Trainee teacher standards 'too low'

Current qualification requirements for trainee teachers are far too low and should be raised, a group of MPs have said.

The Commons schools select committee said it was a "great concern" that students are accepted on teacher training courses with only a pass at degree level, and in some cases no A-levels.

Postgraduate courses should be restricted to graduates with a 2.2 degree as a minimum, and this requirement should be raised to a 2.1 or higher in time, the MPs said.

A committee report said people who wanted to study undergraduate degrees as secondary school teachers should also meet tougher entry requirements.

It found nearly half of applicants accepted to study physics PCE (Professional Certificate in Education) and PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education) courses do not have a degree in physics.

The committee report read: "Having examined the level of entry qualifications that trainees bring to both under and post-graduate initial teacher training programmes, we are clear that the bar must be raised across the board.

"It is of great concern to us that those with no A-levels, or those with just a pass degree can gain entry to the teaching profession."