclude that the accreditation process has had a serious and negative impact on ITE academics in 2022/23. Whilst our focus is on one country, which is an outlier in terms of the policy, regulation and accountability of teacher education, there are national governments that have expressed an interest in carrying out their own provider accreditation processes, and this may be of interest to those working in ITE in those countries, and to anyone who has an interest in the future of pre-service teacher education and teacher educators. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 0260-7476 1360-0540 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/02607476.2025.2536112 |
