In-service education and training: the response of local education authorities in greater London to changes in the funding mechanisms

Abstract

Local Education Authorities (LEAs) in the United Kingdom continue to have a statutory duty to provide efficient and sufficient schooling. This entails a concern for the professional quality of teaching. To meet this responsibility LEAs have traditionally employed advisers/inspectors and maintained teachers'/professional development centres. In recent years, however, changes in the funding of LEAs and the introduction of specific grants have had a significant impact on the organisation and delivery of In-service Education and Training (INSET). This research ascertains the INSET provision in a sample of LEAs in Greater London. It identifies the similarities and differences between LEAs in the responses to the funding mechanisms and examines the underlying rationale for the variation in INSET provision