Tougher training needed to combat poor teaching

The Institute for Public Policy Research (ippr) says it should be harder to become a qualified teacher, and that there should be more serious sanctions for underperforming staff.

Research produced by the Centre for Market and Public Organisation for the think-tank shows having a teacher rated 'excellent' rather than one rated as 'bad' is worth a GCSE grade. Having a teacher rated 'good' rather than 'bad' was worth 0.6 of a grade.

Report co-author and ippr associate director Julia Margo said: "There are still a large number of ineffective teachers and they make the difference between children passing and failing."

In the report the think-tank recommends the introduction of capability reviews for teachers, with those who fail being obliged to retrain before they can continue to teach.

It also says teacher training should be extended from one year to two, and initiatives should be put in place to encourage higher quality graduates, older people, and professionals from other sectors to become teachers.