Health education in initial teacher training at secondary phase in England and Wales: current provision and the impact of the 1992 government reforms

Abstract

A survey was undertaken to explore health education provision within sec ondary level Initial Teacher Training in England and Wales, and to examine the impact of the 1992 government reforms on teacher training. In particular the study focused on staff perceptions of both the adequacy of current provision and the competence of newly qualified teachers to deliver health education in schools. A comprehensive national survey was undertaken involving 116 staff from 80 higher education institutions. The findings revealed that: ITT staff perceived post-reform provision to be inadequate; newly qualified teachers were perceived to be less competent to deliver health education in schools; the content of, and time allocated to health education provision within ITT institutions had decreased; and there was a lack of consistency between school and institution-based provision. This highlights the need for consideration to be given to an explicit, compulsory national curriculum for health education in Initial Teacher Training, within the existing framework of competencies required of teachers by the 1992 reforms.