The research, which examined how student teachers at Leeds Trinity University experience training at a time of significant change across the UK’s Initial Teacher Education (ITE) system, was led by academics Megan Stephenson, Associate Professor (Professional Practice), Deborah Garcia, Head of ITE Partnership, and Samantha Wilkes, Senior Lecturer in the School of Education and Childhood, and co-produced with early career teacher and Leeds Trinity graduate Alice Boyce.  

Teacher stress and retention remain major concerns nationally, with a recent UK Parliament report revealing up to 15% of teachers leave the state sector in their first year, and up to 33% leave within five years. The Leeds Trinity University study demonstrates that listening and responding to student teacher voice is a key factor in sustaining motivation, engagement and successful completion of training. 

“With government reforms placing increasing emphasis on imposed technical competencies, we wanted to explore whether students felt they had the space and support to develop their professional identities, confidence and sense of belonging,” lead author Megan Stephenson said. “We’re not just training our students; we are educating them to find their place in an evolving profession.” 

With the latest Schools White Paper revealing government plans to invest more in preparing teachers to respond to the diverse needs of their pupils, the authors of the study argue that “placing teacher trainees at the heart of conversations on all areas of the profession is key”. 

“We cannot produce teachers who are able to meet pupils’ needs, if their own needs are neglected in training,” Stephenson explained. “At Leeds Trinity University, we actively adapt our curriculum content to respond to the latest challenges and developments of the sector. We achieve this by listening to our students and implementing their feedback, to ensure we co-create a teacher training environment that produces agile and well-informed trainees, who are ready to respond to the diverse needs of their pupils.” 

Primary PGCE trainees surveyed for the study described strong relationships with tutors, encouragement and shared expertise between university staff and placement schools as “realistic and authentic” preparation for entering the profession. Alice Boyce, an early career teacher who co-authored the study, is a Leeds Trinity University Primary Education graduate, and believes the findings reflect her experience.  

“The need to belong and feel valued highlighted by our findings reflects exactly how I felt as a trainee, and how I feel now, in school,” she said. “We need to be understood to be able to do such a highly demanding and emotionally taxing job. It is this groundwork that then allows for the successful implementation of other elements revealed by our study, such as learning resources co-created with trainees and school partners, which are crucial to everyday practice.  

“Our aim is for this research to be heard by the Department for Education as they consult with the ITE sector on how to develop training that places student teachers’ voices at the heart of the learning experience.”